The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1888-08-08
CHARLESTON, W. Va, Aug {

/ I took a trip to Coal Valley re-
Acently; talked with good many
Hneople of all shades of opinion,
bnd believe that if left alone, free
from all outside interference, West
Virginia would ratify the Amend
hment by a large majority. But of
3course the liquor meu are not going
10 leave their interests in the
hands of the people without trying
Inv Al means in their power to in.
|1fuence them against it. And their
Influence is great, their means vast,
and their methods INSCRIPTIONS.
One thing favors a fair election,
3 and that is the new act prohibit
Ing any person from asking a voter
Ito disclose the contents of the tick
al he intends to vote while within
#6O feet of the voting place, and
|1from going with the voter on his
81 ya7 to vote within that distance,
land from calling back the voter on
his way to vote, and from inspect
linz his ballot, and from even offer.
linz him another one, after his get.
Ntlng within go feet of the polls.
MOf course this will not prevent
atampering with a voter more than
260 feet away, but it will prevent
the party who buys vote from
Seeing that it is delivered, and un-
@scrupulous voters may sell to oppo-
#site sides and then vote as they
please with IMMUNITY and no fear of
Mdetection. This prohibition will
hot prohibit bribery at elections,
but it will make it very risky,
land be a check on it.
3 | have found some Republicans
who say they will vote against the
b Amendment on account of the Pro-
hibition party. To be more exact,
& ] have found taoo. [ have not heard
a Democrat say he would vote that
way for that reason, though find
plenty who will vote against the
Amendment, third party" or no
third party"
But | am pleased to know that
4 all Democrats are not opposed to
the Amendment by any means.
| found near Coal Valley live
Amendment Club-the Eureka
with a live Prohibition Democrat
at the head of it. Brother C. II.
Kent is man of intelligence and
general information, who yields
#power for good at the Eureka
D Mines, and in the vicinity of Coal
Valley.
l met him at the Union S. s..
Convention at Coal Valley, and
learning that | was in the Amend
8 ment work he invited me to go to
Morris Creek and attend festival
Dot the Sabbath School, promising
me chance to address the people,
which [ agreed to do. The conven-
ton at Coal Valley was not large,
being the first one, and no. suffi-
Aclently advertised, but it had an
4 excellent program, and was inter
4 estlng. The night meeting was
n devoted to Prohibition.
4 Coal Valley is regarded as a hard
place tor temperance, tut | found
some sound prohibition timber
growing in it. I was kindly enter
tanned at the home of Mr.. James
Riggs on Friday night On Satur-
day | visited the Eureka Mines on
Morris Greek and learned that
there were but three voters against
the Amendment at that place. |
enjoyed the festival aud gave them
some Prohibition music. [ was
very kindly entertained by Bros.
James Willard and Kent. On Sun
gay morning | attended Sunday
school and in the afternoon gave
Them an Amendment talk. Bro.
Kent introduced me with some
very happy remarks; said that
while during the war, he and |
fought on opposite sides, we could
now shake hands across the place
where the bloody chasm used to be,
and IN spite Of party differences
we stand shoulder to shoulder for
Inc Amendment. Bro. K. is
democrat, and not yet ready to let
90 bis party, but he is prophet
enough to see that the Prohibition