Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-10-11
THE SITUATION IN WEST VIRGINIA
Facts Upon which Republicans Base
Hopes of vicsory-A Review of Re.
cent Political Events in the ~sasc-
The Vote that the Fusioussts VIII
Have 60 Poll in Order 10 WIN. &c.

hopes Ot Vtctory-A Review Of Re.
cent POLITICAL Events in the state
The Vote that the Fusioassts VIII
Have 20 Poll in Order To Win, sc.
Special Dispatch TO THE EVENING sran
PARKERsBURa, W. Va. october H.
Since $50, when the republicans were ousted
from power, there has been no campaign In this
state that approached In general interest the
one TO be terminated at next Tuesdays election
Attempts OF the republicans OF late years TO regain
power have been hardly more than matters of
form Their minority was hopeless and they knew
L. But the election OF Mr.. Con 20 Congress by
them In the Wheeling district two years ago and
certain acts since then by the democratic author-
ties looking 20 oppressive taxation renewed hope
and the present contest was entered with much
real earnestnesS so closely and with such conf
dence has it been pushed that the result Is vet
fairly matter OF doubt
general election occurs In this state but once
in four years few state officers and the leS-ts-
llture are elected every years at the elections
AT which congreSsmen are chosen. This leaves the
people Tree from political excitement during every
other year, save such rpples as may lie created at
town or municipal elections
HOW GEN. GoFF WON IN 1882
The election OF 1882 evoked so little interest that
out 5000 votes were cast out OF a possible 10000
Detection among the democrats in at least two OF
the four congressional districts was largely the
cause or this apathy. Many democrats In the
wheeling district openly boted their candidate for
SolsreSS Ills nomination had been secured after
Dltter contest that left In its trail much bad
feeling. The republicans I'm that district were
united, ana all were In favor OF Gen Gufrs candi-
dacy. lie had made a splendid run two wears
before against popular democrat IL was moi sur
prfsing that he should succeed against a Democrat
over over whom factions were quarreling. The trouble
WIN the wheeling democrats has been that too
many OF them were ambitious for high honors
Ihey held power so long that personal differences
grew among them and split them Their defeat
two years ago did not lessen their salfeSee,n for
tney admitted it To be due faction GlfIerences
~ had the enect, however, OF convincing them that
they would lose their majority unless they held
together. The result was the nomination against
Mr.. Con OF Judge John Brannan who is somewhat
@ no.ed locally as pacifer OF faction feuds IL is
CANNED that he has sustained that reputation In
TINS emergency, and that he has brought his party
into such harmony that the fun party vote Will be
oso tOr te s'Ie Ticket on TUESDAY Reunion has
aIso lolowed IN other localities where differences
existed, and there is little doubt that the vote 10
pe poled VIII record the full democratic strength.
TIE REPUBLICAN GREENBACK FUSION
The republicans have never been seriously d.
vided. Some dissatisfaction was expressed In the
ranks this summer over their fusion with the
greenbackers. but that soon wore on The iusttf-
cation for fusion, apart from cause against a conn
mon enemy, lay In similarity OF interest In re-
gard 10 the most prominent OF national issues
The greenback party had added TO its original
creed the championship OF labor This meant that
the greenback leaders sought TO rally under their
banner what promised TO be the most unpori ant
element In the prosperity OF the state. The effort
was partially successful. IL might have yielded
the increase of labor had come from the mines OF
pennsylvania, and already prediSpoSed To-
wards republican principles But In so far there
had been union OF labor and greenbackism. tt
represented sympathy with republican ideas on the
tarln, and TO That extent belonged logically with
the republican party.
