The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-02-13
Addison. W. Va, Feb. 10.

tine lHtelNgenCer CneerIully gives us
friend IL. A. F." space In which to vim
dlcate his claim to being genuine Re-
publican, and to correct the Intelligent
The error was based on the fact that
IL, a F." conceived II wise to 20 into
Abe Democratic misehief-makIRG state
organ TO crlticise Republicans Of promi-
hence and attack the policies and prln-
ciples OF the Republican party. How
ever, we are glad to know that In spite
OF that action IL. a. F." always eX-
poets to vote the Republican ticket.
even after trying to convince others
that the party is mlsled and is un-
grateful to the men who fought for the
union In the war In which the Repub-
llcan party was on the right side.
The IntelllEenccr trusts that it3 some
what mistaken friend will not object to
its pointing out to him that he is in
error as to the attitude Of the Repub-
lican party toward the old soldiers.
The national policies OF the Republican
and Democratic parties in the matter OF
pensions have been in such marked con-
trnst that our friend must have been
asleep II he has not been able to sec
the difference between them Has our
friend ever heard OF the Republican
party dcnounclng the veterans OF the
union rs pension bummers" md treas
ury looters?" Has he ever heard OF n
Republican administration pursuing a
policy OF absolute enmity 10 the claims
OF the old soldier on the gratitude OF
the government, such enmity us the
present Democratic administration
has shown. and which has caused In
diEnation all over this country?
IL. a. F. Is wrong when he says
that the old soldiers ARE seldom II ever
allowed to hold federal Offices" and that
mot one In a thousand has ever been
30 hOnorcd' The official records OF this
government show that under the Re-
publican administrations the men who
wore the blue have generally been given
the preference In the distribution OF
federal Offices; that the Republican
party placed on the statute books OF
the United States law requiring the
heads Of the departments In Washing
ton to give ex-unlon soldiers the prefer
ence over all other citizens in filling the
positions in that city. and there are to-
day hundreds OF union soldiers hold
ing offices In Washington City, who
were placed there under the provisions
OF that Republican statute. men whom
the Democratic President would like to
turn out, but he dares not do so.
Under Republican administrations
and the friendly policy Of our great
soldier Presidents thousands more hnve
been given the preference all over this
broad land. There may have been an
exception In Webster county; II so. II
IL reGrettnblc. Our friend In Webster
county may not have heard OF these
things, but he has only 20 review the
rolls OF the hundred thousand office
holders t0B published in the official
blue hOohD under the Republican nd-
miniStratlnns TO verify the statement
that they are true. The rOcts IRE Just
the reverse under Democratic rule. Our
friend should not fall into the error or
judging the state OF affairs In the whole
country from 80 limited point OF view
ms Webster county He should take u
broader view,
The grand army Of the old 6oys In
blue In the great country outside OF
Webster Will not agree with their mis-
taken comrHdc IL, 4. r." In any Of his
statements. The Democratic politicians
would be only too glad 10 have them 10
believe. but. looking back over the past
thirty yeAFa, they cannot Ind single
liberal statute for the roller Of the de-
tenders Of the Union that was not
placed there by n Republican Congress-:
on the contrary they can lind tho rec
ord OF hundreds Of such measures We.
tocd by q Democratic President, and
thousands Of veterans dropped from
the pension rolls by Democratic nd
minlstratlon. The IntelliEenccr knows
nothing or Its Webster county friends
personal complaints. II speaks for the
record OF the Republican party of the
whole country.
Finally, the. Intelllgencer bcgs leave
TO assure L. A. F." that his assumption