South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-05-20
IHElNTELLiCE NCER
FRIDAY. NAY 20. 1892.
AN OPEN LETTER TO
EA.JUDGE WALLER X. STAPLES.
HIS OBJECTIONS TO GROVER cLEvE-
LAND ANswRRBD-wHY THE
SOUTH SHOULD STICK
TO CLEVELAND.

70 Judge Waller r. Staples
Sir,-I was prevented for two or
three days by business engagements
from reading carefully your inter
view in the Dispatch of April 10th,
last. Having since done so, 1 found
IN it such food for inquiry and sug-
gestions as to justify me, / think.
in writing to you this very open
letter.
Doubtless you did not expect
your general statement, that "there
are several objections to the nomi-
nation of Mr.. Cleveland" to have
much effect unless the reasons which
you then proceeded to give should
be found to be correct as well as
ingenious.
LOADED FOR MR.. CLEVELAND.
One would presume from the in
troductory remarks of the reporter,
that your views were given extern
pore. Does not such suggestion
do you injustice? You would hard
ly speak in such a manner and on
such subject without having fully
prepared yourself. In fact, Judge,
were you not (if you will pardon a
slang word "loaded" for Mr.. Cleve-
land? Had you not gathered all
the objections which our mutual
friends, who endorse Mr.. Hill, had
been vociferously shouting for
couple of months,a We're youynot
expected to put new life INTO those
well worn objections by the effect
OF your name? Your friends are
willing to admit that if the task had
not been an impossible one you
might have succeeded.
Allow mesto ask you'a few ques-
tions. Perhaps upon your answers
may depend, with those whom you
wish to bring forth into the full life
OF wisdom, IN which the Dispatch
thinks that you stand, the decision,
whether you not uselessly attached
your name to an unattractiye cause.
CLEVELAND sINEw.YoRK MAJORITY
Speaking of the large majority
which Mr.. Cleveland received when
he WAS elected Governor In 1882
you stated, con the same ticket
with him was Governor Hill, can.
didate for Lieutenant Governor,
and also a Democratic candidate
for the Court of Appeals of New
York. Both sof these received as
large vote as Mr.. Cleveland, Gov
ernor Hills vote beng perhaps
largely. in excess of either"
You must have been so told by
some warm admirer of Mr.. Hill.
Pardon me for suggesting that here
after. you accept with doubt lauda-
tory remarks coming from such q
source. Hillism is not history. On
page 241 of the Ame lean Almanac.
compiled by Mr.. Spofford, Librarian
OF Congress you will find it stated
that in that election Mr.. Cleveland
received $50, 1913 votes, while Mr..
Hill received 534,636 votes. You
Will not hereafter believe that Mr..
Hills ycti was '1argely in excess OF
Mr. Cleyeland's.
You next cite the fact that in
1884 he only carried New York by
about 1,l00 votes. How did it
happen that you forgot to mention
that at the preceding presidential
election New York went Republi-
can by 1000 majority, noLwith-
standing the fact that the popular
soldier, General Hancock, was the
Democratic nominee ? Even Won
would not insist, would you, Judge,
that he should have done more than
overcome such majority t?
cJEyELAND's FAILURE IN 1888.
You suggested a reason why Mr..
Cleveland failed to carry New York
in 1888. l have seen in print rea-
son for Mr.. Cleveland's failure to
carry New York in 1888, which
submit to your consideration as
moro favorable than the one you Of
fered. You will remember that in
New York in 1888 the presidential
and gubernatOrial electiona took
place at the same time. The Re-
publican party in their State plat
form had plank for high license
upon the liquor business. The Re-
publican candidate for Governor
was Warner Miller. After his de-
feat he made a statement, which
was in substance, as follows: That
no had not expected to be elected
that he had run for the purpose OF
making tho fight on the question of
high license that he had done 80
for the purpose of bringing the
Prohibitionists into the Repu blicau
party, and thereby elect Mr.. Har-
rison that in the preceding cleo
ton the Prohibitionists' vote had
been about 10000, and he feared in
the election Of 1888 it would an.
proach $4,000. He claimed that no
kept the Prohibition vote down TO
10000, and thereby elected Mr..
Harrison. Under such circumstan
ces you can readily understand that
those whose business was threaten.
ed with increased taxation had
more interest in the defeat Of Mr..
Miller than in the election of Mr.
Cleveland. This reasonable ov,,t.