The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-27
NOT a PARALLEL CASE.

Il the situation IN Kentucky and
west vi-ginia-The Use Of An the
, asearsn Adjectivss IN an Extended
Vocabulary Would Fan to Estab-
Msh a Comparison Between the Po-
sition Of kentucky Democrats and
West Virginia Republicans.
TO the Editor of the Inteillgencer.
sIR:-Under the caption, Ken
lucky and West Virginia. the
Register reprinted on last Thursday
and with words Of editorial approval.
an article from the Monroe watchman,'
The article is Interesting from any
point Of view, and. in the language OF
the Register, every citizen OF West
VIRGINIA should read-it." In fact, every
citizen Of West Virginia. who has not
had the privilege should avail himself
OF the hrst opportunity Of making the
acquaintance Of the author Of this re-
marketable production. He Is q dreamer
Of dreams, born poet. What seems to
be untrue in his narrative is simply
poetic license. He is an artist of the
conventional SCHOOL, He paints artis-
tically and in harmony at the expense
Of truthful reproduction. Any one who
knows him would gladly absolve him
from the charge Of wilfully promulga-
ting falsehood. He is a southerner Of
the old school, though young in years
and by his speeches and editorials, he
has thoroughly convinced himself that
all the chivalry and pure patriotism Of
the country was submerged in the fall
Of the confederacy. When he makes
statements which sound rash, his
friends in both political parties pass
them lightly-as simply more OF "sid"
Johnston's vagaries. A good fellow,
but too much Of an artistic fictionist to
be considered for minute as an aecu-
rate chronicler OF historic events.
The article in question is an artistic-
ally drawn picture with rather a pre-
ponderance OF the iurid in its coioring.
A careless count develops at least sew
enty-aye adjectlves, starting OF with
'.horrid," ruthless impressive"
.sboid," startling" Dreadful" "soF-
did." shocking" etc, etc.
An impartial view of the cases will
disclose some similarity between the
situation in kentucky at the present
and West Virginia last winter. They
have this much in common, that both
were attempts on behalf of'the Demo-
Gratis to detraud the Republicans of a
fairly earned victory. There the SINH
Iarlty ends, and the two cases take ex-
actly opposite directions. In Kentucky
they seem to have succeeded. While
in West Virginia they failed, and thus
they have nothing further in common.
After brushing of the froth and get
ting down to substance. the editor in
question ascrIbes to certain persons,
statements bearing on the situation in
the legislature last winter, and in the
whole list not one sentiment ascribss
to the various persons is true.
One cannot aatempt to answer for a
person described as "one OF the most
conspicuous politicians in West Ylr-
Rinla, for this description fits too many
people, and 1t would be dangerous to
single out the man who is entitled to a
monopoly on 1t.
Governor Atkinson did not publicly
and persIstently," nor in any other
manner, threaten that the sueeesstu!
prosecution of the Democratic claims
in the courts OF the state and the legls-
lature would not be tolerated without
trouble" That Is an absurd statement
and, of course, was never made by the
governor.
Neither cid he ever for an instant
give thought to the idea that II the
house of delegates did not award the
disputed seats in Its membership as he
CHOSE he would order out the STATE
troops and support with bayonets a
rump house. And Delegate ollheld did
not state in any speech that such a
rump house had been arranged for.
Neither did Attorney General Rucker
ever say that he would favor excluding
Democrats from the mousse OF "eiesuses
even by the use OF military force
To say that our somewhat fiery attor-
ncy general ever said Rather than per-
mlt the Democrats to gain control Of
the state 1 would see the state oil West
Virginia plunged'in civil war" is sim
ply bald-taced falsenooa'