Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-09-21
FREE SPEECH

The Republican party Is an sil Woo' Tree
speech party 30 long IS nothing Is ssio
that goes counter to Republican notions.
We have already referred to the attempts
that are making in this State to gag the
i~ndependent colored voteIs-how RepubI
cane are e~ndeavoring to boycott the noml'
nses on the independent colored ticket who
refuse longer t. bend to the Republican
will and persist in remaining true to their
convictions. We have referred to the cut
ting down of Democratic poles In the ban
ner Republican county of Preston. hut
nov comes an instance of Republican In
tolerance that smscks of those dark days
in the South when Repuhiicanism wss
forced down the helpless peoples
throats with Republican bsyonets d.
rected from Washington and ali
opposition was beaten out with clubbsd
muskets. Connecticut is the scene of the
latest exhibition of Republican intolerance
and the Prohibitionists are the victims.
We quote from the Connecticut Home:
The second night, Colonel Knowlton
WAS the speaker, and his first evening IN n
tent meeting wa interesting to say the
least. The speech wax grand, magnificent,
mt he was constantly interrupted by O
howliug mob outside. A big dog was
ssnt three times across the stage behind
the speaker and finally the ropes around
that end of the tent, behind the speaker,
were loosened and the canvass fell upon
and around him while talking. After an
~pouncipg that the Rev. d. T. Call would
speak the following night, the meeting
was brought TO a close. Oar FRIEND
Knoytlon was Just the man for the occa-
SION. He inspired all with courage. The
tent was drawn back into position, the
ropes tied, aud everything put In readiness
and the next night saw re-entorcements IN
the way of Prohibitionists from all around,
The Young ladies from HOckanum with j.
Knox Hall and Norman s Brewster, to con-
duct a medal contest. Three Of on friends
from Windsor came down and carried back
epy marks. The Hartford Prohibition
GIee Club was there in force and rendered
very inspiring music and ID. I. Call was
there and spoke with his wonted vigor.
Marvin Knowlton acted as gen.
eral manager. A good meeting
was put in surely. But the mob got
there as usual. After Mr.. Calls speech,
which wa interrupted by bowls from the
anti. prohibitionists outside, the glee club
left their places as policemen 70 sing,
nrior to the introduction of the medal
ists. When well under way a shower of
syps, like shells from q masked battery
burst upon and around the singers. Near
Iy all on the platform were hit, and as one
looked at the platform the next day, we
thought the price Of eggs would
certainly advance. MIR. knowlton
closed the meeting. As If by magic
the cords Of the tent were lcosened,
the lights hastily pat out, and the I'M
mepse tent with both Of its poles fell
crashing upon the chairs. Then began 3
scene OF bowling and demon-iks conduct
such As the writer has never witnessed.
A mob of at least fifty representatives OF
the Young Republican Club-mainly-l
am told-made night hideous as they
surgs5 around the fallen tent But for
the presence of Prohibitionists from out
of town it is likely, from appearances,
that everything would have bsen de-
stroyed. Asit was, only n chair was
broken, aud several charts and notices
discolored with eggs.
What occasioned all this? Party hate.
A Christian church member, . large prop
erty owner, an a~spirant for the Senatorial
nomination from his district by the Re-
publicans, came out when the tent was
pitched and ordered us off because We
were in front Of his house, two hundred
Yards away. But Mrs. Sails on the other
side of the park told rs We were welcome
30 STAY on her side Of the centre line, up
TO which each of the property owners
moved the grass and claimed control. The
threat was then made that if we did not
move our tentit would be moved for as, and
90 IL was. Ifthat is Republican tactics, We
want none of them. Two men were heard
10 say as they went home from the tent,
that they had voted their lest Republican