Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-10-10
the threats of thousands of the strug-
ASM FOR BRYAN.

of people at the score o. places where
Bryan spoke TO an aggregate OF more
than half the voters in the State with
out being forcibly impressed with me
evidences of that enthusiasm which IS
the outer indication of deep. heartfelt
convictions. This is a campaign IN
which the issues are discussed in ten
million households with all-absorb-ng
interest. To old men who greet Bryan
at every stopping place 1t suggests the
campaign of Jackson, still fresh in their
memories. in which issues of parallel
importance and character gave the DEM
ocratic champion a twO-thirds majority
in the Electoral College, and that later
campaign Of Lincoln, where the SURFACE
issue was the territorial restriction OF
slavery and the real issue 10 all men a
plan for its total abolition.
This enthusiasm for Bryan and free
silver IS like that of soldiers for IA
vorite leader and the flag, who yet see
beyond the individual and the bunting
to the underlying principle for which
the battle wages. Every day men and
women are heard TO express their deep
conviction that Bryan was raised up 10
save the republic from its internal enc
mics.
An examination of the situation
among the railroad employees strikes
clearer note than among the miners.
Only the most superficial inquiry would
fail TO discover the real situation. Three
trunk lines cross West Virginia
Baltimore & Ohio, Chesapeake q ONO
and Norfolk & Western. The latter mas
on several OCCASIONS dabbled in politics,
but usually with the result that It's I'M
GERS have been burned. Its present nm
ancial wreck serves TO keep its eyes
turned inward and not on politics. The
CbesaDeake & Ohio started in willingly
enough to shape its employees to Its pur-
nose hut President N. W. ingalls,, one OIL
the shrewdest observers in the business
and al all times in close touch with the
sentiment among its sub0rdinates, dis
leerned omnibus signs and Immediately
hedged
He saw that coercion was working IN
the wrong direction and would certainly
lose his party the mO.ety OF rallroaI
men. who would probably vote the Re
Dublican ticket If let alone. He saw fur
Their that the big corporations which
overs.eDped the limits of law and public
endurance in "bulldozing' their en-
ployes were storing up a day OF reckon
ing. So he has substituted soft soap
for coercion. AS q result Bryan VIII gee
onv three-fourths of the Chesapeake and
Ohio employees in place of the nine
tenths which will come to him along the
line of the Baltimore and Ohio, where a
combination of sham refOrmers are help
ing Bryan by their opposition.
SILVER NOT THE ONLY ISSUE.
Free silver is not the main issue whi'h
influences those employees any more than
it is the issue which eXc;tes the bitter
opposition of the corporation managers
and owners. The Democratic planks
against government by injunction and
i'm favor of arbitration have massed the
railroad employees so sol:d,y for Bryan
that they will study before they viii
submit 10 further imposition. What
Pres dent ingalls, has discovered is "a
pilly coming home to other railroad
managers in States that will be surely
Democratic this fall.
Instead of the surly refusal of special
rates for Democratic excursions and a
chur..sh treatment that for weeks thrust
Mr.. Bryan on incOnvenient trains which
ran on impossible schedules, a change
has come Special rates are obtainable
under the usual conditions and railroad
managers are most polite, even obse-
quious. TO the Democratic candidate.
They are not so free with their epithets
ls,+
agogue." Would he consent, a private
car would be placed at his dispose, free
Of charge by every railroad South anu
WeN. of Pennsylvania. but neither he
nor the National Committee have any
desire TO accept railroad favors. They
pay their passage.
MONEY AND COERCION.
If Mark Hanna's West Virginia cam
paign Is a sample of his campaign else
where. his suddenly grown reputation as
a great political manager IS going 10
meet with a speedy collapse. 1t is sim
ply brute force in coercion and brutal
use of money. With these two forces
10 contend against. thinking people are
brought 20 the conclusion that Mr.. Me-
Kinley is irightfully handicapped and
contend,ng AGAINST fearful odds 10 a
certain defeat. for both coercion and the
corrupt use Of money bring their own
defeat.
Sevan-y-fve thousand dollars is he
figure set for use in each Congressional
district in West Virginia, eXcep, the
First. where the corruption fund is cut
10 $4,000. This sum, aggregating 800
600. is to be used 70 adversely affect a
Democratic majority, which, untram-
melled. would run to $4,000; but every
"fCater" in the State has set his figures
az 500. and thousands Of Republicans,
unused TO bribery. are beginning to de-
mand their share. while other thousands
more honest are becoming suspicious OF
their own party. whose traditions for
fair elections are being thus tramplei
upOn.
The Republican canvass is In so i'm
perfect and faulty a condition that the
party managers themselves despair Of
success. and more than half of the
Hanna money viii be shoveG-into the
pockets of the men selected for its dlstrl-
button.
The Democrats. on the other hand,
are sanguine 10 a degree. They are we'll
organized, their canvass shows less than
hne-third the doubtful" voters which
appear on the Republican polling sheets.
and after allowing for all the influences
which the Republican money may have,
they confidently figure on 1900 for
BRYAN and the certain control of three
Congressional districts.
RALPHSNYDER
And His Remarkable Claims Cause Poll