Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-09-20

regarded by the Union men as holncko
which honorable men are always Will
ing to render to brave and SIN
cere man who was willing 10 main
tain his convictions at the risk OF lot
tune and life. But what must be the feel-
ings OF the veterans on both sides to see a
man who shirked his duty, played the pol
troon, and who, shut for those vile guns,
would himself have been a soldier" now
commanding the armies OF the United
States of Americas do not propose that
this political Tartuffe shall be alloweq
with impunity to falsify the history OF this
country and his own record, and palm him.
self off as q sincere and earnest Union
man, when the truth is tthe very oppo-
site. All the statements which L nave
made in regard to this mans record as a
soldier and Union man can easily De verb
fed and proved by many persons VINO nave
a personal knowledge of the facts.
/ have been a lifelong Republican. The
first vote OF nv life was cast for Abraham
Lincoln. l cherish the principles upon
which that party is founded; but when
the party machinery has TO be placed in
the hands of such hypocritical pretenders
as Steve Elkins, and those like him, IL IS
time TO call q halt and consider where we
are drifting.
Steve Elkins never became Republi-
can until he got Office. His RepuOlicanlsm
has been very profitable TO him. He has
used it for all it is worth and now, being
very wealthy, he is put forward as the
"Oily Cannon Of the party. Steve IS
very smart man. He's been on all sides
that give places or pelf. But consistency
still was part of his plan. He's been
true to one party, and that is himse1.
Steve may manipulate conventions ana
httf "a lnHnrA
the respect or esteem of the liDerty-loving
people of this republic. He may be able
to work the slums of the large cities, but
the American people will not tolerate very
long mere machine politics. 1t is just such
men as Elkins that have brought shame
and disgrace upon the once houored party
The public journals, if you will take the
pains to read them, will keep you advised
as TO the manner in which Steve began to
accumulate his vast wealth. Having OBJ
tanned it, like some Of the royal courtesans
of former times, he now desires to OBTAIN
u little responsibility, even though he has
tOpurchase it. He boasts OF his large pos
session of land in New Mexico. He says" AT
one time l had 100000 acres of land"
but he forgot to state the unpleasant noto-
riety he acquired at'the same time. HIS
name has been connected with many dis
creditable enterprises, especially the fraud
ulent extension of boundaries OF Spanish
ana Mexican grants and undue influence
over the executive branches OF the govern
ment. Many official reports in regard TO
these matters are, or should be, IL the ar
chiveS Of the department OF the land ONCE
and Justice at Washington which reflect
very severelyon S. B. Elkins.
From your decision to sustain such man
l appeal to those of the American people
ka1i in hnnnGfU
love probity, justice and manliness, who
admire courage and revere sincere convic-
tions. Yours respectfully,
Francis Downs,
Late Of First Wisconsin Battery and
Forty-ninth Wisconsin Infantry.
Judge Downs has just arrived in
Washington TO attend the G. A. R. en-
campment, but neither Mr.. ELKINs, nor
the President will be there to meet
him, though the Presidents excuse
MRS. HARRBsON's severe illness-will
be accepted by every one. But Mr..
ELKINs is not i'll and our Chicago con-
temporary thinks it strange that the
Secretary Of War, whose Office is higher
than that or the Commanding General,
should absent himself from national
and so notable gathering Of the Union
verterans as that now at the national
capital.
As we have stated, the REGISTERS
columns are open to Mr.. ELKINs.
--<S-------
"THE Republican party" said Senator
HILL last night in Brooklyn, ''seems ir-
revocably committed to the passage Of
the Federal Elections bill, generally
known as the Force Bill" "Seems?"
1t is!
ISN'T it strange that party supposed
to be composed of sane men should hold
that q tariff paying Sl75, 100000 year
into the public treasury does not in
crease the prices of the things taxed to
produce this sum?