The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-05

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FORMED OUR COMMITTEE AND
REPORTED IT TO MR.. M'GRAW
AND THE CONGRESSIONAL COM
MlTTEE. Now we submit In nll hon-
esty and fairness that we either knew
what we were talking about or else we
were good at guessing, one or the 9th
i, Is 5'4S' DA-10N1' @4A'oNit4 '"AS
Another mare's nest discovered by the
Register and commented on as an aw-
full example OF ignorance or arbitrary
power on the part of our county court,
was that three of the court were candl-
dates and were helping to canvass their
own returns which according to the
Register was entirely illegal and with
out precedent
Now. let's see about this awful OUT
rage. In the first place the law requires
the court to do this. One member OF the
court was elected to the legislature and
two OF them reelected as members OF
the court. Their present term does not
expire until January /, and as members
OF the court they had perfect right to
be present and help discharge their off
cial duty as required by law. There
were five other members to look after
the matter also, for be 1t understood by
the outside public, that we have eight
members of our court, one from each
district Of the county. and all elected at
the same time and for the same period,
term of two years.
Now while It might look little wrong
for these gentlemen to assist in cam
vassing their own returns IL the:e was
any contest or question about them,
there is no authority for anyone else to
do It and In this case there was no con-
test or question whatever about their
election, the Republican majority In the
county being so overwhelming. The on
lv recount asked for was on the vote for
Congress
But now to go on further, suppose all
the members OF the court had been can
dldates for reelection and been elected,
as has happened heretofore, who would
have canvasseG the returns? VIII the
Wheeling Register kindly enllghten us
on this point? And explain what other
body or authority can caDvass election
returns and cite US to the law in the
case?
While all the members OF our county
court are intense Republicans, THEY
ARE HONEST AND RELIABLE CIT
IZENs AND INTELLIGENT CHRIS
TAN GENTLEMEN, who are disposed
to do the right thing and discharge the
dntles OF their office according to the
law and under their 9th. Another bub-
Bile that has been blown over the state
we want to puncture. Is the assertion
that the population OF the county has
decreased, while the Republican major
fly has Increased THIS rs POSI-
lively NOT TRUE. THE PoPU-
LATION OF TIE COUNTY is
STEADILY INCREASING ALL THE
TIME, and We have at least $4,000 peo-
pie, which will soon be proven by the
coming census. In 1890 we had about
q, 600, and while we have lost a few cit
liens by the closing down Of Irondale
furnace and the coal mines at New
burg, we have gained bY the opening OF
the mines at Tunnelton. which has
doubled Its population in the last few
years. and bY the opening Of the Todd
mines on the West Virginia Northern,
and the new railroad and big saw mills
along Cheat river, and the big boom
that has been gofng on at Terra Alta for
seVera! years, and a steady growth all
over the county.
We make these many statements and
publish this long article in Justice to
the fair name of old Preston and in de-
Tense OF her citizens we are not de-
tending the Republicans Of the county
!n-particular, but more especially the