Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-10-25
THE SECOND DISTRICT.

ing than that of any other district in
the State. For the past ten years
the Democratic hope has been hang
ing by slender thread. Previous
to 1882 the majority had been up in
the thousands. Since that time,
which embraces the period of Hon.
w. l.. Wilson's career in Congress,
it has dropped until the district is
now classed among the doubtful
ones, and once during that time the
plurality ofthe Democratic candidate
was less than score, while at
another time it was a score short of
a hundred, and on neither occasion
did Mr.. Wilson receive a majority
of the votes cast in the district. AT
tue last election Judge Flick, the
nominee, owing to i'll
health, did not make an active can
vass and yet he came within all ace
of defeating Mr.. Wilson. This was
IN q presidential year when party
lines we're drawn and a full vote was
out. In view of these facts, it is no
wonder that the delegates to the
Democratic convention held to nom.
mate Mr.. Wilson for a fifth term in
Congress took the action they did
with some misglvings as to the re
suit. To be sure, there was consid-
ering the diminntive size of the con-
vention, fair amount of euthusi-
asm, but away down in their hearts
there was feeling among the dele
gates that the condition which con-
fronts the Democracy of the Second
District is serious, and it might be
the wiser course to select another
than the man who has never yet re-
ceived one half the old,time Demo
cratic majority and who has three
times barely escaped losing the dis
trict for the party.
SOME FRANK TALK.
By common consent, however, il
was resolved to trust once more tC
the magic power of Mr.. Wilson's elo
quence to carry him through, and al
the same time to trust to luck that
the Republicans would not nominate
a strong man. Thus it was that fol
the third time Mr.. Wilson was allow
ed to carry off the prize by acclama
ton.
awhile Mr.. Wilson is a brilliant
man Intellectually and has in that
respect creditably represented the
State, it must be acknowledged that
he has never shown remarkable
strength among the people, particu
larry among our people, who are moi
in sympathy with him in his radica
free trade views. In Marion, Mon
ongalia, Randolph, Taylor and Pres
ton we have seen our coal territory
developed, we have seen our skies
lighted by the fires of coke ovens
and iron furnaces, we have felt The
beneficent results of railroad build
ing and have witnessed the inaugu
ration of an era of industrial dcvel
opment and financial prosperity sucl
as has never been experienced before
in our history. Mr.. Wilson is ar
avowed enemy and leader OF The
enemies of the tariff policy of the
government under which these
things have been brought about.
4" With the evidence before theil
eyes that the American protective
policy is not retardIng the progress
of West Virginia, and particularly
our section of 1t, we are not prepared
to say that the people of the coun
ties named are willing to endorse Mr.
Wilson's rank free trade theories
This is one reason why he has never
carried the district by an old time
majority, and why We are afraid thai
the sentimental idea that because
William L. Wilson can make a good
speech and is popular among his free
trade colleagues from other States
is a mistake.
BUSINESS CONSIDERATIONS.
Practical business considerations
go farther with our people than senti
ment. Even east of the mountains,
where the people depend more on
agriculture, an analysis ofthe returns
from the last six years elections will
demonstrate that the farmers are
beginning to see the buttered side OF
their bread. Situated, as they are,
between the great manufacturing
centres of the East and che magnifi.
cent mineral territory at the very
gates OF their farms on the west and
south, they do not require a telescope
to see for their fam products a home
market which is fostered by the
American policy Of protection, which
Mr.. Wilson so eloquently denounceS,
and which he would destroy if he
had the power. So, You see, Just
what the source of Mr.. Wilson's
weakness is.
conservatism is word that is
not IN Mr. Wilson's vocabulary.
Charles j. Faulkner and Ben Martin
and John Blair Hoge, who preceded
Mr.. Wilson IN Congress, where all
conservative men, and they were
always good for from two to three
thousand majority. Then came
Wilson with his radical views on
every OueStiOn. and even with oil