The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1896-08-22
In the Great Convention Held at
Wheeling on last Wednesday
and Thursday.

For Supt. Of Schools,
VIRGIL A. LEWIS,
OF Mason.
For Attorney General,
T. S. RILEY,
OF Ohio.
For Judge Supreme Court,
J. H. HOLT,
OF Cabell.
To say that the above named ticket
is the one that will win the day in the
coming November election, is only to
repeat what has already been deter
mined by the people of West Virginia.
And the enthusiasm which attended
the naming of it was enough to fill
the heart Of every loyal Democrat
with confidence and to convince every
Republican that his cause is a lost
one.
Never before in the history of poll
tics in West Virginia has there been
such large and enthusiastic conven-
tion as was held at Wheeling Park on
Wednesday and Thursday of last week.
For several days previous to the open
ing Of the convention the city had
been gradually filling up with dele
gates and visitors. Hotels and public
places were crowded with persons ca
gerly discussing the political situa-
tion.
THE CONVENTION.
At an early hour on Wednesday the
delegates began to gather in Wheel
ing Park, waiting for the great con-
vention to begin. Promptly at 2 p.
NJ. the doors of the casino were thrown
open, and the building was quickly
packed so densely that oxygen was at
a premium. An hour later the con-
vention was called to order by w. E.
Chiffon, chairman of the State Execu-
tive COMMITTEES. Prayer was offered
by Rev. Jacob Birmingham, after
which the temporary organization was
announced as follows; Temporary
Chairman, Hon. Rankin Wiley, of
Mason; Temporary Secretary, Hon.
Thomas H. Dennis, Of Greenbrier; AS
sistant Col. J. B. Peyton.
The next thing in order was the
sending OF "a dispatch to Mr.. Bryan,
| hiti lCu0 do iOllOWS. IL IL. w
j. Bryan, Madison Square Garden,
New York: ''The West Virginia De-
mocracy, in State Convention assem-
bled, sends you its unanimous and en-
thusiastic congratulations on your
nomination and your bravery in bear
ing the banner of the people into the
very home of the single gold standard.
The representatives of every county
in the state of West Virginia tell you
with one voice that West Virginia
is solid from center to circumference
for Bryan, Sewall and free silver at is
to |. God bless you and the cause of
the people of which you are the living
embodiment.
The reading of this message was re-
ceived with great cheering and even
before the Chairman could finish read
ing it and call for rising vote, the
convention was on its feet.
The committees were then appoint
ed and the convention adjourned to
meet at 1880 p. M.
EVENING SESSION.
The convention was called to order
at 7:40, the committees not being
ready to submit their reports, Col. W.
| w. Arnett, of Wheeling, was called
to the speakers stand. The Colonel
spoke in his usual happy manner clio
iting frequent hearty cheers from the
audience. He said among other things
that everybody had deserted the Dem
ocratic party but the people, and that
the people are with it because it rep
resents their interests and honest con-
victions.
At the conclusion of Col. Arnett's
talk, it was announced that the COM
mittees were ready to report. The
committee on permanent organization
selected as chairman, David e. John
son for President, and Charles II. Ia
ney, as Secretary. All Democratic
Press men were made assistant secre-
taries.
At this juncture Col. Fitzgerald, of
Terra Alta, came before the conyen-
tion on behalf of the Populists of
West Virginia, and proposed certain
plans with regard to uniting forces.
This matter was placed in the hands
The resolutions drawn up by the
committee and adopted by the conven-
tion are as follows:
''The Committee on Resolutions
begs leave to report the following
platform:
''The Democratic party of the State
of West Virginia, in convention as
sembled, do most heartily endorse the
principles of the Democracy as enunci-
ated in the platform adopted by the
Chicago convention held on the It'll
day of July, 1896, and to endorse and
pledge our unfaltering allegiance to
the nominees of that convention
William Jennings Bryan and Arthur
Sewall.
"We heartily endorse the present
administration Of State affairs as
faithful, economical and directed to
the futherance Of the best interests of
the development of the vast resources
of the State.
''We condemn the financial plank
of the Republican platform adopted
at st. Louis, as cowardly surrender
of that cardinal principle of Democra-
cy and freedom, which maintains the
absolute independence Of our Govern
ment of and from the influence or
control Of any other.
We condemn the Republican Legis-
lature as venal and miserably cor
rupt and incompetent assembly of
spoilsmen; they failed to pass any leg
islation tending to correct the alleged
inequalities in the tax laws, as COM
planned of in their State platform;
they failed to re-district the Judicial
Circuits Of this State, as should have
been done; they failed to make SUM-
Gent appropriations of public moneys
to pay criminal charges for the years
1895 and 1896, or to pass any proper
or needed legislation; and their at
tempt at the passage of school book
law was complete failure, which i'm
posed upon the people of the State
great and unnecessary inconvenience
and expense.
'sWe are opposed to any further ag-
itation Of the Virginia State debt
question, and we commend the Demo-
cratic minority Of the legislature OF
1895 for its prompt action in thwart-
ing the corrupt scheme of the Repub-
lican bosses to procure the Republican
majority to adopt certain legislation
to impose upon us the payment of a |
portion of said debt.
"We hereby invite all persons who
desire the faithful, honest, ec0nomi-