The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-10-27

OF THE MEETING.
The weather last night was decidedly
raw, both rain and low temperature
being very much in evidence. but the
Weather was lovely when compared TO
the frosty reception that was accorded
the Democratic congressional candlda;s.
Hon. Jack Blair, Who was the star
attraction at the mass meeting held in
the Opera House. Mr.. Blair is 4 very
agreeable gentleman personality but
when It comes to posing as public
speaker the word Blair Is SYNONYMOUS
with anything but spellblndery or elo-
quence He spoke over an hour, and
those sixty minutes were the period Of
a painful lack OF enthusiasm on the
part AOf the audience, and OF O very
commonplace and poorly delivered ad-
dress upon the part Of the candidate.
Those who heard, Mn Blair last night,
both Democrats and Republicans, real
lied as never before that the Democratic
congressional cOmmdtttee acted wisely
in declining to allow MI Blair to meet
Captain Dovener on the stump in joint
debate, as proposed by the Republicans
on two occasions.
Mr.. John A. Howard, always pleas
ing and eloquent speaker, was In fine
fettle last night. and during his forty
minute speech he kept the audience
going" from start TO 1inish. His hui
miorous illusions to well known West
Virginia and local Republicans seemed
10 strike his hearers With a soothing
paw, but when ne reached the stage Of
earnest argument. and came out In an
uncmpromlsing opposition TO the policy
OF expansion adopted by the Mckinley
administration, his hearers were not
nearly 80 generally or wildly e1thusi-
aStlc in their expressions Of approval,
and It was evident that many wheeling
Democrats are in line with the ADMIN
istration in that policy al least.
A GENERAL CURIOSITY.
The audience was made up Of Demo-
Gratis and Republicans, in the ratio Of
two-thirds and one-thlrt respectively.
But for the fact that there was a general
curiosity 10 see the man who can cpnsci-
entiously labor under the belief that ne
Is to succeed Captain Dovener in the
next Congress, and the further fact that
there was music (both a band and a
drum corps) on the street before the
meeting, the crowd would not have ex-
ceeded the proportions OF the one held
at Fulton Tuesday night, which so
greatly amused the Democratic
After vast amount OF music from q
brass band and noise from a drum
corps, the audience began TO gather in
. VV1nHn nj IleFUrN-
Gratis (the old line and Popocrats allke),
and Republicans, the latter drawn by
curiogtGy to see the Doddridge county
production that Is carrying the Demo-
cratic standard In the First congress
sional district this fall. In addition to
the audience there were many empty
seats, most OF them at the front, and
giving one the idea that the audience
was possessed Of a desire 10 keep at a
safe distance from the spell-binders Of
the evening.
on the stage were sealed number OF
well known local Democrats, including
Treasurer John T. Gallaher, Of the con-
gressionsI committee; Chairman Post,
County Chairman ]. B. fancy, Joseph
Manhood, August H. Weiedebusch, Sam
uel Hartman, ex-Mayor Seabright and
others
Tine meeting was called to order by
MI Melville D. Post, chairman OF the
Democratic congressional committee.
Mr.. Posts remarks were well received.
In the cOurse OF his remarks, he said:
1--WE are called upon to ~ecide what
the nation shall be, who 1t shall be and
where 1t shall be.
I'VE are asked 10 abandon, lightly
It seems 10 me, our ancient traditions,
ard indeed our fundamental ideas OF
government. We are asked to forget
the counsels OF washington, Of jay, OF
Madison, Monroe and Calhoun and
Daniel Webster, and the Knoxes and
the Taylors and the Jefersons OF Nfr-
ginIa in order to sal with rainbow
dreamerS for empires in the air. At
such an hour, Is It any wonder that
every free lance, every student OF gov
eminent, every thoughtful citizen, ire
spectiVe Of party, should join with US
in this coming struggle for the perpetu-
alton OF the American republic?"
AN OPTICAL ILLUSION.
Concluding, Mr. Post introduced the
chairman OF the meeting. Mr.. James B.
fancy. vino said he was glad to see so
large an assemblage. Curiously, the
speaker entirely ignored the rows OF
empty seats right under his nose. Per-
haps the gentleman ought TO SEQ an OPP
tician. Speaking Of alleged apathy in
the Republican ranks, Mr.. Taney pre-
dicted that Ohio county would soo.f be
swung over again into the Democratic
column. He concluded by introducing
Candidate Blair. Led by the ''rooters"
on the stage. the audience managed 20
stir up little enthusiasm.
Mr.. Blair opened by speaking OF the
carly history OF this section OF the
state. He spoke IN a hesitatinG ano
commonplace manner, in which there
seemad to be lack OF ideas and PEE
thoru OF addectives. The reporters in
the wings had an easy time, in fact they
laid on their oars. Finally, from n con-
fusion OF words ana IDEAS the audience
learned that the speaker was talking
about "a fort or something or other
Then there was a pause but the ex-
pected applause had been side-tracised
somewhere, and in It's place some oue in
The rear OF the hall was heard 10 say:
Who Is thai fellow?"
Pretty soon the speaker advanced
cironologically and came down so near
these piping days Of Republican, pros
perity and peace as the administration
OF Thomas Jefferson, and Just think Of
81, not a voice cheere6 the mention OF
that magic name, which shares the hon
ors usually with good old Andrew Jack
SON
The speaker said he believed in par
Ties; believed in MS own party; also tn
tho Republican party and In the PrOhlb-
itiOn party "to certain extent" Pro-
cceding he launched into a TRADE Of
abuse Of the Republican party.
There are issues. he said. Tariff Is
an, issue, hut II Is not discussed by Re