Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-12-11
THE PIVOTAL BATTLE OF THE
WEST VIRGINIA DEMOCRACY.

WEST VIRGINIA DEMOCRACY.
Though it is,almOst two years till the
great political contest of 1SSS, the Repub-
licans of West Virginia have begun firing
along the skirmish lines rs a signal for
battle. Ever since our late State election
a stealthy movement has been on foot to
gain a vantage ground that would insure
their triumph over the Democrats in lsSS.
We have seen this movement taking
shape in the various little conferences of
Republican politicians in different
parts of the State; in the gather
ing of the faithful at the
recent blowout in Charleston, alleged to
have been in honor of Bob CARES elec-
ton TO the State Senate; in the PROPOSE
ton to form q deal, ii possible, with some
Democrats and elect CARR for President of
the State Senate that he might become
Governor of West Virginia in case Of Gov
ernor WILSON'S election as United States
Senator; and in the sudden and concerted
efforts Of the Republican press of the State
TO kindle the flames of diSsension in the
Democratic party and secure the election
of either q Republican to the United States
Senate or some Democrat who Is not the
choice of the great majority of his party
but of the Republicans and an insigniicant
minority of the Democrats.
The HteHigeReor yesterday, in q cum
ningly devised editorial, fired its irst shot
for the next campaign, by calling upon
the Republican members of the Legisla-
ture to combine for the defeat of Senator
CAMDEN at all hazards No matter what
alliances the Republicans form to accom-
pESh their purpose, it is insisted that Sen
ator CAMDEN must be slaughtered. If
this can be done by q Republican, very
good; ifnOt, then by any Democrat whom
the Republicans can swallow with few
Democratic Votes attached.
The sole reason, urged by the IateHigea-
Ger and the other Republican papers Of the
State, why Senator CAMDEN should be de-
featedi Is that he owns stock in the Stand
ard Oil Company, and may bring misfor-
tune Of some indefinable kind upon the
State. But from beneath this statement
by the Republican press, the clOven foot Is
seen p~rotruding. 1t is nothing less than a
v~illainouS device to attract the Republi-
cans and divide the Democrats in order to
accomplish the Oyerthrowot theD Democratic
party in ISIS.
1.-THE Republicans recognize that a Demo-
erat elected to the United States Senate by
Republicans assisted by a few Democrats
would inevitably throw a firebrand into
the Democratic ranks. And they see .
greater advantage still in disabling a man
OF such liberal views and such enterprise in
building railroads and developing the
state and such wide influence among both
parties, as Senator CAMDEN. They are
painfully aware of the fact that it was
through his efforts in organizing the party
and bringing out the vote throughout
some of the counties along the Ohio that
the Legislature was saved to the Democracy
in the late election. In short the Repub-
hcan leaders recognize what the HRteligeR.
Ger frankly admitted in this, from its
editorial yesterday:
He is in the main on the right side Of
the greatest issue which divide parties at
present TO wit: q protective tariff. He
Is also in favor of liberal legislation in
sOlidifying the National character Of our
Government as opposed to the Confederate