The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-05-18
RANDOM POLITICAL NOTES.

. ~ WI tLNs
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The Charleston Daily Gazette, the
Democratic organ AZ the state capital,
Is just now furnishing somo Interesting
contributions to the Domocratic aide Of
tho political situation In this state with
reiercnce to tho silver question. It Is
interesting a,showing tho hopclcssness
OF the division Of tho party In West
Virginia on tho n question which It
Ia tryIng to make the leading issue for
lS9B, anu Is M instructive study rs
showing the character OF tho respective
factions. Some timo ainco tho Gazette
sott circulars to several hundred lead.
luz and representative Democrats In
every section Of tho state requesting
their nswcr to a series Of questions,
as follows:
l Areyon 10 favor Of the FREQ and unlimited
coinage Of silver
81 SO. a'wha, ratio 10 yon favor It's coInage2
u rom yoiir best Information what are the
Schlilhenl. OF Your people concerning the FREQ
and unlimited coinage OF silver at the ratio Of
IL iolS
I Are YOU IN favor Of aconycu,ion or Assem-.
o,aNV ~ sLe ntInVeIhIlr party vi our Ata'c ~
some time during the present year for the iis'
Sa,s,Gil OF tue silver question: II no, what date
Would you suggest, and al what place do you
think the meeting should be hcldf
Replies to these questions have been
coming in rapidly, the Gazette says,
and 1t has been publishing them from
day to day in small installments. What
tho result will show when all tho faith.
iul and unfaithtul are hoard from is yet
a problem, but up 10 the present writ.
Ing replies published stand as follows:
For FREQ and unlimited coinage, 20;
against FREQ aud unlimited coinage, 80;
Tor q state convention, 63; against n
state convention, 40.
Ash have said, the replies are about
all from representative men aud are
from every section OF the stntc. The
Interesting feature abou, them 10 that
almost without exception those that are
against tho free aud unlimited coinage
oil silver are men who represent tho sub
stantial business interests OF Wcst Nir-
glnta In tho Democratic party, while
tho treo silver responses arc largely
from men who are recognized theorists
aud politicians and arc not actively
identified with the business interests.
The former are almost TO n man opposed
10 n state convention as unnecessary and
un wise, or because it would result in
injury TO the party" Among their
ame may be recognized those who be-
long to the Camden or conservative
wing OF the party. though there are 4
few from the other faction. None OF
the so.cailed big leaders Of the party
have yut responded, but their views are
SO well known that it is not necessary
for the Gazette to publish them. Such
men rs ex-senator Camden, Senator
Faulkner, Postmaster General Wilson,
Colonel John r. McGraw. Governor
MacCorkle, Ex-Governor Fleming and
many others. are known 10 be opposed
to the free coinage craze and have al
ready put their feet down upon the
state convention proposition.
These facts are interesting, as they
show that notwithstanding a majority
oil the Democracy in tho state arc OPP
posed TO homes. money. the leyel.headed
leaders. particularly those who are
identified with the business interests,
are con,en, to remain in the minority
and fight, eve with the Republicans II
necessary, against the cheap money
craze and for honest dollars OF both
gold and silver. In his reply 10 the
third and fourth questions OF the
Gazette, Hon. John ". Harris. OF Green
brIer county. probably comes the
nearest OF any OF tho honest money
Democrats to giving the correct senti-
ment that pervades the ranks OF that
faction on the subject, when he says:
IS. The business people are against it
Tree tnf unlimited coinage] almost to
a,man. The ignorant, the demagogues,
the dishonest portion oil the debtor
class and those who have not taken the
trouble to inform themselves on the
subject, favor it, and these constitute Il
majority. l., No. 1t "a state conven-
tom would only disrupt the party;
for tho silver cranks would control
the convention and there are thousands
Of intelligent Democrats who would
accept temporary defeat oil the party
rather than such leadership and such
principles as would be ANNOUNCED in
the platform; with the return OF bust
ness prosperity and without il, il the
masses ara properly educated on the
subject, tho silver craze will die ont as
did tho fiat money craze" On the
other hand there i, n notable absence
OF reason o. argument in the replies Of
the cheap money men. They only know
they are for iree and unlimited coinage
OF silver, and probably want a conven-
ton in order that they may have an
opportunity TO indulge in denuncia.
tions OF gold bugs and in pla;i,udes
about the Crime OF 1873" and tho "dc-
monetizaiion OF silver" both Of which
exist only in the imagination.
But the practical politics in the SYM
postum Of the Gazatte is that it is made
more than ever manifest that it is i'm.
possible for the West Virginia Democ.
racy to get together on this question,
and that, consequently, n very serious
condition con!ronts the party organiza.
zion. II is plainly apparent that the
proposed state convention to commit
the party On the silver question at thi.
time is iinnOli'ir. II not imnrnrtirnhl".