West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-07-13

have made his tariff speech long be-
fore President Cleveland took the
lead. respectfully say that he has
shown no qualities To make all 9TH
er men leave the field. i can see no
claim for your perpetuity in office
on the score of superior ability, and
when we have Candidates of our own
of equal merit l think the nominee
should come from this side at least
once in ten years. The Constitu-
ton of the Union has made the term
of office two years so as To secure
rotation in office and it was not so
much to secure rotation of person
as it was n rotation in localities.
Let NE say right here that | impute
no blame to Mr.. Wilson for trying
to be renominated and / am not sur
prised that he is supported by the
office holders and the men under OBJ
legation to him or expecting favors
from him. My meaning is that the
yeomanry do not like the perpetuity
that exists, and will express their
sentiments at the election. The
pride of locality is stronger than the
whip of party. II | have heard
once have heard a hundred
times that while the strikere
can carry a convention, they
cannot carry an election and this de-
notes condition of things the re
verse of that which should exist.
In the former conventions this side
has been split up, but the feeling is
now to hold a meeting just before
the convention meets and by drop
ping the lowest candidate every bal
lot to choose man of our own who
shall receive the solid vote Of this
side, barring the office holders who
have had themselves made delegates
and who, of course, will support Mr..
Wilson. Some think this will give
us the Congressman for at least one
term, but | do not believe It,.
! expect to see your man nominated,
but | also expect that he will
loose 500 votes in consequence of
the feeling l speak of. The party
here is solid for Cleveland and Thur.
man and there is no trouble but this
desire to have for our side Of the
Mountain, that fair play, which we
have always extended to your Pan
Handle. | also wish it distinctly
understood that l am not writing in
the interest of Judge Ice. i never
spoke to him or his friends about
this MATTER. AS he has never been
in your County, your people do not
know his eminent qualifications,
but if they knew him as he is known
here they would not be surprised 10y
my statement that if in Congress he
would soon have national reputa-
ton, and, better than all, he would
never rely for denomination on the
work of strikers he has had appoint
ed to office. | will also add that il
your paper, like the others in our
party, is afraid to publish such a
letter as this which a member of
Congress forhids you to publish,
shall not be surprised and you can
return what / have written to your
obedient servant,
A BARBOUR DEMOCRAT.
p. ST. ain one OF the many
Democrats who cannot be pulled
about by the bosses, but l have
invariably voted for Democrats
unless the nomination was too dis
graceful to be swallowed. j voted
for Judge Hoge and for Mr.. Wilson.
l urged giving the latter two terms,
but this time l will vote for my side
as against your side Of the Noun
tain. This perpetual monopoly
which is claimed by your Pan Han
die must be stopped now or it new
er will be stopped.
AS evidence of the truth OF what
l have said, / will ask you to pub
the resolution adopted by the mass
meeting in Tucker County on the
3Oth and l understand it was the
largest meeting that WAS ever held
in that county:
Resolved, That the Tucker dele
CATION to the Congressional Conven-
ton cast its vote for some candidate
west ofthe Allegheny Mountains.
In reply to the above we say:
/. According to what our concep-
ton of what newspaper should be-
any citizen has as much right to ex-
press his views as the editor him
self. So far as this journal is con.
cerned there is no llmltatl0p on tnls
right except the amount Of space we
can spare.
We have been compelled to con
dense what our correspondent writes
but we give full expression to his
views.
Although the owners and man
ayers of the Democrat support Mr.
Wilson, their support of him or OF
any candidate will never close these
columns to persons who wish to
speak to the public.
2. 1t is natural we should desire
to retain our man in Congress. His
residence here gives this locality an