Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-09-23
TAYLOR
ON WEST VIRGINIA POLITICS,
The Situation From an Outside Stand
point.
4 FIGHT FOR U. 5. SENATOR
Rsbsr Will be GOf's Secretary Of State,
If.


Taylor writes to the Enquirer from
Charleston, on the political situation in
West Virginia He says:
A consensus of the opinions of the lead
ers of the two parties here is to the effect
that both parties are not only willing, but
anxious, to throw away the Governor and
State ticket 10 secure the Legislature and
a United Stntes Senator.
TIE Democrats say: "GOff is only nomi-
nslly candidate for Governor. He is re-
ally after the Senstorship, and ne will be
traded of with his own consent and by his
own direction, wherever aud whenever
such trading will secure Republican Dele
gate or Senator"
The Republicans say: Fleming is to
bs sacrificed to secure the legislature, and
tbs Democrats are arranging for the trade
in all the close and doubtful counties and
districts" "
A CHOICE PRESENTED.
You pay your money and you take your
choice of these two statements. A scat
tered popu'stion like that of West Vir-
gina does not offer a promising field for
trading votes. even If the leaders of either
or both parties were willing to enter into
the business A few Of the cities and big
towns like Charleston, Huntington, Point
Pleasant, Psrkersburg, Moundsvills,
Wheeling and Others might furnish some
stock for trade and barter, but when they
get out into the mountains and the purely
agricultural districts, they will find that
the voters of both parties are extremely
hard to trade OFF A good many of them
are changing their politics But they are
not for exchange. They are disposed to
iudoIse what the poet said OF Whitley's
pig:
when he lived. he lived In clover,
And when he died, he died all over"
REPUBLICAN, EXPECTATIONS.
thiuk it is q fact that the Republicans
have strong expectation Of securing
majority on Joint ballot in the next Legis-
lature, and that they are working with 8
view OF attaining that result, without the
hope or expectation of carrying the State
officers ard Presidential Electors.
der. estimate the aims of the Republicans
in this regard, and the possibility OF their
accom- plishment, they will make grand
mistake and stand in danger Of seeing .
Republican fill the seat Of the brilliant and
tsleptsd Keuua II they will look about
them in the various counties and districts
they will fud many surface indications OF
Republican tactics.
HOW THE WORK IS BENG DONE.
Wherever local dissensions can be stirred
% in the Democratic ranks, they are be-
ing ipduatriously fomented, especially
where the margin of votes between the
two parties is narrow. This style Of fight
IS being uade directly on the Democratic
candidate for the House OF Delegates or
the Senate, wherever possible. If not poe
sible, the fight is made Indirectly, and Of
ten more effectively. The plan is this:
Az many OF the leading friends OF the
Legislative candidate ss possible are In
duced to oppose the election Of some other
candidate on the local ticket upon some
personal aud plausible ground. This, OF
course, incenses the immediate friends OF
his candidate, and the chances are that
they will retaliate.
4 DEMOCRATIC VIEW.
Ash came up through the State by rail
Yesterday, fell in with Mr. Frank Bar
rett. whose brother served on General
Sreedman's staff. He lives just across the
river on the Ohio side, between Gallipolis
and Point Pleasant. He is both farmer
and q man of large business affairs, which
take him all over thia State at frequent in
terVals. Said Mr.. Barrett to me:
"Ths Democrats will carry West Vir-
sinis by larger majority on the State and
National tickets this year than they have
sny time since 1876, and they will get the
Legislature by o larger majority on JOINT
ballot than they have at present"
"But are not the Republicans trying to
capture the Legislature"
''Oh, yes; and / have no doubt that Gen.
Goff is perfectly willing to trade the Gov.
srnorship for the Senatorship, but 1t can't
bs done"
EFFECTS OF THE MILLS BILL.
Have the Mills bill and the tariff dis
cassion lsssened the chances for Demo
cratic success in West Virginia."
They have not, but rather increased
them. For every Democrat who leaves
The party because of the tariff issue,
two converts are made the other
gsy. The voters Of West Virginia can
not be deceived or stampeded by the
cry Of free trade They understand
the issue to be between wsr tax, which
produces an excessive and unnecessary re-
venue, and reduction of taxation to the
sctual wants of the Government which Will
bring with it cheaper necessaries OF life
7, seems to me thst . man who assumes
that voters every where do not understand
such plain proposition as this is trading
sxtravagsntly upon the supposed ignor'
snce of the people" -,
Mr.. Taylor also sends an interview witt
Mr.. NJ. A. Rsber, of the Charleston STAT
TTibune, in which Mr.. Reber claims tb'
state ticket and legislature for the Repuo
licaus, and predicts the election Of MeGin
mis- 10 Congress in the third district Mr
Reber, Col. Taylor thinks, will be Gen
Gstf = secretary of state If he Is eiecte'
governor.