The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-09-03
Fourth pi,iriet pemoerats,

It took an entire day and until
o'clock the following morning for the
Fourth district Democrats to choose a
candidate for Congress. From among
nine aspiring statesmen the one chosen
for Judge Freer to defeat struggled
through on the twenty-slxth ballot, by a
bare majority, near daylight Friday. It
was long convention and there were
evidences of factions and factions within
factions Mr.. George I. Neal, who drew
the prize. not having the prestige of his
principal rivals yielding when defeat
was inevitable; they remained in the
field to the bitter end. This fact may be
significant Of the intensity of the oppo-
sItion TO Mr.. Neal, who %as easily the
leading candidate from the start.
Mr.. Neal is a young man and an ener-
getlo one, his main fault politically be-
ing that he is a member of the radical
free silver faction of the Democracy, an
uncompromislng advocate of Organism.
which IS dead as dooT-nail' in most
sections of the country. save In the
ranks OF those who never know when
they are beaten. Mr.. Neal Is also one
of the organizers and aSleadlng mem
Der OF the noted Barnum Club of Hunt
Ington, which has figured considerably
and not always creditabIg in the politics
of the Fourth district. There are so
many darksome methods attributed to
this club that they cannot be enumer-
ated in limited space. The club viii be
in evidence in the campaign and will
bear watching.
The weight Of the platform adopted at
Spencer was not in harmony with the
longevity Of the convention. Some of It's
features are notable for their absurdity,
as, for instance, the denunciation Of
the Republican scheme" to set up a
carpet-bag government in Cuba" a
party scheme which nobody had heard
anything about until 1t was found in
the mind Of some one of the Democratic
statesmen at Spencer, where, by the
way, one Of the state hospitals for the
ineane is located. There is also an un-
certainty as to Just where the delegates
stand on some OF the questions growing
out of the war. and come other matters,
but this is immaterial. perhaps. The
congratulations on the fact that the war
has wiped out sectionalIAn in this coun-
try are well timed and well meant, but
unfortunately do not harmonIze with
some other portions OF the platform.
The good effect Of a lengthy quotation
from Jefferson is lost bg the inevitable
Reimbursement Of the Chicago platform
Of 1895, which the majority of the people
OF west Virginia, including many good
old JefHersonian Democrats, voted down
In that year, and have seen no necessity
TO repent Of their action.a
A saving clause in the resolutions Is
the virtual endorsement of what our
Republican representatives are doing in
behalf of our greatest waterway; 1t de-
mands the permanent Improvement OF
the Ohio river. What has been done in
this line, and the work=which has been
inaugurated, was never undertaken I'M
til the past two Republican Congresses
In which solid Republican delegations
and a Republican senator represented
west virginia. Altogether the proceed
lngs we're emInently Asatistactory to
west Virginia Republicans without as
well as within the Fourth district.