Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-03


nolitical organization, as well as any
other. to exhibit its strength ana power
only. the same be concentrated and under
skillful control. All men know that a
broken and diSorganized mass, no mat
of what material il is composed, or what
its principles may be is powerleSs when
confronted by foe inspired by good or
panization and discipline. l take II,
therefore. all will agree that the neces-
sity for complete and thorough organl-
zation of the Democratic forces OF
this State is imperative-abSolutelV
essential if we desire success IN TINS
! falls election. Dove desire success? l
take it there can be but one answer to
this question from all loyal Democrats.
For the preSpervation and perpetuity OF
republican government, it is more neces-
sary now than at any former period OF
our history that the Democratic party
should be successful. The legislation
and policy of the Republican party are
sapping the fundamental principles OF
our government. If we would have
tariff and ballot reform, the Democratic
party must be successful. The preser-
| walton of the constitutional rights OF the
States. tariff and ballot reform, the eco
nomical and honest expenditure OF the
public revenues, are the leading queS-
tionS before the country now. In my
humble judgment the proper and right
settlement of these great questions set
! ties the life of the government. The
position of the two great parties on
these questions is well defined and
understood. The Democrats stand up
for the people; the Republicans
stand up for the few. the monied in
terests of the country and against the
interest of the masses of the people.
The stake we are contending for IS a
mighty one. 1t is no less than the con-
Stitutional fundamental principle Of
free Republican government. In view
of these facts, loyal Democrats must
sink all selfish personal ambitions and
considerations and fight side by side and
shoulder to shoulder for the common
veal. The fight must be for one princi-
pie, and not for more. 1t must be car
ried on with vigor and courage from
the beginning. There must be no halt
ing or faltcring on the part of our lead
erS. We must meet our foes openly
and boldly. and give them square
Stand-up fight. In order to enable us
to do this with any show of success, we
must be organized, and in such organiZ-
alton. all elements in the Democratic
party must be fairly and honOrably
treated and recognized. We must have
no more personal politics in our party.
We must have no more fractional feuds.
Through these baneful influences we
have lost our organization, and through
lack of organization we have nearly lost
power and control in the State. FeudS,
factions, personal politics and ambitions
feed and grow and strengthen on the
Spois of Office, and not on principles.
In the approaching fall contest we
must present to the people of the State,
rs the opponents of our principles and
policy, our ableSt, strongest. cleaneSt
and most courageous Democrats. Our
candidates must be selected for these
qualities. and not because they have
heretofore favored this or that man,
this or that set of men. If the repre-
SentativeS of the party at the fall cleo
ton are selected for their abilities and
devotion TO Democratic principles, we
can all unitedly and enthusiastically
rally to their support and elect them.
The ballot reform law has proven 4
success wherever fair trial has been
made of it. 1t is a good law. Under it
more safeguards are thrown around the
ballot box. and bribery is made more
difficult than under any other system
ever tried in this country. A large and
growing element among our people be-
lievethere is great need of reform in the
conduct of our elections, and they are
fully determined to try this system.
Without fair and honest elections our
Government is fraud. The will of the
people is expressed through the ballot
box. None but honest votes must 90
into the box. and they must
all be counted. The Democrats
of this State are fully and
Squarely committed to ballot reform.
There is no MISLEADING the record on this
question. The Republicans have as
fully and as Squarely committed them
selves against ballot reform in West
Virginia. There is no miStaking their
record on this question in this State.
They are As fully and as Squarely on
the record against ballot reform as they
are against tariff reform. The Repub-
licans know full well. whenever such a
law is passed in this State that, their
chances for using money and cheating
in elections is materially leSSened, and
hence they are against it, They also
know that with such law their power
to bulldoze the poor laboring men in the
mines and i'm the workshop is gone. The
people want this law because they see
in it better prospects for fair elections
than under any other, and the Demo-
cratic party, always on the side of
people, propose to give it to them.
1t is now fully demonstrated that the
tariff is a tax upon the consumers to en-
able the government to pay bounties to
the protectioniStS. The present Com
mittee of Ways and Means in the House
of Representatives has demonstrated
this clearly. The proposition, which
originated i'm Republican prOtectioniSt
circles, for reciprocity with Mexico and
some of the South American republics
is also a further practical demOnstra-
ton of the truth of the charge made by
the Democrats that the farmers are con-
Stantly being skinned by the tariff. 1t
shows that the manufacturers can afford
to take prices from foreign customers
which they refuse to accept from our
own home people on the plea that labor
would suffer a decrease in wages. There
is no sentiment in this matter. These
manufacturers use the wOrkingman' ;
supposed interests as an excuse for
special legislation, which fills their
pockets at the expense of the con-
SumerS, especially the farm
ers. and sell their goods cheap
where they cannot sell them dear. SO
of the "home market" humbug, which
has been so effectively used to delude
the farmer with the idea that the
building up" of industries by means Of
high tariff would create an increased
demand for his products. There is now
no longer any room for doubt on this
question, for every farmer must ask
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