Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-27
PROMINENT REPUBLICANS
THEMSELVES FOR THE DEM
OCRATIC TICKET.
LEWIS BALLARD. OF MONROE.
GIVES HIS REASONS IN AN OPEN
LETTER.
He Believes in Republication as
Firmly as Ever, But the Party of
Lincoln Has Left Him and He
Will support Bryan-AttOrncy
Geo. j. Thompson Takes tho Same
Stand-The COIOred Disaffection.
Special to the Register.

Lewis Ballard, a lifelong Republican
and for years one of the leaders OF
that party in Monroe county, has come
out in an open Letter declaring that he
will vote for Bryan and Stevenson this
year. He writes from his home at Pc
terstown a long letter, from which the
following extracts are taken:
The impression has gone out, and is
trying to be forced upon the public,
and especially the Republicans, that
have changed my views and have de-
serted the Republican party and Re-
publican principles for which l have so
earnestly contended for thirty years.
assure my Republican friends that l
to-day believe as firmly in the truths
of the original Republican party as /
ever did. The Republican party was
founded and built upon the doctrine
of the Declaration of National hide
pendence.
And | have always understood it,
the self-evident truths of liberty and
self-government by the consent of the
governed were the corner-stones of
our Republican party. 1t now makes
modern Hannaite blush to read the
Declaration of our independence or to
have its language quoted to him.
only week or ten days ago one of
the satellites of the new departure of
Mark Hanna Republicanism said to
me that the Declaration of our indie
pendence was a lie on its face.
I to-day stand by and with Lincoln,
and believe in his Republicanism as
firmly as | ever did. l do not believe
our government, established by our
forefathers, is a perfect government,
but / DO believe it is the best
government yet devised lily mortal
man to regulate its own affairs and
the worst to regulate or govern others.
Republican government cannot govern
foreign colonies. 1t requires kings and
emperors to do that.
Yes, l will support w. J. Bryan. He
gets his inspiration from that same
Declaration of Independence that 1
an old-fashioned Republican-be-
hood to let us know just what he
stands for. l will vote for him, not
because he is a Democrat, or because
he is a Populist, or free Silver Re-
publican, but | shall vote for him for
his true Americanism, and because he
stands in the footprints of Washing
ton, Of Jefferson, and is a Republican
of the Lincoln type, and does not
cringe at the crack of the whip of a
Mark Hanna, or the sugar trust, the
tobacco trust, the oil trust or the
whiskey trust"
George ]. Thompson, a lawyer at
Anderson Monroe county, who is a
prominent citizen and a lifelong Re-
publican. is out In an open letter in
which he asserts that he cannot sup
port the Republican ticket. He says
the party in West Virginia is princl-
pally controlled by men who left the
Democratic party in search OF Offices
and that the sons of rich men and the
relatives of those whom fortune has
favored have been largely selected for
the official positions. regardless of fit
ness, while deserving Republicans
have been turned down.
The bolt of the colored men from
the Republican party in this state vii.
mean great deal on election day
Such men as Rev. Daniel n. Shaw, pas
tor of the largest colored church in
Charleston, a college graduate and a
man of much influence with his race.
Prof. H. G. Barnett, of Huntington,
a successful colored educator, and
others of their standing, are taking
the stand this year that the negro
must cut loose as a race from the Re-
publican party. Prof. Barnett is ed
iting a paper with large circulation
among the colored people Of the State,
and their work among the colored men
of the State will make great change
in the negro vote this year.