The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1896-10-17
BRYAN'S HOLD In
WEST VIRGINIA.
Silver Sentiment Very Strong.
Especially Among the
Farmers.
MANY DIVERSE ELEMENTS.
Still the state is Sure for IL, 900 Demo
cratic Majority. -Coercion of Rail
road Men.

CHARLESTON, W. Va. Oct. IL
Politics in the mountains of the New
Dominion needs the careful study OF
game of chess. As many elements
determine the makeup of the situa-
ton, so many factors combine to mix
up the electoral conclusion. Despite
its Union sympathies during the
war; the state has been narrowly
Democratic since 1876, until in 1894
the landslide reversed things and
Yielded over $4,000 Republican ma
jority. An analysis is necessary to
determine whether or not the change
has the elements of permanency.
The development of the coal tim
Der and oil resources for the state
has increased its former almost ex-
clusively agricultural population
from AZ, 900 in 1872 to fully SS4, 900
at the present time, gain of 100
per cent, wo-thirds of the increase
being due to the special elements re-
ferred to. The incoming population
in the northern and western tier of
counties has come from Pennsylva-
MIA and Ohio, and brought protec-
tion sentiments with it. To this fact,
and the disgust which the present
administration inspired may be
charged the result Of the election of
1894, which decreased the Democrat
ic vote 5000 and added to the Re
publican vote 5000 over the pre-
ceding presidential election, giving
the Republicans all four congress
men and United States senator.
BRYAN SENTIMENT STRONG.
The protection idea is still strong
among the miners and oil men, ire
spective of party, but the Bryan sen
timent is even stronger. The farm
ers are for silver, and the detection
among the Republican farmers on
this alone is even now sufficient to
wipe out the Republican victory of
1894. There can be no question of
this in the mind of any careful in
vestigator. 1t is clearly visible all
through the northern tier Of coun
ties. and gains strength the farther
south one goes. Single magisterial
districts in which the normal Re
publican vote is about $50, show de-
feetions varying from 10 TO so farm
ers. In kanawha county $50 form
err Republicans are members of the
Bryan and Sewall clubs, and an even
greater number are known to have
cut their party ties with the purpose
of voting for free silver. Mason coun-
ty, in the past reliably Republican
by 500 to $50. will this time show Il
small Democratic majority.
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 stu
alton. The trunk lines cross the
state of West Virginia, the Balti-
more & Ohio, Chesapeake d Ohio
and Norfolk d Western. The latter
has on several occasions dabbled in
politics, but usually with the result
that its fingers have been burned.
It's present financial trouble serves
to keep its eyes turned inward and
not on politics.
COERCION HAS DRAWBACKS.
The Chesapeake d Ohio started
in willingly enough to shape its en-
ployes to its purpose, but President
NJ. w. Ingalls,, one of the shrewdest
observers in the business, and at all
times In close touch with the senti-
ment among his subordinates, dis
cerned ominous signs, and immedi-
ately hedged. He saw that coercion
was working in the wrong direction
and would certainly lose the MAORI
ty of railroad men, who would prob
ably vote the Republican ticket if
let alone He saw, further, that the
big corporations which overstepped
the limits of law and public endur-
ance in bulldozing their employees
we're storing up day Of reckoning.
SO he has substituted ''soft soap for
coercion. As result. Bryan will
get only three fourths of the Chesa-
peake u Ohio employees in place OF
nine-tenths which will come to him
along the line of the Baltimore d
Ohio, where combination of Bourke
Cochran, John X. Cowan and other
sham reiormers are helping Bryan
by their opposition.
The Democrats are san0lljne to "A