Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-10-02
FARMERS'ALLIANCE
THEY HAVE A GREAT MEETING At HARTMAN.
IN RANDOLPH COUNTY.
Hon. W. S. Wilson and Rev. George Harman the
Two Candidates for Congress Discuss the Issues
The Republican Candidate is Badly
WorSted in Debate


Special Correspondence Of the Register.
HARMAN, RANDOLPH COUNTY, Sep
TENDER Saturday was great day
at this place, village of 100 people, on
the Dry Fork of Cheat The Farmers
Alliances along this river gave a picnic.
and in spite of steady rain, which be-
gan early in the morning and continued
till noon, several hundred people, prin-
cipally members of the Alliance. assem-
bled TO assist in the festivities.
One other announcement, made few
days ago, increased the crowd. Word
had been given out that Rev. Geo. Har-
man, Republican candidate for Congress
from this district, and Hon. VIM. l.. Will
son would address the people in the af-
tcrnOOn OF the same day.
Rev Hartman was on the ground early
in the morning, and as the members of
the Alliance arrived he approached
them and made personal appeals for
their votes. | saw him approach a Dem
ocrat named Wilson, from Pendleton
county, and heard him say Jack, am
candidate for Congress. You'll vote
for me, won't you?' Mr. Wilson re-
piled that he was a Democrat, and
while hc felt very friendly toward Mr..
Hartman, his convictions compelled him
TO vote for Hon. W. l.. Wilson. because
he was on the ticket that pleased him.
Mr.. Hartman thus replied: "Why. Jack,
am surprised at you. We were both
raised i'm the same county, and il will be
a shameful outrage for you to vote
against me" But Jack" was cruelty
obduratc and insisted on his right to
vote for his choice in spite OF boyhood
associations.
Mr.. Wilson arrived about 10 o'clock,
having made the trip on horseback from
Davis. He was given an ovation by
the Democrats, and one old IriShman
elbowed his way through the crowd.
and after kissing his hand said he had
always voted the Republican ticket, but
if the good Lord gave him strength this
fall to get to the polls he wonld vote
the other ticket.
At o'clock p. m, after the adjourn
ment of the Alliance meeting, Rev. llar-
man was introduced TO the audience.
He said: Ladies and gentlemen of
the Farmers Alliance, | am glad and
happy to meet you at one of your own
meetings. have had letter from your
Alliance, signed by Republicans
aud Democrats, asking me to adj
dress you to-day, and stating
that this meeting would not be of a par
tiSan character. Therefore, ! will not
speak of the issues of the day, but will
speak in favor of the Farmers ALI
ance." Here he read the constitution
of that order, and continued: Il never
read anything that cOmprehendS more
than this constitution does. 1t is what
the farmer needs. Now, | am candi-
date for Congress ON the Republican
ticket, but am farmer and have been
farmer among you for, 10, these many
years. and | cannot do much for my
own interest without helping you all
little. Ny competitor is a diStin-
guiShed gentleman with repu-
tation from sea TO sea, sand
| from Canada to Mexico, but ! am
eligible TO membership in your Alliance
and he is not. But, as | said, this is
not a partisan meeting and it is unfair
and ungentemanly to take up your
time-in making partisan speech. |
will close by saying ! am in favor of
farmers and the Farmers Alliance. "
Two or three Republicans tried TO raise
shout of enthusiasm, but the crowd
didn't enthuse, and the effort failed.
At the close of Mr.. llarman'S speech
Mr.. Wilson was introduced, and said
that he felt no delicacy in discussing
the great issues that interest the farm
erS at an Alliance gathering. As there
is no Alliance candidate i'm the field,
and the members will have to
choose between the candidates OF
the two great political parties, they had
right TO demand an honest expression
/ of the convictions on the public qucS-
tons He thought he was as eligible
to membership i'm the Farmers Alliance
| as Mr.. Iarman lie had been a school
/ teacher till elected to Congress. and had
done nothing else since. He has seen
here wha he had never before seen at
tempted. He had seen circus riders ride
two horses at the same time, but they
were both going In the same direction
and side by side. Mr.. Harmau had at
tempted a more difficult thing
He was trying To ride two
horses, but they were as far apart
as the poles. and We're going IN opposite
directions. lie wanted 10 stand with
one foot on the Republican platform,
adopted at keyser, and the other on
the Farmers Alliance. Mr.. Wilson
then began discussion of the tariff in
a particularly happy and telling man
ner. Every blow hit the right pace,
and his points carried conviction with
them. He tore up the Mckinley bill
and let his hearers see how they are, inn
poycriShcd 10 make rich men richer.
/ He showed how the wool grower re-
ceived less for his wool under the pres
ent arrangement, on account OF shut
ting out foreign woods, which were re-
quired to mix with native wool, and re-
ducing the demand for native wool, and
vet we are all being blcd by the high
tariff for the wooden clothes we
buy. The irregularities i'm which the
poor are made to pay higher tariff than
than the well To do, received attention
He left everything cut, and left Mr.
Hartman no room to put his foot. me
audience listened intently to him Tor nail
an hour. except two or three strenuous
Republicans who feared the result and
few times tried TO divert attention by
silly interruptions. They were silenced,
however. by the visible contempt on the
face of every member of the audience.
Rev. Hartman, however, sat by the boys
making the interruptions and smiled APP
provingly. At the conclusion OF Mr..
wilson's speech, Mr.. Hartman took the
stand. and said that Mr.. Wilson's speech
reminded him of the old story OF the
devil shearing the hog, he got more
noise than wool. He took his seat
amidst Republican silence and Demo-
cratic sympathy.
The gloom that was depicted on the
faces Of the Republicans was pitiable In
the extreme.
Mr.. Hartman and his friends are max
ing a tremendous effort to secure an IN
creased vote for him in this section. lie
has gone so far as to tell number oil
Democrats here that he doesn't believe
i'm a protective tariff, and if he is elected
he will see that they get reduction oil
the tariff taxes, and is reported as say
ing TO Democrat: Il am, at heart rs
much free trader as you are but oil
This can not be sue, rs have not seen
the man to whom he said it, just
how he will approach the miners
i'm Tucker and Grant counties is queS-
l.. al