The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-04

IN the McLure house. anu dSAdu nun
to say something about the prospects
Of carrying West Virginia for the Re-
publican party at the approaching
election. Mr.. Elkins replied that he
had not said anything for publication,
although he had seen interviews from
Senators Faulkner, Kenna and other
leading Democrats giving their views
Being pressed by the reporter to give
his opinion as to how West Virginia
wouldg 20 next Tuesday, he said, "Clearly,
Republican"
upon what do you base your Opin-
ion, Mr.. Secretary"
''If you will take the ratio OF
increase in the Republican vote
for the twelve years preceding
1883, by which the Democratic majority
was reduced to five hundred, and as
Stunning that this ratio has kept up for
the last four years, you should see that
the Republican majority should be from
three to four thousand"
"Have you reason to believe that
this ratio has been maintainedT
~ not only have good reason to be-
lieve that it has been maintained" re.
piled Mr.. Elkins, "but the influx OF
population on the lines OF the various
railroads in seeking employment in
mines and lumber mills has been con-
siderable during the four years and
largely Republican. This is somewhat
in addition to the average increase for
the twelve years preceding 1885, Out
eide Of these lines OF railroad the Re-
publican party shows small gains. This
being the case would, OF Itself, over
come the five hundred majority Cleve.:
land had in 1888 and leave u margin OF
three or four thosand."
''Mr. Secretary, have you any further
reason?"
added to this, am informed by the
state committee, based upon informa-
ton from the various counties. that an
accurate poll shows the Republicans to
have about four thousand majority.
The state to-day is Republican state"
WHY IT IS REPUBLICAN.
"Then you believe it will go Republi.
can next Tuesday,"
~ believe SO unless the Republican
party loses it through fraud and corrup-
ton by the Democratic party, and do
not believe that even through this
means the Democratic party will sue
coed in despolling the state and rob
bling the Republican party OF its
majority. am informed that the state
committee has q most perfect and
thorough organization in every county,
the Democrats are watched closely, and
every precaution has been taken to pre-
vent repeaters, illegal voters and
colonizers brought into the state by
Democrats, from carrying out their
practices. The Republicans are thor
oughly prepared to prevent fraud, in
timidation and corruption, as l am
informed"
some OF THE REASONS.
"Mr. Secretary, what do you set down
as the reason for the change in the
political complexion of West Virginia
that has been going on for sixteen
years?"
~ set it down to the fact that the peo-
pie are beginning to realize that under
twenty years OF Democratic rule the
state has not kept pace in business, in
crease in population, building railroads,
opening mines, establishing manufac-
lures, etc, with their neighboring
states OF Ohio and Pennsylvania. They
know it is fact that while our coal has
equal market facilities, our coal lands
in West Virginia are selling for from
one-third to one-half what they are
selling in Ohio and Pennsylvania; that
coal lands can be bought in West Vir-
ginia for from $40 to so an acre, while
in Pennsylvania and Ohio coal lands,
not SO good. are selling from 500 to $500
an acre. The people are beginning to
inquire what is the cause OF West Vir-
ginia,s failure in respect to progress, and
they are led to the unalterable con-
ciusion that it is due to Democratic
management of affairs in the state.
The people are learning that wealth,
population and material progress does
not seek Democratic states, but rather
states governed by Republican policies.
In my opinion il West Virginia had
been a Republican state for twenty
years it would have had to-day q mil
lion anda hall population; thousand
miles more railroad; it would have had
100 per cent more mines, mills and
factories; coal and timber lands now
selling for from $40 to SO an acre
would bring from 500 to $500 an acre.
'Mr. Secretary, can you be any more
particular in your data?"
ut would take too long. To be brief,
l will simply say that if the Monon-
gahela Valley, from the Pennsylvania
state line to Clarksourg. were in
Pennsylvania, with its tremendous coal
deposits, its facilities for reaching tho
market, it would have 100000 people,
and lands be worth as much as in
Pennsylvania now. If the Kanawha
Valley we're in Ohio with all OF its
wealth, it would have 100000 people.
Why is it that lands in the Shenandoah
Valley in West Virginia sell from $50 to
500 an acre and tho same lands in
Pennsylvania sell from 500 to $500?
This tells tho story. Then, again the
management OF the affairs OF the state
under the Democratic rule for twenty
years has been such as not to inspire
confidence either in the state or out OF
it. These are some Of the reasons why
/ think the people are demanding a
why the majority in the state is clearly
Republican.
1t is true that the Democratic politi-
clans of West Virginia deny the claims
OF the Republican party, but they do
this because they want to keep in office;
but the politicians are not the whole
people and the people OF West Virginia
will not be longer misled by Democratic
politicians.