The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-10

w Faulkner and tho Antrs.
SIS Asspecial dispatch from Morgantown
Z In some OF the Sunday papers reports. on
the authority Of ian intimate friend" OF,
Senator Faulkner that the senator has
announced his candidacy for reelection,
and that from now on he5will take ac-
tive steps for the nomination of Faulkner
y men for the legislature"
he 1t Is not surprising news that Mr..
Faulkner is candidate'to succeed him
self; in fact, there has never been any.
doubt about his desire for reelection,
and he has been coun.ed in on all spccu-
lations concerning the coming contest.
There are two or three other features OF
the dispatch, however. which are not
quite so "chestnutty" in their character.
i For instance, It is s-avely asserted that
Mr.. Faulkner will ask to be relieved OF
his duties asa chairman OF the national
Democratic Congressional campaign
committee, in order that he may not be
embarrassed for time in which to make
the canvass In his own behalf
It Is also stated that Mr.. Faulkner will
have the support OF the CONSERVATIVE"
element Of the Democracy, bur will meet
with determined opposition from the fac
ton which "favors the free and unl!mit-.
cd coinage of silver" The further state
sment Is made that this free silver faction,
Us opposed to Senator Faulkner, has a
number of willing statesmen who are
ready to sacrifice themselves to the task
sof filling this Conservative" senator's
shoes in the event OF the; impossible oc-
scurrence of the Democrats securing the
control OF the legislature. Among
these willing patriots are. Hons. D. B.
Lucas, John T. McGraw. E. Willis VIII
s son, Henry G. Davis and William a.
Maccorkle.
,t These gentlemen, be il noted, are class
ed by the intelligent autho: IL thci an:
nouncement as representative radical
free silver men, while Senator Faulkner
stands all alone, slrsle-handed, defying
the galaxy of radicals as the particular
champion OF the Conservative" element
i of the party. We are pleased TO note
tina: this announcement Is made at this
juncture, for two reasons: First, because
: it was not previously known thai. Mr..
Faulkner represented the Conservative"
or5lloeral element o. the Democracy. in
I other words TIE antl-free silver
wing of the party, and there was danger
ofithe campaign being conducted under
9 the impression that he stood where he
has been standing of late, as the repro
tentative os she mos; rabid free trade
md free silver end Of the aggregation,
and with the same appetite :or swallow
ing,wit.iou. so much as 4 Eaggiug sensS-
tiol, the entire Popocra.ic dose, jus: as
he did last year.
When Mr.. Faulkner altered his atti-
rude in a way that entities him 10 the
distinction OF having tlie Bryan!te forces
plttcd asaI5s him Is not stated. II the
statement in the dlsptach. whiSh has
! been sent abroad over the country, is
true. then Senator Faulkner will be
spared the trouble Of making a canvass,
since everybody knows that the Popo-
cracy o. West Virginia Is looking for 4
conservative man Of the sor. tina: will be
opposed by the free silver faction. They
are looking for him, for ;he purpose OF
picking him up bodily and throwing MIN
ieadlons out OF the party.
Conservatism hasn't been admitted
Into the vocabulary OF the mod
Eern IVES. Virginia Democracy since It
{ adopted the boy orator OF the Platte for
SIS patron saint. and II Mr. Faulkner Is
looking for the support OF the "conser-
yativc clement" he will not be able to
I; find It outside OF the ranks OF the
( Jeffcrsonian Democrats who stood by
the traditional Democracy OF Jefferson
last year, but who are not numerous
enough to elect senator by themselves.
sia We cannot believe that Mr.. Faulkner
4 has. undergone change Of heart again
80 soon, until We wItuess'a proof OF 1t in
I his official record. We are aware that
hetwas an ardent sound money man not
many years ugo. but the fact also re-
maintains that In 1S96he rcpudlatcd his
vote In the senate against free silver and,
5gulped down, the Chicago platform and
helped. us campaign manager. the at
$tempt to eject 4 free silver Congress to
y back up Mr.. Bryan, whom ne supposed,
along with the majority OF the once
proud Democracy. was Moses to lead
the people into the land Of promise where
4 flf:y cent dollars grew on che trees and
: could be had for the picking without
work or worry.
or the othe. gentlemen who are named
IN the dispatch as belonging to the "radl-
call free silver clement that will be pit
Y ted against Mr.. Fauikncr's Conserve
4 tism," the public has been under the
impression that all of them, cxcep; two,
Ex-Governor Wilson and Judge Lucas,
have been having their devotion to the
= silver cause, and 10 the cause OF free
trade. seriously doubted. Their ardent
support OF these two essential tenets OF
y modern Democracy has been undergo
n ING severe microscopic investigation for
z somo time. and the opiniona OF the doc.