Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-06-07
Special to the Register.

Addressing the Democratic State Con-
vention to-day, Ex-Governor MacCorkle
said:
Gentlemen of the Conventional plead
Tor harmony in this great party. There
should be no recriminations or chickering's
among US, and in the presence of the
enemy elated with power, there should be
no division in the ranks of our great con-
stitutional party. Above the question of
the dollar, higher than any question of
difference on tariff or money, arises the
great paramount question of the preserva-
ton of the Constitution Of our fathers.
Having minor differences in the party,
in view of the great peril to this govern
ment, should not these minor differences
be sunk, and should we not gather to
hearty and united support of the party,
which has always stood for the preserva-
ton of the rights of the people. In the
light of its glorious history, standing for
the peoples needs as it has always done,
to-day the Democratic party appeals to
its members to stand arm in arm and
shoulder to shoulder in the defence Of the
great principles which under every as
sault it has always protected. Can you
now falter or differ whilst the liberty of
the people is assaulted? Show me Dem
ocrat of the old guard who will place at
this time the question of gold or silver
above the eternal principles of a free
people! When 1 look around me to-day
and see the veterans of the party here
assembled 1 ask them in what does the
conditions of to-day differ from the sad
times of 1868. when the Democracy again
gathered itself to take up the burden of
the peoples wrongs? When our great
party assembled in New York City in the
convention of 1868, the people then as now
were demanding return to the vital prin-
ciples of the Republic. States were de-
prived Of their sovereignty and bereft of
their constitutional rights; the insolence
of money and power had intrenched itself
in every branch of the civil government;
the ballot was debauched; voters were
DISTINGUISHED, and the path to the polls
was lined with the bayonet; the rights of
the States were destroyed and the central
government was supreme; militarism was
dominant and the shoulder strap was
more powerful than the ballot The Dem
ocratic party restored the States to their
rights, banished the bayonet from the
polls and humbled the power of class
and wealth.
What do we behold to-day? The situa-
ton of 1868 only increased in its intensity;
militarism dominant as never before; the
Constitution one thing for Porto Rico;
another thing for Alaska, and still an
other thing for Pennsylvania and Ala
bama; the power of the Federal Govern
ment increasing; imperialism rampant;
class and money controlling as never be-
fore; the Millionaire in the land the mid
die class practically throttled; the Consti-
tuition attacked in order that the pockets
of the trusts may be filed with the earn
ings of the people; legislatures openly
purchased that the people may reflect
the will of the trusts and the Constitu-
tion what the members of the trust wish
it to be.
Has not the time arrived when this
great party, sinking the smaller and eco
monte questions of the day, should hand
in hand join
In One Supreme Effort
to rescue from loss the rights of the peo-
pie and install the people again in power?
How goes it within our own State under
the control of the Republican party?
The hand of unconstitutional usage is
witnessed here as in every State where
power lies in that party. The Secretary
of our State, a mere ministerial officer,
usurping the dearest rights of the people,
arrogatlng to himself the privilege of en-
rolling members OF the Legislature of
your State without certificates of election,
and in the face of the Constitution against
the will Of the people, placing. on the
rolls of your Legislature members not
elected, is not a pleasant contemplation
for those who believe in constitutional
government by the people. More than
that, under threats of men high in power
and in uncontrolled supremacy of the
Republican party, your legislative ma
Jority was taken away from you and a
Republican majority not elected by the
people, was installed in its place. Since
the days of Cromwell was there ever a
hand so ruthlessly laid upon a free legis-
lature of the people as that imposed upon
the House and Senate of West Virginia
In the last year? Had it not been for the
patriotism and self-denial of the Demo-
cratic party. placing the dignity and
peace and reputation of the State above
party, in the words of the Republican At
bpiuty 1oLtTdt Ol Stdle, lIlS CdpltOl
building would have flowed in blood and
the dignity of your State would have
been destroyed am the rule of the bayo-
net as under the Republican administra-
ton in our sister State of Kentucky,
would have been witnessed in our far
State. After the high-handed outrages of
last year, threatening to organize a rump
house, the leaders of the party openly
threatening to surround the State House
with armed troops, destroying civil adj
ministratlon, is it not time for the Dem
ocratic party to reassert its constitutional
right and caring not for minor differences
In the party, oppose its aggressive and
united front to the unconstitutional
usages of the Republican party. How
ever questions of the general policy OF
the government will be touched by ADLER
tongues than mine, and 1 will confine my
self to the discussion of affairs of West
Virginia so far as the management of the
Republican party is concerned. How so
The Affairs of the State
under the hand of the Republican party?
How stands the Republican party on the
attempt of the bondholder to fost upon
the State the certificate debt OF old Vir-
ginia? In all the years Of the rule of
the Democratic party in this State those
engaged in bounding the State of West
Virginia and loading her with the prac-
ticaIly repldiated debt of old Virginia