Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-04-27
AeESAR slLENcEn
The Struggles Of an Editor TO Wreck
Party
As the Penalty for Failure to Crown Him
King-.-A Sketch Of the Rspub-
liean Faction Fight

lClLH Nlchtu Win oCKAOAo 0AoAW VI Aoh
and file of the organization, and 1t IS an
open secret that much energetic kicking is
Ctipg done BY earnest aud conscientious
believers OF that political faith
Who see nothing but harm in q further con-
~Iibuauee OF the wrangle-the bulk of said
Sticking being directed toward the editorial
rooms Of the Fourteenth street organ, In
hcle Ct sils neipg the ambitious editor who,
deliberately, and il is alleged, with malice
forethought, Kicked up the row which bids
fair to set back the realization Of the fond
delusion biennially seen in Republican
papers, and talked ofby Republican orators
the conquest of the State-a decade or two.
To be brief, the Republican dissstisfsc-
ton with the course Of the ~Intelligencer
dates away back to the time Mr.. Hart, in
the fullness of his ambition to become the
Alpha and Omega Of the Republican party
IN this State, called the neyer-to- be-forgot-
ten Conference for en- interchange Of views
as TO the political necessities Of his party.
That was the first intimation the old.liners,
who had so often led the party combats, and
who were covered with the scars re-
esived in innumerable defeats, had OF
the designs of the m~ild-mannered
young man who had go lately came over
to them from Baltimore, Philadelphia,
and the enemy, and the result was what
might have been expected-a shower Of
rretests from one end of the State to the
other, which for the time being caused the
a~spirsnt to dictatorship to give way to
those in whom the voters Of the party had
learned to trust and whom they were con-
tent to follow.
Things ran along thus until the early
spring months Of 1884, when
the rival candidates for the
Republican nomination at Chicago began
to show their hands. Then the trouble be-
gan anew. The old leaders had it in their
minds that Arthur was the proper mau for
West Virginia to tie to, and the ropes began
to be laid for the securing of q delegation
to the Convention in the Presidents inter
est. The ~Inteligencer at once saw
its opportunity to down the old
leaders. The Republicans Of the
State had had always had a kindly feeling
for Blaine, and taking advantage of this
fact the editor of the I~ntelligencer raised 8
shout which swept the Arthur from their
feet in the memorial fight at M~srtiusburg
and landed q solid Blaine delegation in the
convention at the Garden City. Ii was on
this occasion, it viii be remembered, the
fued between Messrs. Hart and Mccormick
burst out afresh, and these two leaders o.
the opposing factions were with the greatest
difficulty kept by their friends from slugging
each other in genuine Sullivan style.
About this time Mr.. Duval, who was a
strong Blaine man. received ONE real or
fancied slight from the administration
officers, and sent to President Arthur his
resignation of the Office of collector.
Duvsl, it is alleged, affected to be-
ieve that his prominence as 8 Blaine
boomer would initiate against him, and
make outstanding at Washington something
not to be desired, and the result vas the
forwarding of his resigsstion-sn act which
caused no end-of criticism and amusement
among the Arthur faction. The President,
as is well known, requested Duval to
withdraw his resignation, but this Duvsl re-
fused to do, and persisted in his desire to be
forced aside and an administration man put
10 his stead.
Meanwhile the b~ellicose feeling between
the factions, already at dagger's point,
steadily grew in intensity, and the prospects
for unity of action in the State Convention
and the subsequent campaign appeared
decidedly slim. However, Hart was
on top, and as achieving lead.
ersbip, even if the party be hopelessly
divided as q result of his ambition, was the
only consideration worth mentioning in his
estimation, the ~Intelligencer was content.
But Casar's triumph was short.lived
The State Convention assembled at Parkers.
burg, Maxwell was endorsed with enthu.
sissm, and the flag of the old leaders
waved over Harris PROSTATE form.
The defeat filed the editor
with desperation, and it required the strong
est kind Of pressure to secure anything ike
an active support from the head of the "or-
gan" during the canvass, and it is asserted
by those in a position to know that the
fnilure Of the party to win in the State
campaign was the cause of much rejoicing
inside the small circle which reyolved about
the Eastern journalist.
Then came the appointment of McCor.
NICK, who, seeing the Collectorship being
k'cked about applied for aud was com
missioned to 6ll the office. This was worm,
wood and gall to the editor, although the
az pointment was endorsed by nine out oil
every ten Republicans in the State as a
fitting recognizancs by the President OF
an old leader and worthy partizsn.
Hart determined, if possible, to make life a
burden to MeCormick, and at once com,
menced q warfare which the Republican
press throughout the State is ~denouncing
as actuated BY petty spite, jealousy and per,
sonal revenge; party harmony and political
victory being things of no consequence with
Hart when self was at stake.
This is the situation to date aud the Re,
pubheans here are all sgog, Collector Nc,
Cormick having taken care to send copies Of
his paper, the Grafton Eagle, to many of the
prominent Republicans in the city, and
now they are busy communing with each
other, and signing that the paper which
should be foremost in promoting the vel
fare Of their cause, and endesvor,
ing to bring about the ~amalgamstion of ali
the elements Of the party into q harmon,
ious organization Is Systematically belittling
its leaders and, apparently, doing all it can
to forever keep the Republicans in the mi,
noTity.
Sincere Republicans, recognizing that
these parrot and monkey scenes must cease
If their efforts in behalf Of principal
are
and It is said the pressure upon the editor
within the past two weeks to come OF has
been so formidable that all the proddine OF
the State Journal and Grafton Eagle and q
dozen other papers has failed to evoke
from him one Of his Characteristic remarks,
But his silence is not from choice, and he
may soon be expected to break cut in q
fresh place and with renewed yigor. As a
leading Republican worker said yesterday.
The party is all torn up over the row and
the little differences among the Democracy
isn't q flea bite 10 comparison with the
rumpus within our own ranks"
Save $3.50