Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-10-15

NO value OOulQ 10 DeboOO OA4 OiiC
Statement were It a Fact-Some
Counter Expressions by Repub.i-
cans.
The versatile but injudicious young
man who is temporarily editing the
Wheeling Intelligencer, while its real
editor Is engaged in the patriotic work
of advancing his personal political inter-
ests in the interior of the State, caused
the following paragraph to be inserted
in the columns of the paper named yes
terday:
A gentleman who Is in the employ Of
the West Virginia Printing Company
has just returned from an extended trip
in West Virginia. during which he visited
nearly every county Of the iiftv-fVc. IN
speaking of the political outlook, he said
Mr. Bryan has not tine ghost OF a
chance Of carrying this State He found
the tide setting strongly in favor or Il
sound currency and the presidential can
didate who represents 1t, from one end OF
the State TO the other. The friend TO
whom he made this statement. inquired
whether he would feel inclined TO keep
his views to himself. but said he would
say the same thing to anybody-for It was
the truth.
This would be of no earthly import
ance If it were true. Being untrue, 1t
well illustrates the pusi3animity OF
mind the gross unfairness and the de-
spair Of the Intelligencer management
Of things political
a gentleman who is in the employ Of
the West Virginia Printing Company"
has expressed an individual opinion fay
orab.e TO Mckinley. Did ever a drown
ing wretch grasp at a straw with greater
avidity than the Inteligencer siezed up
on this allegation? No wandering men,
dicalt, ragged, cold, hungry and miser-
able, ever bounced upon penny with
greater JOY. Our supposltious travelling
man indeed spread a rich mental ban
quet for a hungry soul when he dropped
that chance remark. We can imagine
the scene IN the Intelligencer office Tues
day night, before that ray of light broke
through the gloom, ana can picture the
wild ecstacy, the delicious joy and the
intense agitation OF mind which follow
ed the hurried admission Of q breathless
and excited reporter with the precious
Information that a business agent Of the
West Virginia Printing Company had
inadvertently renewed the fa.tering
courage Of the local advocates OF god
bugism and implanted a new hope that
perhaps after all the Fates would be
kind to the disciples of Hanna. II must
have been a moving scene.
But let us examine the facts in con-
necticn with this most mcmentous mat
ter. II may be akin to snatching a
glass Of sparkling water from the lips Of
one dying OF thirst. but candor compels
the statement that the West Virginia
Printing Company has no one in its en-
ploy who has just returned from an
extended trip in West Virginia, during
which he visited nearly every one Of
the fifty-fve" counties. Had there been
such a person'making such tour in the
interests OF the West Virginia Printing
Company, or OF any other business con
Germ, his expression of opinion would
scarcely have been conclusive of the po-
litical result in this State. Gentlemen
come to town as often as twice a week
who have views" upon the result, not
only in West Virginia. but in the coun-
try at large, but heretofore these pre-
dictiCns guesses or assertions have
scarcely been esteemed a fit cause for
thanksgiving and prayer. On the as
sumption that there was such a travel
ing man. and that he did say what the
Intelligencer says he said. II could posi-
by prove nothing except that the In
te,ligencer. conscious OF inevitable de-
feat. IS turning everywhere in its des-
Deration. for hope and consolation. Ii
is a species OF campaigning TO which the
Register has not yet stopped. This pa
per might have gone into this sort Of
thing. and quoted from Intelligencer
employes-even from the editor OF the
Intelligencer hlmsclf-and from Repub-
leans high in the inner councils Of the
Republican party in West Virginia, but !
Il would not have been particularly cred !
liable politics The Register a week !
ago could have quoted from the head Of |
a department in the Intelligencer Office |
that: Nothing IN Gods world can pre- !
vent the election Of Bryan 1t might !
have repeated a conversation between
c. B. Hart, G. w. Atkinson and Thomas
3. Davis, in a private room in Morgan
town. in which those gentlemen agreed
that the outlook in the State was very
dark for the Republican cause or we
could have gone even further in that d.
rection and quoted a confidential re-
mark of Senator Elkins. to a friend, o.
even tenor but the Register has not
been anxious to print arguments OF
that sort. and has no considered such
q hrO f.r+o f nc W n q
of carrying West Virginia for Bryan,
Watts ami free silver, now so near It's
consumation as TO be a virtually accom-
p.ished fact The people VIII attend 10
that little matter in about three weeks,
and no one knows the drift Of the polit-
zeal current in the State better than the
IntelNgcncer and those Republicans last
above named.
The chance remark Of a gentleman
employed in a business capacity or as
q workman. by any concern whatever,
IS OF no particular value. There are Re-
pubicans in the employ OF the West Viz
ginia Printing Company, just as We as
sumo that Democrats are employed by
the Inte.ligencer Company. and all are
entitled TO their personal views and
opinions We have yet TO learn. how
ever. that any of them are touched with
the spirit of prophecy or have any pc
culiar means Of knowing wha, is going
30 happen in this State in three weeks
or that their opinions are entitled 10 any
excep,.Ona, weight Certainly the Reg
isier has not quoted any such opinions
or admissions, although. as above stat
ed. there has not been a lack OF oppOr-
tunity 10 secure Republican testimony
in this direction.
cfrco Tho T,feiiioarcer has given