West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-10-19
Communicated.
THEY SEE NOW WHAT WE SAW
THEN.

The Ring Slate in Danger---Why Cleve-
land is Strong---One Legislature with
a Republican Majority Preferable to
Ring Rule.
was much impressed by one of
your able editorials some two months
ago prior to the State Convention.
You were then beseeching our bos-
ses net to carry out the policy which
had been agreed upen in their con-
ference in Washington. You told
| if they ostracised the Eickers and
beat the Judges they would lose the
Legislature, and probably the State.
Actions speak louder than words
and their actions made this reply
1--WE intend to stamp out opposition.
We are able to coerce the masses in
to abiect submission" Let me 90
/ back a little. The ordinary citizen,
busy with his private affairs, soon
forgets political events which at the
time they occur mace strong impress
sion on his mind and many who read
this will be surprised that every one
is not thinking now as he thought
at the date to which refer.
1t was common remark last
Spring that there had been private
consultation OF our party bosses IN
Washington who decided to rule out
all who resisted the machine or
would oppose Ring nominees. These
bosses agreed upon the things to be
done and made plan to drive the
yeomanry of our party into electing
men a majority do not wish in office.
1t was said that the dread of elect
inc Republicans and the anxiety to
re.elect President Cleveland would
induce all the privates in the rank
to submit to any outrage the bosses
might inflict. So the machine de
liberately decided to bull-doze our
people. Their plan was very simple.
1t was to pack nominating conven-
tons. Henchmen were instructed
to drum up their friends at all meet
ings held to appoint delegates to the
State Convention, and to prevent the
appointment as delegates Of men like
ly to attend who would make fight
against the SLATE. The SLATE was
to defeat Judge Johnson and Judge
Woods of the Supreme Court and
anybody else who did not wear the
collar. Every man who, like Som
merville, showed any personal indie
pendence, was TO be subdued into
ablect, servile submission Your
County of jefferson showed a rebel
lious spirit and 80 old Mr.. Duckwall
was put upon YOU as your judge for
the next eight years. He was sc
lected not because the choice of a
majority but because the people did
not desire him. He was selected, not
because pre- eminentlv fitted for the
place. but because his nomination
would prove how helpless the yeo
many of our party are in these days
of machine management and boss
government. AS it was in Jefferson
so it was all over the State, except
in a few cases like that of Col. Chew
or Hon. S. L. Flournoy. 1t was seen
that these and one or two others
were too strong in the heart Of the
people where they live to squelch
and so the bosses concluded to let
them be nominated because one or
two men Of this sort cannot make a
fight if nine-tenths of their party in
the Legislature is against every pro
position demanded by public opin-
ion. Let me remark in passing that
they beat Hop Woods for the Senate
for the same reason that they beat
his father forjudge. Hop don't wecr
the collar.
You foresaw what would come to
pass and l remember your earnest
appeal to the Ring bosses not to car
nv out their programme. Iou beg
ged them not to try TO bull-doze
Democrats in this State. You told
them amongst other things that our
people have some little manhood left
and could not he safely treated as
the southern planters treated their
. slaves before the war The edito-
rails you then wrote awakened re-
sponsive echo in the breast Of every
man who values his independence.
You expressed my sentiments better
than | could myself do not Hke
10 be driren. 1t is the business Of
gartv managers to find cut what the
majority wish and then to accom-
plish that wish. But our managers
had no thought but to prevent the
majority from having its way The
sole question was, what trick, or
sleight of hand or deception would
best beat down and keep down the
element opposed to the personal
schemes of the bosses. The sole
question was, how can a small min
ority control party action and at the
same time preserve an appearance of
fairness? The whole plan was to
trick the majority out of the nomi
nations and then tell Democrats that
they were helpless and must either
vote for a nomination procured by
fraud or else take Republican.
Nv blood boils when l think of the
outrage practiced on men like my
self who cannot spare time to move