The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-05

Major Ran. stalnaker's interesting let
ter to Hon. William A. ohley, secre-
tary Of state under Governor Fleming
and secretary of the state Democratic
executive committee at Charleston, as
published in yesterdays ISrELIoEScER
was in everybody's mouth. Many Demo.
Gratis were at first disposed to deny its
authenticity, and some of them started
on this plan of campaign. They didn't
20 far, however, before they ran against
other Democrats to whom the genial
majors handwriting is well known.
Fortunately the INrELLroENcR had taken
the precauuon to print fac smile of
the letter. This settled the matter OF
authenticity,
Moreover, there were things men
toned in the letter in connection with
the free excursion to run colored voters
out OF the state and keep them out, and
these happened to be things which no.
body except those in close communica-
ton with the Democratic state COM
mittee would have known about For
example, there was the reference to
Robinson, who was TO answer the
majors message and say where and
when he could meet him. Colonel Rob
inson is not only member OF the board
OF regents OF the state university and
member of the Democratic state COM
mittee, but he il legislative agent OF the
Baltimore g. Ohio railroad in this state.
Many colored voters are on the line oil
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and that
company, among other things, runs ex-
cursions. Then Secretary Ohley was
advised to inform Chairman Chiffon
what Caldwell, doubtless the attorney
general, had said to Secretary Ohley
and Major Stalnaker about taking the
stump. Again, the major was very
anxious to know il the secretary Of the
committee had explained everything
clearly to Charley Wells. Mr.. Wells,
who is the Democratic nominee for state
senator in the Second district, was nom
mated by Standard OIL influence and
expects to be elected, ii elected, by that
same influence.
DOESN'T DENY IT.
However, nobody thought seriously
of denying that Major stalnaker was
the author of the letter alter he had
frankly owned up. lie did this in re-
ply to all questions put 10 him. He ad-
mitted 1t 10 an INTELLIGRECEG reporter
who, showing him the publication,
asked him what he had to say about ii.
"This," replied Major Stalnaker.
"Those darkies have no right to vote.
Your party has colonized them in this
state and we do not propose that you
shall vote them il we can help IT,"
"You don't propose to allow qualified
voters to deposit their ballots because
they are black menp'
II say your party has colonized them
here to vote the Republican ticket and
they shan't vote il we can nelp it.
do you deny, major. that the letter
is in your hand writing"
ait has all the 'simpkins,'" dryly re-
piled Major Stalnaker. He wouldn't
talk any further on the subject
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAD HIT THEM.
The Democratic politicians were
struck all OF heap by the publication.
They didn't know what to do about it
Above all things, they wanted to know
how it got out. One suggestion was
that the mails had been tempered with,
but nobody took much stock in this,
not even the Democrats themselves, for
the letter is more than month old and
it was argued that it must have reached
the committee and been considered, be-
cause the excursion scheme is actually
on foot, and it had been exposed
by the lNTRLLGaENcER before the letter
WIS made public. Democrats said, with
a good deal OF indignation. that men
who were so careless with communica-
tions OF this importance were unfit to
have charge Of the mostimportant cam
paign. in the history OF West Virginia
Democracy. One startling suggestion
from q Democratic source was that
some personal enemy of Major Stal.
maker had taken this savage means OF
exposing his relation to the excursion
scheme in order 10 even up with him
on some personal matter. One Demo-
crat protested to know that the letter
had been sold to the INTELLIGESCER for
$1,000 This Democrat put very low
estimate on very good thing.
SOMEBODY'S INGRATlTUDE.
Major Stalnaker's friends were in
dignaut because the letter had been
permitted to get into hostile hands,
and some OF them said that there would
be day OF reckoning for ali Of this
why" said one of them, IRAN.
Stalnaker helped to nominate Mac.
Corkle ard has been working day and
night to elect him. This scheme was
Ia MAcCorkle's interest, and for that
matter, in the interest OF the whole
democratic ticket, and here, IN some
way, stalnaker has managed to get the
worst OF it.
Suppose it was carelessness-wh
that il entrusted with matters Of this
importance has a right to be careless2
This is in limo with the stupidity that
that has characterized the management
OF our campaign from the beginning.
. There was a chance to make the kind OF
campaign that might have saved the
state. Instead OF that we have had all
sorts oil Echemes that our managers
couldn't keep secret The Republicans
have got on TO them and are blocking
us out at every point"
yAULESKR's scHRME
"Yes," broke in another Democrat,
''look wha; Faulkner did in that fool
business with tia. fellow Lindsey. He
lsI.f. ,,t,o AZ Danrh1,eons a oh opaa ~