Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-10-11

the Capitol Rink, Saturday night. The
report, as a matter of course, but family
outlines the magnetism and e~loquence Sc
Characteristic of the gentlemen, but these
qualities cannot be reproduced in cold
type, even by the most accomplished
scribe. The orator must be heard III the
flesh. Nevertheless the facts and figures
here arranged will be perused with pleas
ure and profit by our readers.
Mr.. Walker spoke substantially as fol-
lows:
FELLOW DEMOCRATS or OHIO COUNTY:
/ thank you for the warm and generous
greeting which has been extended to me,
but L attribute the enthusiastic welcome,
not to myself, but to your earnest and de-
voted sympathy with the principles ard
struggles and purposes and hopes OfDemo-
cracy. l take it that the energies which
you have exerted in the past for the success
of the party will in the future be your
purposes for the same glorious object.
The last time / addressed the people of
Ohio county, was during the political
struggle of 1884, and l can proudly say
that
THE ISSUES OF TIA CONTEST
bore testimony to those noble principles
which triumphed in the election of Grover
Cleveland and Thomas A. Hendricks.
Applause.
After eighteen months of experience
with Democratic methods and policy, rs
has been shown in the administration Of
Grover Cleveland, the Democrats Of the
nation may contemplate their past record
and look forward to the future With feel
ings of confidence and joy. But still the
pleasure which such CONCENTRATIONS and
anticipatiOns cannot fail to awaken in your
breasts, must be tinged with a feeling Of
regret, regret that our Republican breth-
rem are unable to experience any such
pleasant recollectiOns.
He then said that instead of Astounding
with the enthusiasm which should char
a~cterize the G. o. p. the Republican edi-
torials read like the obituary column of 4
country newspaper or 4 chapter from the
book of Lamentations, and that, rs he
glanced over these
DOLEFUL PRODUCTIONS
the thought came to him irresistiDly that
the Republican party was " going to its
long home and the mOurnerS were going
about the streets" And continuing, he
said, ''Only q short time ago n important
Republican convention placed the follow
ing upon their list of resolutions: "ReSOiCed,
that we deplore the defeat of James G.
Blaine and the election of Grover Cleve-
land Us 4 national calamity" Now, |
have been at some trouble to consider the
reasons why this Democratic triumph was
Judged q national calamity" and | am
persuaded that if / was a Republican |
would deem it q national calamity" too.
Now, let US see how it appears to OUT Re-
publican friends. For twenty-tOur years
the Republican party held the reins of
this government and ruled the IL
try, and during that time all the offices
and positions were part OF
AGREAT POLITICAL MACHINE.
The government, instead of being a gov
eminent of and for the people, was
conducted solely in the interests of the
Republican party; you had mail offices for
Republicans, civil positions for Republic
cans, military titles for Republicans, ap-
pointments for Republicans, everything
for Republicans and nothing for
the people. Applause. And now
that Grover Cleveland has laid
down this principle and declared his
intention to abide by it, that"public office
is q public trust" the Republican office
holders join in a howl of batlled rage and
declare his election to be "a national
calamity" Applause
THE advent OF the Democrats to power
on the 4th of March, 1885, has enabled
the people to examine into the Republican
modes of dealing in the various departments
of the government"
He then spoke at some length and in his
usual forcible manner Oh the immense
frauds in the Pension Bureau, and backed
up his statements with
STATISTICS OF THE FRAUDS.
He also produced some reports showing
where certain Republican officers instead
of attending to their duties were ut certain
times ''bulldOzing Democratic voters"
Many of these reports were quite amusing,
one of them stating that the oflice-holder
was "out in the rain all day working for
the Republican party" and SO on. Mr..
Walker then said, land now that your
Pension Bureau has become what it should
be, u business department of the Govern
ment and not u repository for these "hard
working Republicans; now that they,
themselves, have been taken in "Out Of the
rain," you are asked to believe that the
reform is "A national calamity" "A voice
in the audience: what about Goff?" I'll
pay my respects to General GOif before |
am done. | always take meat before
desert. Applause.
The election of Grover Cleveland has
given access to the records, and now you
have evidence of
II IMMENSE DEFALCATIONS
which the Republican party has been
guilty of during these past years.
At this point Mr.. Walker produced 9th
er statements proving the corruption of
the Republicans in the official depart
ments of the governments, and continued:
Here you have evidences
of defalcatiOns amounting to
nearly Sl3, 900, 900, not counting
the immense fraud in thu. Star Route cases,
and the Post Office and Navy Departments.
Here is a record OF the money that has
been s~quandered in repairing old WORKOUT
ships three times over, and now is it any
wonder after these rich pickings that the
Republicans should declare 1.-The defeat of
James G.. Blaine and the election of Gro
yer Cleveland rs an affrOnt to them and a
national calamity?'"
He then read documents and produced
figures showing that since Cleyeland's cleo
tiOn the expenses of the people had been
leSsened many millions, and that there was
a greater saving OF the putii c money than
at any time during the reign of the Re-
publican party. He spoke of
THE IMMENSE GRANTS OF PUBLIC LANDS
which had been made by tnat party, and
furnished statements of tie grants, CON-
menting on that subject as follows:
From this yousee that tie Republicans
gave over 70, 900, 600 acres Of your public
lands to these immense corporations, and
through all that vast area the emigrant or
citizen is forbidden to chop a tree or raise
a house or build q fence without first ask
ing the consent of some of these sOulleSs
monopolieS.