West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-12-07
THE SENATORIAL SUCCESSION.

QlSdSIrOuS. juiG VIC dIC SsliiOQ uPOh
to meet question at once peculiar
ly delicate and deeply concerning
the life of the party. We refer to
the election of United States Sen
ator. And in dealing with this
question, surely after the lessons OF
this month, we may safely proceed
upon the assumption that all the
Democrats of the State with the
possible exception of q few mad
with the lust of office are anxious
to do that which will best advance
the cause of the party, and are will
ing to make personal sacrifices in
the common interest. If we are
mistaken in this, then the destruc-
ton of the party is pre-ordained,
and it matters not by whom or how
soon the work is commenced. But
we believe we are not mistaken, and
we therefore address our fellow dem
ocrats in the spirit of Cancellation,
with the desire to offend no one, and
inspired by the sole hope of restor
ing the party to vigor and insuring
its supremacy.
Of course the first question which
claims the attention Of every Demo
crat in considering this subject is:
Shall the Hon. John f. kenna
again be made the ruler Of the party,
and returned to the United States
Senate?
Let US see: Mr.. Kenna has been
in the Federal Congress continu-
ously since 1S76,-twelye years.
Throughout all that time he has
taken most prominent part in the
management of the party, and his
influence since his election to the
Senate in 1882, in conjunction with
that Ex-senator Camden has amount
ed almost to dictatorship. They
set up and they pulled down whom
soever they chose. In two instan-
ces only that we can now recall did
this combination fail to accomplish
what they sought. For SIX years.
yes for eight, for ten years the Dem
ocratic party has been under their
thumb, and these two gentlemen
more than all others in the State are
responsible for its management dur
ing that period.
Well, how has the party AIRED
under this domination? Has it
thrivcn, or refrigerated? The facts
answer in unmistakable terms: The
splendid majority Of 1900 which
we won in 1876, the very year in
which Mr.. Kenna was first elected
to Congress, has been frittered away
until now we are in an actual mi
noriry in the State, holding our SUI
premacy in the election of our can
didate for Governor by the slender
tenure of less than 100 plurality,
and even that in imminent danger
of being counted out. The Demo
cratic majority in the Legislature
has fallen from Al in 1880 to l in
1883. The Third Congressional
District,-the once proud "Gibral-
tar of Democracy" which twelve
years ago gave Samuel j. Tilden
10000 and Mr.. Kenna more than
1000 majority, and as late as 1882
elected him third time to Congress
by 5000 majority, now dishonors
her glorious Past, and elects a re-
publican to the Federal House Of
Repl esentatives. Well may De
mocracy exclaim to her self-installed
leaders as the old Roman Emperor
cried in the anguish Of his soul to
his rash and incompetent general,
so, Varus, give me back my le-
giOns!!'
1t is simply impossible for Mr..
Kenna, who has assumed supreme
control of the party, to evade the
responsibility. The immigration in
cident upon the development of new
coal mines and the building of new
railroads has admittedly swelled the
Republican vote, but a careful study
of the election returns will show
that these influences are wholly in
sufficient to alone account for the
astonishing depreciation of Demo
cratic maiorities. Bad management
bv those who have insisted upon
holding the reins Of party control,
vicious methods persisted in by "a
venous office seekers, and the prcsti
tuition of official influence to the
serving Of personal ends in the dis
tribution OF public patronage,-all
conspired to disintegrate the Demo
cratic organization.-For years the
murmurings OF the rank and file
have grown loud and louder, and
had the "bosses" possessed but
moderate discretion, they would
have needed the warning long ago.
But instead, the rigorS Of ring rule,
and the practice of corrupt devices
were steadily continued until the
climax was reached in the last cam
paign, when 4 ticket was put in the
field by convention wholly domi-
mated by one man. Mr.. Kenna's
control of the Huntington Conven-
tion last August, was as arbitrary
and as inexorable as ever that ex--
ercised by Oliver Cromwell over
the notorious Praise God Bare.
bones Pertinent" Nor did his in