The greenback vote at the state election OF 1880
amounted TO 1900. The democrats then polled
about $4,000 and the republicans about 4OOl The
democratic majority over the aggregate republican
and greenback vote WAS over 3.eOl The green-
hackers have since had but one candidate for a
prominent ONCE In the held That was In 1889,
when Guthrie, republican and greenbackeF, was
peaten by snyder, democrat, for supreme fudge by
5000 As explained above, the poll then was COM
paratiyely light, and the democrats Were badly
split up. The republican vote then was quite fuIi
being within 5000 OF the vote for Garfield The
democratic vote was II, 600 less than for Hancock
and 900 less than for Jackson candidate for gov
eTnor at the state election BY the republican vote
just cited is meant the fusion vote. IL amounted
10 1900 less than the fusion at the state elec
ton OF $780, at 1900 less than at Gaifields cleo
uon The straight republican vote at the state
ally.
THE DEMOCRATIC VIEW OF THE GREENBAcK PARTY
From the fact that the straight republican vote
has ranged steadily within few thousand for sew
eral years past the democrats now argue that be-
tween 1880 and 1882 the greenback party In this
state dissolved, the name being retained by a few
political traders only for selfish purpose They
confess that attempts at revival have been made
since 1882 and that labor organizations have 10 n
small extent been enlisted In that cause But they
straight republican strength and adds nothing TO
fusion, and they are unwilling TO admit that the
greenback force now, with its labor accretions is
more than half what It was when the ereenback
candidate for governor received 5000 votes In 1880
The republicans claim, on the other hand, that by
SO much as labor representation has been increased
az the mines and mills for two years past The fp--
sion ticket will be helped. through one or the other
G 81 but In 5n ss, tss wv aSus
the mines and shops that were working two yearv
ago are shut down and deserted 1t may be doubted
much.
THE TAXATION OF FARM PRODUCTS
Gains from other sources, however may reason
ably be expected. The farming element is under no
obligations to the democrats for part OF the past
years work The democratic governor on anes
tionable authority has ordered That farm products
held by the farmer for his own use shall be listed
for taxation There Is a statute exempting such
products The governors conclusion that this stat
ute was unconstitutional was reached by analogy
IL was provided In the constitution OF 1863 that no
class OF property should be exempted. In 1865 q
special act, chartering the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad through this state, exempted that road
from taxation until Its net earning should reach
ten per cent OF the cost OF construction The CHAR
ter was granted with this provision as an Induce
ment TO the road TO come into the state. AT the
revision OF the constitution, in lssS the clause in
nlDltlng exemption was retained After while
the point was raised in the legislature against the
railroad company that Its charter, so far as it
question went to the lower court, and then 10 the
court OF appeals, and by both the point was sus-
tained- The company appealed TO the Supreme
Court or the United states, where the is pend
Ing. The ultimate appeal was allowed on the
ground that the company was q citizen OF Virginia
As such reason could not be pleaded by those whom
the farmers exemption statute was intended 10
benefit the governor, after long deliberation, an
nounced that IL the special privileges granted 10
the railroad company were Unconstitutional any
special privileges were equally SO. The order
was accordingly issued for the as
seSSment OF such products. This raised
a question OF law, and until the campaign
opened IL was discussed from a legal standpoint
only. Lawyers divided on it, regardless OF party.
The constitution was based on the California con-
and the California courts had held that
no exemptions were lawful On such decisions to-
gether with the decisions OF the courts of this state
In the railroad case, the governor based his OPINION
One OF those who dier with the governor Is United
States Senator kenna, who holds that as farm is
taxed simply for its productive capacity IL should
not be again taxed Tor Its products
The republicans, in raising an issue on this mat
ter do not lay much stress the soundness or un-
OF the governors conclusions, but they
dispute his right 10 reach an official conclusion,
saying that in so doing he inyades the province OF
the legislature. As much possible, OF course is
also made or the discrimination and hardship that
Is thereby worked against the farming class Some
feeling has been reused IL. and the democrats
have been forced 10 plead their willingness TO SUBJ
nit the question 10 the people. TO be voted on a. a
amendment The practical effect OF
The assessment order Sinsgnllcant, far t viii
impose extra burdens on tie farmers, hut that any
should be imposed has stirred up some resentment
which the democrats may feel in the election.
WHAT THE FUsIoSISTs MUST DO TO WIN.
It is plain that in order TO carry the state tie
must poll more than their greatest for
hv Of Iaoc nl,o