Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-18


out, and from every Indication the
gang of Republicans now at Charles
ton will be counted out and the entire
Democratic ticket counted In. This
counting out business has probably
something to do with the counting out
of the colored people down IN Fayette
county. The colorea club there has
posted notices stating that this count
ing out business must cease and they
are organizing strongly to oppose the
Court House gang. 1t simply means
that they are going to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket and thus try to wipe out
this corruption. He pointed out that
the same irregular state of affairs ex-
listed in this and other counties.
Our party is determined to carry
the election, for it is known that Ell
kins wishes to return to the Senate.
The speaker referred to the grave
charges of attempted bribery in Ka-
nawha county. dwelling at some
length upon this subject.
Some years ago." said Mr.. Van
Pelt," when the Democrats had con-
troll OF the Legislature OF this State, a
distinguished member of the House on
one occasion In a fight OF eloquence,
said that IL was written in letters Of
gold over the entrance to the Senate
chamber at Washington. But Million
aires Enter Here.
wv. NJ. o. Dawson threw his arms
around Birdie Harris neck and they
both declared that they would put out
the millionaires OF the Senate and send
none to the Senate but laboring men.
fhe first thing they did, however, after
making this declaration was TO choose
millionaire. Stephen B. Elkins, for
this Office.
Labor Competition.
Because OF my connection with the
penitentiary in the past, I have felt
that anything / might say in regard to
the management of the institution
might be misconstrued as utterances
prompted by malicious feeling. There
fore l have refrained to discuss the
subject and would not now venture to
speak of it II did not feel called upon
to defend the record for which I am
in part responsible, when attacked by
the enemy. The Republicans promised
to oppose all the convict labor compe-
tItion at the penitentiary with free la
Dor on the outside. Some time ago,
Stephen B. Elkins, in an address, re-
marked: Convict labor, like slavery
is an enemy to the wage Garner. 1t
diminishes the quantity of work for
the honest man and tends to reduce
wages. However, in 1899, we find Mr..
Elkins at Washington City making a
contract with the United States govern
ment by which convicts, those convict
ed of violating the laws of the coun-
try, not within the limits of the State
of West Virginia, but in the District
of Columbia and elsewhere, are import
ed into this State and worked in di-
rect competition with the poorest paid
class of labor in existence"
The speaker next pointed out that
ladies' goods, mems clothing, brooms
and other articles are manufactured at
the penitentiary, and that the convicts
were employed in competition with va
rious union manufactures in Mounds
vile. He also contrasted the differ
ence between the Democratic and Re-
publican sympathies for the honest
toilers Of America.
Mr.. Van Pelt predicted the election
of the Ohio Valley Trades Assembly's
choice for the State Senate and their
own candidate for the Office, Mr.. Nor
gan; also the election of John H. Holt,
the Democratic nominee for Governor,
and of Charles Showacre, of Mounds
Vile, the candidate on the Democratic
ticket for Commissioner of the Coun-
ty Court.
In closing his arguments, Mr.. Van
Pelt thought that the fact was forcing
itself to the front that the fight will
some day be between labor and capital
and that the issues must be fought
firmly on the side of labor. He also
showed that the money power, Of the
country had captured the Republican
party of this State, and that in fact
every Republican had suecumbed to
this power since the days OF Lincoln.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Van Pelt's
address the chairman made few re-
marks, calling attention to the injur-
ious effects of the trusts and imperial
ism and urged his hearers to rally to
the election of William Jennings
Bryan.
SIX HUNDRED