Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-09-24
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

- . - - A><FNA- NJ ~ - tk$ANs
Never before have the leaders
of the Democratic party made
such frantic efforts to attract
voters to their meetings, and
never before have their efforts,
as rule, met with such a poor
response. OF course, there are ex-
ceptions, especially in the large
ly Democratic counties where
the ticket is voted, not so much
through the reasoning which fol-
lows prayerful contemplation
of the political issues of the day,
as from instinct and the opera
ton ofobscure hereditary causes.
1t Is a fact, not, perhaps, gener-
ly known or properly appreciat-
| ed, that about fifty per cent. of
the Democracy of West Virgin
la, as in other Southern and bor-
der states, vote their party tick
ct because it is about the only
living relic of the Rebellion, be-
cause it believes in denying a
vote to a colOred man because
| it represents the political faith
of their fathers, or because it is
opposed to Republicanism. This
element is idea-proof, and no APP
peals to state progress, to the
advancement of modern ideas. to
the changed conditions of affairs
in this day and generation, or TO
the practical workings of indus
trial conditions, or the irrefuta-
able arguments of sound eeono-
mic principles, can swerve them
a 1.-THE from their party fealty.
| In such counties as Hardy, and
| Pendleton, and Greenbrier, and
jefferson this species of Demo
crat predominates, and there
| they make up the majority which
has so far kept West Virginia
from a place in the Republican
column. The remaining half of
| the Democracy is of a somewhat
| different sort, and little by little
the continued dropping of sound
| Republican arguments and the
Iunceasing contemplation of
Estate progress, the observance of
the results of protection as ex-
emplified in the rapid develop
| ment of the state-the whistle
lof the locomotive and the clang-
or of the factory bell, the build
ling of school houses and the adj
vent of the editor and the teach
err, the abolition of the illicit
still and the disappearance of
butternut clothing and lin
lsywoolsy" AL these things and
many more have set the intelli-
gent and progressive element of
| the old Democracy to thinking
and whenever any considerable
element of the Democracy really
and truly thinks, there is fall
ing-off in the Democratic ma
| jorities.
| In a word, the Republican
vote in West Virginia has in
creased in direct ratio, as the
state has become developed and
the old generation of natives .
got out of the woods and saw
what was going on and the cause
thereof, and as like causes pro-
| duce like effects, the Republican
vote may be expected to increase
this year to a greater extent
than ever before. The most the
| Democratic management hopes
to achieve is to hold its own.
II it shall come out of the con-
test with a majority of five hun
bred for Cleveland and its state
ticket, it will split the sky with
its exultant yells, and there will
be great rejoicing that the
ISouth is still solid" and that
"we have beaten them again. +"
To do this every nerve is being
strained. In every county men
who show signs of restlessness
are being labored with. Appeals
not to subject the State TO the
g infamy" of a I" force bill " are
heard on every side; shouts of
niger" colonization are heard
in the ravines of the back coun-
ties, and cries of Republican
corruption :" go up from every
shrill-voiced stump orator
Through the length and breadth
of the State. But despite all
this, Democratic meetings are
poorly attended. There is a
very noticeable lack of interest;
the young men seem disposed
to look askance at party which
sees no good in State develop
ment, and the farmers show
signs of impotence with State
government which has marked
Iup the value of their lands for
purposes of taxation in some in