Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-10-10
Stiraiuia FREE gress.
HON. I'M. L. WILSON.
His state, His District His To'cn' ana
His Home.

His state, His District, His To'cn, ana
His Home.
T. c. Norton IN Richmond Dispatch.
CHARLES TowN, w. VA, September a
Special This goes to you from the
home of the Apostle of Tariff Reform, and
as he is the central figure in the political
struggle between the parties this "otf year,
something from his own home, his neighbors
and personal friends, and his congressional
district will, I think, interest Dispatch
readers.
"Biny Wilson, as his elderly friends az
fectionately call him to his face +; Billy
Wilson" as the young men and boys, and
even negroes call him behind his back, Is
the most popular and the most unassuming
man in this modest town Of nearly 5000 in
habitants. He lives in pretty but unpre-
tentious residence, built on the cottage style
of architecture worth not more than S4OoO
or s. 900, and his whole estate is valued at
not over $4,000 by any one who has under
taken to estimate it to me. "But," said his
old friend, DIR. Mason, and others, he might
have been worth his millions if he had not
been so honest, for he is uDpurchased aud
unpurchaseable." He is a plain Baptist
deacon and his pastor Rev. Mr.. Cole, bears
loving testimony to his humble, consistent
Christian character, aud the good influence
he exerts in the church Of his fathers, of
which he has been member for twelve or
fifteen years. He is the head of a large
family, consisting of a devoted wife and four
sons and two daughters. The eldest son,
William H., is his fathers private Sec
retary the second, Walter, is an assistant
paymaster on board ship in the United
states navy; the third, Allan, is clerk in
the office of the West Virginia Central and
Pittsburg Railroad Company at Weston
the fourth, Arthur, is a student at the Col
umbian University, in Washington City, in
which his grandfather, Rev. DIR. Hunting
ton. a distinguished Baptist minister, is a
professor. Mr.. Wilson's eldest daughter,
Mary, is a pupil at Hollins Institute, in Ro
anoke county, and his youngest daughter,
Bette, is school girl at home. Such are
the domestic surroundings of man whose
patriotism and purity of character and de-
votion to principle has given him a name
and fame that embrace two continents.
As a boy he was studious and bright
The first time that he got his name in the
papers was when, as a scholar in the Epis-
copal Sundays school here, he received a
gold watch which generous gentleman Of
fered to the first pupil who would recite the
Book of Psalms without missing a word,
and friend at my elbow says his name will
be kept before the public till he is President
of the United States
His public life is not unfamiliar to the
country. How he was called from lucra-
practice at the Charles Town bar to the
presidency of the West Virginia University
at Morgantown, and from that position to
seat in Congress, and then to the chairman
ship of the ways and means committee, and
thence to fame as a political reformer. Will
he be reelected and permitted to perfect his
great leaders scheme of reform Everybody
saws yes He must and will be- Every Dem
ocrat here will vote for him, many Repub
licans will vote for him, and not a few ne
groes will DO as they have done before, "vote
for Billy Wilson" He is every mans friend,
and pori passu, every man is his friend
During the four days | have been in his
home town | have heard only good words
| for William l.. Wilson-not one Of uukind
ness or censure-and it is thought that he
will get three .iourths Of the vote Of his own
town and county.
Men say everything is working right they
are all coming out, going to elect Wilson,
and help the good work on. And it is go
ing to be the same thing all over this dis
trict, and the same all over the State. When
the full vote of the State Of West Virginia
is brought out she surely goes Democratic.
The people are aroused. The remarkable
enthusiasm that marked the convention that
renominated Mr. Wilson FOR the seventh
time has stirred up the whole State, and by
election day the great campaigners OF ma
tional fame who will 60 over the State will
so arouse public interest that net only IN
the second but in every district in the State
every man will be brought out, and Democ-
racv will, Notwithstanding the men and
money of the Republicans, be again trium
plant.