Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-07-16

organization Oy acquleSclhg IN lts dluOsI
unanimous decision. Instead Of that, how
ever what appears to have been done more
through personal pique or from individual
ambition, rather than from desire to promote
harmonious relations in the party the Auditor
precipitated another element Of trouble and
discOrd upon the party on the eve Of an i'm
portant canvass by a mandamuS proceed
Ing, upon which decision was forced with
illconsidered haste, and which when it
did come relieved the situation of none Of
its constitutional complications for it was
one, as regarded byan good lawyers, founded
upon the weakest arguments ever uttered
by Court aggravating the condition OF
the public mind by an attempt to sustain
the Auditor and compel obedience to his
mandate in a position already looked upon
as one of uSurpation.
Then close upon the heels Of this and
really incidentally connected with the same
proceeding comes the order of the court in
the Intelhgencer contempt Casa decision
which is likely to give the court more noto-
ricty than MISUNDERSTANDING the free
dom of the press and restraining the indi-
yidual right of the citizen in the utterance
Of free speech.
There is another rock which lies deeper
under the waters but the dread of its pres
emce has caused nervous apprehension
throughout the State. 1t is the creation Of
what is known as the Debt Commission by
the last legislature and suspicion that in
some mysterious way it bears some relation
10 the expected attempt Of the certi-
hcate holding syndicate to create
liability against West Virginia
for a share of the old State debt. While
the press has been somewhat silent in the
discussion of this matter-the Democratic
press not desiring to precipitate it and the
Republican press evidently holding it back
for effective ammunition after the campaign
opens-still there has been heard in the
mutter of loud whisperings all over the
State, that there is job in the purposes of
the debt commission, and that what is
known as the Estate House Ring" is in
league with the syndicate to manipulate
from this State payment Of the deferred GER
tiEcates of Virginia and arbitrarily assigned
to this State for payment. While we have
no idea that the Legislature contemplated
ANYTHING of the sort in providing for the
creation of that commission, still we must
recognize the fact that the i'm
,drssiou has gone abroad that there is
crcokedncsS in it, and il is to be regretted
at nothing has been done 6y the admin
r. ton in that connection to dispel the sus-
piCiou. Ii is wiser, however for the Demo
a; tic party in its convention to take pos,
e,sion o. Il is gun and spike it rather than
lave the eaemy use it against US after the
battle has opened
With this statement of plumbers of the
present administration and for which the
opposition will seek TO hold the Democratic
party responsible, Democrats may well ask
themselves, What are we going to do about
it? Can we afford to attempt a vindica
ton Of these follieS? Wisdom gives q
negative reply. Can We afford to be thrown
on the defensive in tedious attempts at ex,
planation2 The same answer from the
same source comes back to us. Let US see
what is to be done.
Fusion has been made practicable by
these errors Of our administration. The
unnatural alliance between Greenbackers
and Republicans has been the outgrowth OF
the political blunders of our State admins
tration. Combined as they are, the oppo,
sition opens the campaign with less than
$500 votes Of the Democratic force. If the
same dissatisfied condition that now exists
is to be continued, all the probabilities are
that more than the necessary votes to make
them a majority will be won from our side.
How, then, are we to meet them in success,
full combat? We want to increase our vote
and increase our majority. We want TO
come out of this campaign with Blaine and
his impairment managers buried under at
least $4,000 majority. There is but one
way to do it,
The party must reform itself
1t must wash its hands Of the dsspotic
officials who have been unfaithful to the
teachings Of the party.
1t must in no way commit itself to the
folly Of an endorsement OF acts and policies
that cannot be sustained before an honest
and intelligent constituency.
1t must not plant itself in opposition to
the will and in position of hostility to the
rights of the people.
1t must panOply itself in the garments of
parity and integrity and rot present itself
as the organization Of rings. syndieates, or
despotic officials, who are false to the prin-
eiples Of Democracy and disobey the IN
struetionS Of their party,
1t must preserve its judicial departments
pure and free from the influence ofpolitical
combination and the concentrating blight
of a partizan touch.
II must promulgate declaration of prin-
ciples in accord with the National Demo
cratic platform II must present ticket
Of sb!e bold aggressive yoaag men. men