Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-01-28
A LACK OF UNITY
May COST the Democracy of West Virginia
Dearly-What Is Likely to Occur.

Dearly-what Is Likely to Occur.
CrNcINNArI January GA Charleston
special to the Enquirer says: The political
situation here hiss resolved itself into @
muddle which becomes more and more in
extricable every day and, so far as the
Democrats are concerned, threatens TO i'm
peril the future of the party. With a
slender msjority on Joint ballot, what
looks like fatal division has grown up in
the ranks, aforiing the Republicans a
long sought opportunity.
Il must he clesr enough by this time
that President Carr, OF the Senate, helalo
the kew 10 the situation now, as he held 1t
in the Senate. Mr.. Carr is naturally a
Democrat az heart, and has sympathized
with the party for years, and frequently
acted with it, Still, lie classes himself as
an independent, and feels under obljga-
ton to neither party, but free 20 vote as
he plsases on all questions. he has II in
bis power to make the Independent
power triumphant, so far as existing
trouble is concerned.
He may be the next Governor if he
cares for the honor for tine President OF
the Senate in this State succeeds to the
qubsrnatoIial vacancy, as the Lieutenant
Governor does in Ohio A closer reading
OF the law couyinces me that Il no one is
declared elected Governor before the expi-
rstion of the forty-fve limit Of the session.
President Carr will legally become the
Governor. He is duly qualified to sue
ceed to the vacancy, and this would PIE
clude Governor Wilson from holding over
under tio tIerpont dooioioni soi IA Vaas
case no one was qualified TO succeed to the
vacancy, hence Governor PierpOnt held
over under the general inference, rather
than the specific provision Of the constitu-
ton.
The Democrats, counting two Union La
Dor men OF Democratic proclivities, have a
majority of only one on joint ballot.
Whenever President Carr votes for Col ior
Senator. the situatiOn will stand TINS:
The failure OF two of those reckoned IN the
Democratic column to vote, elects Goff.
Sbould one Of them vote for Gen, ne would
slso be elected Again, if the Democrats
cannot elect q Senator, they cannot settle
the Gube7natOrial contest, for the same IN
iuence which initiates against one mill
tates against the other.
Twice sine. the Legislature assembled,
the Democratic column becemea unit, end
If immediate action had b9en possible the
vexed questions would have been promptly
settled. But before the hour OF action ar
rived some mysterious power shattered the
unity. What the mysterious power IS that
accomplished this work It is hard to tell,
and it would probably not be proper TO
give q mere conjecture as to what II If.
Bot whatever it may be, il ia dangerous
menace to the Democratic party IN Wts.
Virginie.
If the election Of Senator, and the set
Element of the contest between Fleming
and Goff both fail during the present Leg
islative session. what OF the futGre? An
extre ee..ion of the Legislature would GER
tainly be Necessary: for if the Republicans
can prevent disposition being made oil
those two questions, they would also pre-
vent the enactment OF necessary leg'siS-
ton. And thus make an extra session an
absolute necessity. Governor Wilson
might convene the Legislature during the
last four days OF his term; that Is, issue
his PROCLAMATION fixing the date when 1t
should convene, or, failing to do so, Presi-
dent Carr. succeeding him on the Attn day
of March, will DO so.
With au extra session made necessary,
and the Sznatorship and GuoernatoFial
contest still pending, IL is an easy matter
10 tell what the Republican programme
yould he. They would see that the Demo-
cratic majority on Joint ballot was reversed
and thew have several schemes for accom-
nlishing this. The first thing would be 70
pass upon the Gubsrnatnrial contest, ana
bv a pluralitv vote declare Goh elected.
Having declared him elected Governor,
thew would next proceed to elect HIM Sen
ator whereupon he would resign the Office
of Governor and give President Carr an I'M
disputed and indisputable title.
This il a plain and uuyornished state
ment Of the political situation in this State
and city at this moment TIE Democrats
i'm the Legislature and the Democratic
leaders throughout the State ought to
nonder it seriously. BY united action
thew can secure q United States Senator,
a Governor. and make it possible to expose
the crimes that have been committed
against the ballot-b box last November, and
hiring the criminals 10 justice. By refusing
10 unite for this purpose, they throw away
every thing aud make fraud triumphantly
successful. l. is for something Ike q
half-score Of Democratic leaders in the
state to say which result will follow.