Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-11-23
MR.. cowpEN,s DEFENSE.

Chairman CowpEN has, through the In
~tsligeacer, written a letter to the public
defending himself ard his pNty against
the charge of fraud brought by the Damo-
Gratis.
Il is q defence that does not defend.
He opsns by saying that the Democracy
"are systematically seeking to create the
impression that gross frauds were COM
mittsd by the Republicans in the late
election"
This Is certainly refreshing coming rom
Mr.. CowDEN through his organ, the In
A~eliqeacer, which for tbs psst month and
nfAxe has been yslliog stop theif'' at the
top bits voice and flooding all tie chan
neIls OfAscs with the most aagrant lies,
about this Sessaard the Dsmocrasisp4F'y.
Mr.. CowDES evidently sSSnks that the
Democracy are impelled by the same mo-
tiyes that actuate him when he yslls
fraud.
Nothing is to be gained by that sort OF
thing. The Democrats make specific
charges of which they have the proof and
which will be forthcoming before the
s'proper tribunals" Hence Mr.. CowDEN
is in g~rsiyous error when he says:
The only evidence they adduce in support Of
vague chEges made IN general terms Is the facs
tina. the vote Of certain counties has increased
largely over the vote Of 1886. and that the Repuo'
licans profit by the increase.
Mr.. CowDEN lays this enormous increase
to the fact that 'tae State is developing
and the immigration coming into the State
doe1 not and can not, in the nature OF
things, help the p'rsy Of tariff reform"
with its free lumber, free WOOL, free salt,
etc"
Surely Mr.. COwDEN cannot be 50 igno-
rant of Mcdowell and Mercer coUnt'e9,
where the greatest frauds were psrpstrated,
a. 70 believe this. The class Of men IN
thsse counties whom the Republicans drove
to the polls Ike cattle is composed OF the
lowest order of cheap colored labor from
YirEinia-men who know az much about
the tariff and questions Of public policy as
a South Sea Islander. They know and
care "a much about the effects Of free lum-
bsr and wool and salt rs they do Of the
geological formation of the moon; and
Chairmau COwDEN could get into his pri-
vats office all the sheep there are in these
two counties. His explanation Of lad
yancsment" aud Development will not
do. The Democrats have proof that bun
dreds Of these negroes who voted in Nc
Dowell county a1d were then hsrde1 over
into Mercer, where the process wasrepeated,
are registered voters Of Virginia, who had
not been in this State three months before
the election, many Of them not that long
This is soms of the proof that the Democ,
racy have of fraud perresrated by the Re-
publicans, which Mr.. CowDEN does not
attempt to explain away.
Mr.. CowDEN makes q foGgy threat that
be knows Of some Democratic fraud, and
says, referring to Judge FLEMING aud Mr.
RILEY:
Why do they say nothing abou! the increased
vote in Ohio county?
They probably said nothing about 1t
becluse it has no bearing on the question
Furthermore we believe the next census
will show the increase to be Legitimate, as
we have heretofore cOntende1. II It'll no.
Mr.. CowDEN, as manager Of the Republic
can campaigo, must b at his share Of the
impu.ation Of fraud, for the increase is in
beth Democrats and Republicans.
Mr.. CowDEN winds up his exceedingly
weak and puerils defence in a clustering
manner, declaring in general that he Is
prepared TO proys" q number Of things
against the Democrats.
Mt. CowDEN need not be anxious about
this; he will in good time be g ven all the
opportunity he can desire to air his proofs,