The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-09-20
How West Virginia Will Vote.
Especial to Baltimore American


State continues favorable to the Re-
publicans. The Democratic faction
al tight-which began early in the
spring, when the Register, the party
organ in the State, charged the pres.
ent Democratic administration with
wrecking the party, and called for its
repudiatiOn-culninated in an open
row in the state convention. which
was the most disgraceful scene ever
enacted in state convention. The
Register, having lost the fight there,
was not enthusiastic indeed, it was
di>couragingly cool. The State Com
miTtee was not organized until the
middle Of August, and the campaign
was not opened until September 9Th,
and then under such discouraging
circumstances that the whole state
felt the chill. The Greenback and
Republican fusion is a success. This
gives the fusion ticket clear major
ity in every congressional district.
The excessive dulness in the nail
mills in the First district has been
used by the Democrats as an argu.
inert in favor of a change. There IS
also some German detection from the
Republican ranks in Wheeling, ow-
ing to the local temperance agitation,
but it cannot effect the vote much.
The same cause that loses German
Republican votes in Wheeling gains
Temperance Democrats in the rural
districts, anomalous as it may appear.
Fully seventy-f1ve per cent. of the
Democracy of West Virginia are pro-
hibitionists. The combined Repub-
lican and Greenback vote of the First
district is 2,143 in excess of the DEM
Ocratic vote. General Golf, Republic
can, will no doubt be reelected by
300 majority. The Third district
lies in the wonderful Kanawha VAL
ley, with its great coal and salt de
posits. Here also is situated the only
tin mine in America, and the largest
vein in the world. Biologists esti-
mate the tin area at 1000 square
miles. Large quantities are now
daily smelted. In this valley re-
markable change is in progress. The
population, composed entirely of min
ers, has increased three hundred per
cent. in the last three years. Ninety
per cent of this increase is Republic
can. In this district the Republicans
have held but one popular meeting,
but every individual miner has been
spoken to personally on the subject.
A sample of the work accomplished
is seen at the Winnifred mines, where
712 voters are employed. In this mine
a Blaine and Logan club of 658 mem
| hers has been formed. The Demo-
cratic majority in this dist,iet two
years ago was 200. The Greenback
and Republican vote is 700 in excess
of the Democratic, even on the old
basis. The Republican candidate for
Congress, Colonel Davis, on a fair
estimate, will have 200 majority.
In the Fourth district the Democrats
almost admit the defeat of their cam
didate. A lively fight will be made
in the Second district, with the odds
in favor of the Republicans.
A careful, exhaustive study Of the
situation justifies the Republican
claim of electing every congressman.
The same conditions that exist IA to
the congressional ticket apply with
equal force to the state ticket, with
this additional factor, that the Dem
Ocratic candidate for governor has
the open and avowed antagonism of
every railroad in the state because of
his pronounced and declared oPposi-
ton to all so called monopolies. In
a recent legislature, at the closing
session, he spoke nine consecutive
hours to defeat a railroad bill, and
earned the name he is known by all
over the state, that of "Windy."
Such men as Senator Barnum and
Senator German, of the Democratic
National Committee, and ex-senator
III. G. Davis, of this state, all Demo-
Gratis. who own tens of thousands of
acres of coal land in this state in part
nership, and who are to some extent
dependent on outside capital in de-
veloping their property, cannot afford
the election of the Democratic candi-
date for governor. Without entering
further in the details. the situation
summed up is this: Republicans vii
elect two congressman certainly, four
probably. The Republican state ticket
will have from 1000 to $500 major.
ity. and Blaine will carry the state
by 5000.