Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-06
ISSUES IN WEST VIRGINIA.
Tariff. Negro Colonization, Force BILL
Democratic by Five Thousand.

Iarfn, Negro COLONIZATION, force Bill
Democratic by Five Thousand.
CHARLESTON, w. Va, November 5, 1892.
To he Editor Of ne Dispatch:
The situation in West Virginia is not
such as justly TO cause the Democrats any
alarm.
The Republicans in 1888 came within
500 votes of capturing the State for Harri-
son, while two years later the Democratic
majority in the State was 1900.
Now, III estimating the Republicans.
take the result of 1888 as their basis, and
adding 10 their vote of that year the colo
| niZed negroes who have been brought into
the State by Republican coal operatives
| and railroad contractors. and who number
about 1900, they expect TO obtain ma
jority. This is false and misleading basis.
Since 1888 there have been no factional
fights among the Democrats to create dis
senslon and weaken the party strength.
At the beginning of tho present campaign
there was some grumbing over alleged un-
fairness IN the nomination of McCorkle Tor
Governor, but that has ceased, and he will
poll the full party strength.
There are no State issues to affect the
voting. The Third party, which loomed
up few months ago as discouraging
faction to Democratic success. has practi,
cally disappeared, while the ever-present
taken into account.
So there is a clear field in which to fight,
and the issues are the tariff, negro colo
nization, and the force bill, and upon
those the Democratic party IS more united
than it has been for many campaigns.
WONDERFUL ENTHUSIASM.
The Democratic enthusiasm is some
thing wonderful. Last week Stevenson
and Tucker drew to Charleston the largest
political gathering ever seen in the, IA
nawha Valley. II was wild with enthusi-
asm. At Point Pleasant and Parkersburg
the Democratic meetings have been pine
nomenal IN all respects. On the other
hand, the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES have failed
to draw. Their meetings have been dis
nal failures. Even the inspired Mckinley,
for whom every possible effort was made,
| failed to muster crowd commensurate
with the occasion, and the bulk OF 1t was
| composed of the negroes from the coal
mines. General Roller was here several
weeks ago, and his audience was about one
! hundrad-mostly blacks. In word. the
| Democrats of West Virginia are thoroughly
united full of fire and fight, while the Re-
publicans are troubled with apathy toto
them-an alarming extent.
SAFE FOR DEMOCRACY.
Kanawha county is the most populous
| county in the State. In 1888 it gave Gotf
| Republican, for Governor over l,5OO ma
! iority. Two wears later il gave the head Of
! the Democratic county ticket 1900 ma
| jority, and the Democrats carried their
| whole ticket with one exception by good
round maiorlties. This year the RepuDli-
cans expected TO get the 1888 majority III
! this county. and they counted upon II
largely in carrying the State. They VIII
not get il, for the Democrats Will carry u.
| II such is the result In this county pro-
! 1, SI, ipu lyp N a.
| tional contest aud the colonization busl-
ness, il is fair to assume that the same con-
| dltlon exists throughout the State. Ger
| tajnly in this county the number OF open
accessions 10 the Democracy has been
greater than was ever known here ana
| give good ground for the hope that there
| will be no Republican majority IN this.
| once their banner county.
There are no defectIoDs on the part OF
| Democrats. They are with their party, one
and all.
40 ADVANTAGE TO EITHER SIDE.
The Australian ballot system will be
| tried for the first time, and both sides have
strenuously endeavUred to educate the
! minds of the voters as TO It's lntrlcacles.
| That II will prove safeguard to great
! extent against the use of money there can
| be no doubt, for it Is absolutely impossible
! to make a safe investment in voter under
| it's provisions. OF course this 10 to the
advantage of the Democrats. How this
new system of voting will Affect the vote
\ apart from the money consideration can
! only be guessed. Neither side Is counting
on any advantage from 1t in that way.
| There are no fears entertained here now
| that the state will go Republican. From
| the reports from all quarters OF the State |;
from the condition of affairs IN this and
| the adjoining counties. from the earnest
ness OF the Democrats and their magnih-
cent organization, aud from The apathy
prevalent IN the Republican ranks 1t is
safe to say that Cleveland's majority IN the
| State of West Virginia will not be less
| than 3. 600. JosgrH RUFFNER,
! Editor Charleston Gazette.
Cleveland and al Four Members
Especial telegram TO the Dispatch.l
WHEELING. w. Va, November 5.-The
situation in West Virginia seems to be Ia
yorable for a sweeping victory for the De-
mocracy, although the Republicans have
used great amounts of money, are colo;
nlZIng colored men In the southern and
! central counties, and have attempted
frauds of various kinds. Their fight has
been of the most desperate nature, under
the peneralship of Stephen b. Elklns, but
the Democracy are confident OF maintain
| inc their control of the State government,
giving the electoral vote of the State TO
| Cleveland, and of electing all four con-
gressmen. The REGISTER.