Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-11-27
THE LATE ELECTION
Mr.. T. s. RILEY, CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMO
CRATIC STATE COMMITTEE,
Talks About the Great Victory in West Virginia, and
Quotes Facts Which DisprOvs Republican
Claims-An Incentive to Further
Efforts BY The Party.


Mr.. T. S. Riley, Chairman of the Demo
cratic State Executive Committee, and
asked him what he had to say about the
recent Democratic landslide in West
Virginia. In reply, Mr.. Riley said:
1.-The official returns are now sub
stantially in, and they show that Judge
Lucas carried the State by SAG, and
that the majority on the Congressional
vote is 1896. This is remarkable vic
tory, and one that fixes West Virginia
for time to come soldly in the Demo-
cratic column. But / desire to say TO
the Democrats that this must not be
taken for granted, that every Demo-
crat must rest upon his arms, until
the great battle Of 1892 is fought,
as that fight will go far
to settle the policy to be adopted in this
country upon the tariff and kindred
questions OF contention between the
parties Let organization and party
unity be the watchwords, and let dis
sensions and personal ambitions have
no place in the party management, and
party work, and you may rest assured
that the victory In 1892 will be even
more sweeping than this one. No time
should be lost in the work OF organizing
clubs and the distribution of literature
among the people and think the best
medium through which TO reach the
people in the State is the county press.
We have in this State a plucky and
deserving Democratic press, and II
should receive the hearty, united and
liberal support Of the party. II is the
intention of our Committee, in connec-
ton with the different committees of
the State, to continue the work Of or
ganzation, and we hope TO be able to
turn over to our successors in 1892 the
party in condition which will assure
victory and success in that campaign"
octave you noticed what Republican
journals and leaders are saying about
the result of the election, and their at
tempt to account for it by saying Re-
publican voters remained at home?"
~ know it is said by Republicans
that the cause of this defeat was due to
the fact that Republicans stayed at
home-did not vote. But in the face of
comparison of the vote this excuse
will not do. To illustrate: In Kanawha
county. in 1855, there were s,0j3 votes
cast, OF which Governor Fleming re-
ceived 1926 and General Golf 4, 1853, Civ
ing General Golf 1853 majority, This
year there were s.075 votes cast, OF
which Judge Lucas received 1919 and
Mr.. Reynolds 1906, giving Judge Lucas
So majority. There were % more votes
cast this year than there were in 1883,
but in 1883 the county gave Republic
can majority of l,ij3, this year Demo-
cratic majority of So, and Mr.. Anderson
carried the county by 35I majority.
These figures need no comment; they
speak for themselves. In Mercer coun-
ty. In 1883, the face Of the returns
showed there were 2,779 votes cast. of
which Governor Fleming received 1873,
and General Goff 1,40d, giving Gen
eral Golf 80 majority. This year
there were 2,9is votes east, 1863 more
than in 1888, of which Judge Lucas re-
ceved 1909 and Mr.. Reynolds 1889,
giving Judge Lucas majority Of 270. |
In Marion county, in lsSs, there were |
cast 4,493 votes, of which Governor |
Fleming received 1900, and General |
Golf ., 1913, giving Governor Fleming l07 |
majority. This year there was |
4,62O votes cast, l23 more than
in 1sss, Of which Judge Lucas
received 2,il5, and Mr. Reynolds
. POS, which gave Judge Lucas a major
ity OF 205. This comparison might be
continued. There are some very re-
markabIc features in the result of the
recent elections, in view of what had
taken place For Instance,
Hardy and Lewis counties,
the homes of Mr.. Key, General Sprigg
and Mr.. Lively, the Democratic mem
bers of the Contest Committee, gave in
creased Democratic majoritles, whilst
Harrison and Richie counties,
the homes OF Judge Maxwell
md Senator Morris, the Republican
OF the committee, gave greatly
reduced Republican majorteS, and
Judge Maxwell, in n concededly Re :
publican district, was defeated for re-
election by Il large majority. Marion
Jounty. the home of Governor Fleming
doubled its Democratic majority. while
harrison County, the home OF General
iotf. gave less than half the Repubi
AN majority it gave him two years ago.
Another fact which should be men
toned while on this subject, is that
ianawha, Mercer and the other
ounties where it was charged
hat large number of fraudulent votes
we're cast at the election in lsss, made I
anger Democratic gains than any other
art of the State, and it can hardly be
aid that this was not an issue in the
asst canvass, and especially in the coun
les mentioned, for am told that Cen
raj Golf devoted much Of his time in
making his campaign speeches to this
ubject. have only this to say: That
he people have spoken, and | think for
III time TO come, have settled who was
light and who wrong in the contest that
rev out OF the election of 1855"