Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-12-18
SELECTIONS.
WEST VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS.

1t will be but a few years until
West Virginia is classed among the
reliably Republican States. II the
forces marshalled to hold her to
present moorings were thrice as pc.
tent as they are-and with Standard
oil as the chief factor, they are pow.
erful-it would still be fight against
the inevitable. Year by year the
Democratic majority diminishes-
year by year another of its strong.
holds yields. And every Republi.
can step forward is a permanent gain.
The advance partakes more of the
character Of siege than "a sudden
invasion. No brilliant leadership
stands forth conspicuous the skillful
exercise of party tactics plays but an
unimportaht part. RepublicanIsm
in West Virginia is a growth
strong, deep-rooted, and full of vitall-
ty. The history of its progress is
the history of the material develop.
ment of the State. With the open
ing Of mines and establishment of
manufacturing industries has come
the change of political faith. AS the
forests have yielded their treasures,
and the wealth that has slumbered
for centuries was brought into ac-
tive value; as the hut upon the
mountain side, barren of comforts
and but burlesque on home, has
given place tOthe neat cottage where
well requited labor finds its rest, so
have the forces of Republicanism,
silently yet effectively, penetrated
the thick crust of prejudice to find
a permanent Judgment in the very
heart of the masses. The infusion
of Northern enterprise and capital
has wrought a change in political
sentiment second only to the indus
trial revolution that followed swift in
its wake. The working people were
the chief benefieiaries of this new
order of things, and the first to rec.
ognize its full significance. They
had been taught to regard Republi-
cans as the natural enemies of the
South-the advocates OF social equal.
ity, and a thousand isms-.whose only
mission was to humiliate and de-
grade our people. Their coming was
looked upon with distrust. Every
step awakened a new suspicion !;
every movement excited fresh
But the invaders seemed un-
conscious of the regard in
which they were held. They set to
work to dig out the iron and coal !;
to clear forests and build houses.
Their money found its way to every
man who was willing to work. Their
coming put comforts in homes where
want and penury ha3 hitherto
reigned, and changed the bleak, deso-
late mountain sides into busy scenes
of activity. With the diffusion of
material benefits, came real under
standing of their purpose 1t was not
to degrade the South; it was not to
humiliate the people. 1t was to up
hold the one and make prosperous
the other. As these results became
manifest to them new light began
to dawn in the political world. They
who had been so stepped in preju-
dice began to do a little thinking for
themselves; to inquire into their
own interests and ask if after all
Republicanism was as black as ii
was painted, and to contrast their
own condition with what 1t was ere
yankee thrift and enterprise had
found their own way into the wilds
of West Virginia. The answer has
come in the gradual revolutionlzing
of the mining districts of the State
These whilom strongholds of Democ
racy have been transformed into
citadelS of Republicanism. Take
Kanawha and Fayette counties foI
instance. A year or two ago they
were overwhelmingly Democratic
Now the former gives from 1000 te
1900 Republican majority, whilst the
the latter comes up with about hal
that number. The State has changed
under the same influences from Ii,
O00 Democratic TO but little mort
than half thousand, and the legis
lature is SO evenly balanced that {
change of fifty votes, in the last cleo
ton, distributed in the close counties
wonld have given a Republican ma
ijority in that body.