The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-08-20
perfectly fair and equitable. and should
be adhered TO aside from the division

perfectly fair and equitable. and SHOULD
be adhered to aside from the division
OF city and country. w =;
But the agricultural interests have
had no representation on the Republl-
can legislative ticket since It has been a
majority party in the county, in fact.
have not been represented In the legis.
latiye halls OF the state for the past ten
years or more. the last farmer represent
ta,iye being The Hon. John J. Jacob, "a
Democracy X 3
Without an attempt at making lii
ytdious comparisons between the four
subdivisions OF county interests as rec
ognized above, I will state this fact,
thai. the agricultural interests OF the
county-pnre and slmple-leaylng out
that portion Of the. country used for
resident purposes alone. represents an
Invested valuation Of oyer $4,000. 900 and
gives employment and support to over
5000 persons of the county's population.
Now, Sir Delegates, is It right. fair,
Just. considcrate, or diplomatic to
ignore a factor Of this magnitude in
your county's prosperity and county's
politics. as to just representation on
your legislative ticket? Fl
But, says the slate maker, the country
has always had, representation. True,
but who have thay been? The last one
was an artisan, a worthy representa-
tive Of the labor or trades inInterest.
The one who preceded him was n law
yer. His predecessor was a business
man OF the city. Yet. all residents of
the country. What knowledge had
either one OF them concerning the CALI
Ing OF agriculture? naver heard that
either OF them ever made the slightest
pretense to have any. And yet such
knowledge, ahd practice thereof marks
the only distinction between city and
country. All OF these men were worthy
of the honor bestowed and made good
representatives OF the classes and call
inEs with Which they allied themselves.
But the farmers claim that neither OF
them represented the agricultural in
terests, as 1t Is understood by the ma
tural divisions outlined above.
Could you have the audacIty or the
temerity to say to the labor element,
that we will put one of the officials OF
the mill or factory on the ticket to rep
resent YOU? He understands the wants
and needs Of your trade as well as you
do yourself, and besides, he will have
greater influence In the legislature than
any one of you artisans.
Would not that be political suicide.
Are not both parties careful to select u
man prominent in commercial circles to
represent the business interests OF the
county? Why? 1t Is because. they well
know that the laborer, artisan and
business man Will vote for the candi-
date whose interests are Identical with
his own, and who will exercise. particu-
lar care in watching and guarding
their special Interests. at the same time
looking after the general welfare OF the
state ut large But from the action OF
previous conventions 1t appears that
any one can Represent the agricultural
interests, the only requirement being
that he reside In the county. The
farInsr has no special interests to guard
or, foster. He should take the crumbs
that fall from the table, be thankful
that he has plenty Of pure ozone 10
breathe, and two good lungs to pump 1t
with. and-vote the, ticket. Obi yes.
how glad and thankful we people of the
Pan Handle are when we return from
state. conventions.
] hope that the delegates to the conn
tyg convention will see the business in
the desire Of the farmers to be repre-
scented by one OF their own number and
profession. If the same omission Should
follow which has occurred In the con-
ren,ions OF late years. and our friends,
the enemy. should supply the omission
by placing before the electors OF the
county proper representative OF the
agricultural interests. then, something
might occur which would upset ali the
we'll laid plans Of party counsel, destroy
all the fruits of well earned victories
from former hard fought battles, and
place the party in 4 very undesirable
position. One vote In the state leglsla-
ture may decide several questions OF
l