Evening star., 1896-10-20
where THE POLlI[CAE BATTLES ARE BEING FOUGHT
WEST VIRGINIA's. OUTLOOK
Claims and Counter Claims Of Success at the
Polls.
Dayton's Prospect Of Election in the
Second District Said to
Be Good.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

| Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
WHEELING, w. Va, October 10. 1896.
| Unusual interest centers in the canvass
| Of A. G. Dayton and Junior (W. g.
| Brown for Congress in w. L. Wilson's old
| district. John w. Mason, commissioner OF
internal revenue in the Harrison admins
| tration, who has spoken in most Of the
counties of the district, says: "Dayton's
majority in the second district will not be
| far from that of 1894. The free silver idea
is decidedly losing ground, and have found
| there Is practically no free silver sentiment
| among the republicans. Mr.. Brown will
| gain few votes from the populist fusion,
but the effect Of that will be fully made up
| by sound money democratic votes. Bryan's
| trip did not hurt particle, and l look
for Mckinley to carry the state beyond
any doubt
Lamar c. Powell, editor of the Fairmont
West Virglnian, republican, says: Mr..
Dayton is especially strong in Marion
county on account of being instrumental in
procuring river legislation which has been
| wanted for thirty years. We will lose some
republicans who have been greenbackers,
but that will amount to very little. Nc
kinley and Dayton should carry this dis
| trict by 5000 if the gold democrats are as
! strong as 1t is claimed they are. The re-
publicaps are making an active canvass,
and the issue Of protection to coal, agricul-
turai and oil interests Is having It's effect In
cur interest"
Col. Clarence l.. Smith, late democratic
candidate for the gubernatorial nomination,
thinks that Brown can beat Dayton, and
claims that the silver sentiment is growing.
He says: I'VE will have to fight deluge
of Doodle, but l do not fear that, for the
party is practically solid. We lost in ~
because the democrats voted the republican
ticket, but they will not do it this year.
han
cans In any one place, but there is scarcely
voting precinct where there are not from.
two to 4 dozen republicans who will vote
the democratic ticket for the first time The
silver cause Is growing. and the democrats
were never more enthusiastic than now
ihere Will be no tidal wave to help Dayton
this time"
prominent Fairmont democrat. who
predicted the defeat of Wilson in 1894, is
confident that Dayton cannot be elec
this time. He says: Il thought Wilson
would be defeated in '94, for the reason
| that complaints of disaffection were com
mon. Now there are no discordant ele-
ments, and we are making steady gains, in
addition to getting the support Of the popu-
lists"
DnytOn's Allies.
To an outsider, it looks as though the re-
publicans had the best Of the argument.
Two powerful influences that were for VIII
son in 1894 are now against Brown, namely.
John X. Cowen of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, and ex-senator ]. N Camden. The
democrats claim that the Davis influence
Will offset this. The sound money demo-
cratic vote in Jefferson Berkeley Hamp-
shire and Hardy counties will also cut
quite figure against Mr.. Brown, as well as
the silent opposition Of William L. Wilson
The wheeling Intelligencer publishes an
additional affidavit in the charge made by
members of the committee of glassworkers
that In September. 1888, w. j. Bryan, when
member OF the committee on ways and
means, called slassworkers 'uublic beg
gars," who asked him to use his influence
against reducing the tariff on window
glass; Mr.. Bryan evaded the matter when
1t was called to his attention at Wheeling
by stating that the stenographic report
would show whether he made the remark
or not. The glassworkers in their atiida-
Wits distinctly stated that the colloquy oc-
CURED in the committee room after the
session had adjourned. and are consider
ably wrought up over the incident and
what they term evading the facts.
The Elkins Invincibles of Sistersvflle and
republicans Of Tyler and Wetzel counties
were guests of Maj. Mckinley at Canton
Friday In very large numbers. In his
| able progress of West Virginia as well as
| OF all the south in material wealth be-
| tween 1880 and 1880 under the working of
the so-called "crime of '73" and the pro-
| tective tariff system. At the same time he
| asserted that the tariff was not sectional
| In its beneficient effects.
Miscellaneous.
The ballot commissioners Of Wood county
| have thrown out the entire populist state
| ticket, giving as a reason that the petit
| tions were not signed by the necessary /
per cent of the total vote cast at the last
election. The matter will be taken to the
| circuit court.
Fear of the civil service regulations
seems to affect the effort of Democratic
Chairman T. NJ. Darrah of Wheeling to
| raise funds from the post Office mail car
| riers. postal addressed to each demo-
cratic carrier asking him to attend a con-
! ference failed Of any responses.
The fight between Judge Harvey and
| w. w. Marcum, rival democratic candi-
dates for circuit judge in the Huntington
| district has assumed unusual bitterness
| and Is endangering the rest of the ticket.
| The supreme court has issued a writ of
mandsmus against the ballot commission
erS Of Wayne county, compelling them
| to place the name of w. w. Marcum upon
| the ballots. The writ is returnable today.
In Crbell county 1.20O voters have signed
petition asking that Thomas p. Har-
vey's name go on a ticket headed demo
cratic free silver ticket" Identical from
| top to bottom with the regular democratic
| ticket upon which Marcum is certified, ex-
cepting that Harvey's name Is substituted
for Marcums. The petition insures the
name Of Harvey alongside that of Marcnn