The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-08-11

The city IL rapidly Alling up with
strangers and the prospects are that
the state Democratic convention Ia go
Ing TO be n rOuser. The advance guards
OF the various boom delegations were
coming In all day yesterday, and by
evening the Hobbies OF the hotels be-
gan TO take on an Uld-time convention
appearance. Nearly al the big lead
ers and bosses were here and the head
quarters OF the candidates for lNonors
on the state ticket were busy places.
For the time being the storm centre
was the Windsor hotel. where Candi.
date Watts was holding forth all day
In person. but the crowds were about
divided between the Mcclure and tho
Windsor.
II was not until evening that there
was anything like hustlins on the part
Of the friends of candidates. and even
then there was almost absolutely moth
Ing In the direction of n lining up OF the
forces. To-day. however, the full dele.
cations Will begin to pour In and then
there VIII be 4 general shaping up OF
the situation and II will he possible to
find u something. definite regarding
the plans and combinations that are
sure to be formed.
AT present there Is no situation"
The claims of all sides are made with
a show OF equal confidence. The Watts
people have como ~ understand thor
ouGhly that the field is against them.
but they do not appear to be disturbed
by the fact. Their claims OF n nCmi-
nation on the first ballot are made with
an air intended TO convey the idea that
they really believe their own estimate.
But they do not give n definite fig
urcs.
Claim It's IA Hun.
The opposition represented by the
Smith. Bennett and Ralplsnyder forces
content themselves with saying that
the Watts claims ARE mainly bluffs and
that they are not based on thr situation
rs Il actually exists. III Watts has
enough votes to nominate him." said
OF the antl-Watts managers late
last night. II don't know where he has
them. There will be II majority In the
convention against him. You will see
the anti- Watts strength fully dcvclopc
Itself By Tomorrow night, by which
time nearly all the delegates Will be
on the ground. The two hundred Ea-
nawlsl county ro1tcrS Mr.. Watts "
bringing up here on free railroad PASS
es VIII not avail him anything. Every
body knows what It represents. This
Is going to be Il fight to down the
Charleston state house o~ficc-holdlnS
syndicate. and the people are eoIng to
win"
II was developed last night in tn,
hotel corridors that the fight against
Watts On account Of his connection
with the Cleveland administration. and
his alleged recent conversion to the
free silver cause has considerably
weakened him among tho more radical
silveriicS.
Various Claims.
The biggest display that Is being
made is by Italphsnyder. the Populist
nominee for governor. who has mOnop-
olizcd about all the available space In
the Mcclure House lobby with his
strramcrS pr0ClalminS that he Is Il six
teen TO one man. and has no apologies
to offer. l!ut as the time passes, It
becomes more and more apparent that
MIR. lta~lphsnyder Is not likely 10 hc
endorsed. lie does not take this view
OF II himself. for he says he Is the log
teal candidate anu H. does not believe
the convention can afford 10 turn him
down.
Mr.. ". a. Ohley, who Is doing much
OF Colonel Smiths work. says to all
Corners that he believes Watts will be
beaten and that his man will be the
winner. 81 regard his chances as cx-
cellcnt." said Mr.. Oislcy. The Bennett
men talk In thu same strain. The gen.
eral impression Is that the anti-Watts
people will be able to unite on either
Smith or Bennett. Nothing more def
mite than this can be known until more
Of the convention Is on the ground.
The remainder OF TIL. ticket Is almost
lost sight Of in the general interest cen
tcrinS on the gubcrnatOrlal fight. AMI
the factlonul significance Involved In II.
which IL fully explained elsewhere in
the 1ntclllgenccr. or course there IL
talk or combines involving other places
or the ticket, but when they are run
down It Is generally discovered that It
Is mostly convention gossip. The only
one Of these reports that scCrls to have
any real basis IL the reported combIna-
ton which C~nntcmplatcS the dropping
OF SOmmerS FOR auditor by the Watts
managers, with whom he has been I'M
dcrStoOd TO have an ARRANGEMENT.
ft. la. s~-