Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-04-11
THOSE HICKORY CLUB RESOLU-
TIONS
Reading Senator's Camden and FAUX
ner Out Of the Democratic Party
Holc They We're Passed.

Holc Then We're Passed.
Special telegram 70 the Wheeling Register.
WAsHINGroN, D. c., April 5.-"People
who know the inside facts" said a West
Virginia travelling man and politician who
was in the city to-day, "were good deal
amused by the serious manner in which the
press of that State, and to some extent OF
the country, treated the resolutions passed
some time ago by the Hickory Club of Park
ersburg, in which Senators from West Vir-
GINA were denounced as traitors to the party
because of the alleged opposition to the
Wilson bill Now happen to know the
exact facts as to the meeting at which these
remarkable resolutions were passed.
"Those facts are," continued the West
Virginian, that seven gentlemen met one
evening at an Office in Parkersburg. One
of the seven came to the meeting with the
resolutions all nicely drawn up in his inside
pocket, ready for cut-and-dried action. At
the proper time he presented them, and at
ter what was, have no doubt, very earn
est and learned discussion by the seven
wise men, thus gathered together to deter
mine the loyalty of the Senators from West
Virginia, two of the seven voted against
the resolutions and five in favor Of them.
Another fact in connection with the meet
ing which ought to be known | think was
that three of the five who made up the ma
jority were ex-Republicans and ardent ad-
vocates of the single tax idea. Now don't,
as Democrat, object to the single tax doc
trine, but think it will generally be ad-
mitted that those who advocate it are away
in advance of the position of the great body
of Democrats on many public questions,
and if Democratic Senators strive to meet
the views of the rank and file of their party
instead Of those of the disciples of single
tax, they can hardly be blamed for it. 1t
looks like good common sense and good
politics to me.
"Now, in view of these facts, which | am
in position to substantiate if need be,
don't you think the attempt of these five
distinguished gentlemen to read Senator
Camden and Senator Faulkner out of the
Democratic party was rather absurd, to put
it mildly ?" asked the gentleman of the
Register correspondent. Senator Camden,
it strikes me, has a standing as Democrat
which he ought not to be deprived of by
resolutions of any other FIVE members Of the
party, even if their resolutions were based
on sound and correct premises. Senator
Camden has been fighting since the war for
Democratic supremacy and the rights of all
to enjoy the equal benefits of government,
notwithstanding he had aided and abetted
the Confederate cause against the proscrip-
tive policy of the Republican party. And
Senator Faulkner has not only been life
long Democrat, but he has devoted his en-.
ergies and abilities to the harmonizing OF
his party and the triumphs of its principles
in the last three great campaigns in West
Virginia. That he has the confidence of
the national representatives of his party of
all shades of opinion, is evidenced by his
unanimous selection as Chairman of the
Congressional Campaign Committee few
weeks ago.
"And yet, with records like those, the two
Senators are read out of the party by those
Parkersburg gentlemen" concluded the
West Virginian. Its pretty tough, pretty
tough. But perhaps the instructions don't
go. Maybe it can be fixed and the Sena-
tors be allowed to stay in the party after
all. Let us hope So"