Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1909-10-21
Senators Silver and McIntire and the
Prohibition Question.

Editor RegiSteT-SOme OF my IrienuS nave
turned over TO me some OF the articles OF
the discussion between you and the Mar
tinsburg Journal. enclose you an article
sent TO the Journal, which was returned
with the plea that Rev. McCurdy's article
was sufficient. Senator Silver's speech
was so plain as to his readiness to ex-
press the will of the people that lsald to a
number of different men that beheved
that Silver would vote differently the
next time.
AS TO McIntire, let me say that at the
request of number OF the best citizens
of the county sent the Senator list OF
questions to answer, but received no re-
nly. phoned him from Bunker Hill Il
lived there at that time) wanting to know
why he had not answered my letter. He
claimed he had not gotten it. tlhe letter
never came back to me.) Alter talking
with some of the Democrats OF the upper
end of Berkeley county, decided to run
him down. and found him at the Cumber-
land Valley depot in Martinsburg. then
told him that had come to him in the
interest of a number of Democrats in the
upper end Of the county, stating 10 MN
fiat these men in the nomination OF man
for the Senate wanted first OF all one VINO
would vote for the amendment, other than
that they thought it was Morgan county's
turn and were willing for him to have the
nomination, provided he was for the
amendment. He said that he was and al
WAYS had been a temperance man. He
NAV have meant temperate, but he said
TEMPERANCE. say this because he follow
ed up the statement by speaking his own
non-use OF liquors.
/ said TO him, "Will you answer the
questions ?' He said: "But | haven't
the questions" produced copy from
my pocket and he signed as follows:
If elected TO the Senate will you vote
for the submission TO the people the QueS-
ton of prohibHory amendment to the
constitution ? Answer: Yes, if my con-
StituentS so request
VIII YOU vote for q county local option
law d? Answer: certainly will. have
always been in favor of local option:
A. c. McIntHe.
AS we parted he said: "Now, then,
the understanding IS, is it, that these men
will do nothing against me on Saturday,
answered, nothing"
What did these men want? First OF
all, a candidate who would vote for the
amendment. Why did Mclntire think
they would not oppose him on Saturday Z
Because he sent them word that if they
and others This constituents would make
the request he would vote for the amend
| ment.
claim that both Senators pledged them
selves in my presence to vote Tor the
amendment if they were so requested.
E.
The article referred to above is as fol-
lows:
Bunker Hill, w. Va,
February 10th, 1909.
Editor Evening Journal: Has Senator
Silyer'S opposition to prohibition been
endorsed by the people ? How about his
home district ? On the Sth of August, 1908,
a company OF representative Democrats
of the Mill Creek district met at the Bun
ker Hill School-houSe to name ten dele
gates to the county convention. Senator
Silver's name was placed in nomination.
He failed in election, and though there
were ten men to be named, the Senator
received little more than one vote for
every three men present Was this ar
| endorsement
Some time back in January letter was
sent to Charleston making the following
declaration as TO the attitude OF the voters
of the Mill Creek district on the submiS
sion of the prohibition amendment
Sixty per cent are in favor OF it, 70 pei
cent are opposed, and 20 per cent are in
different. Meaning that for every votel
opposed to the submission OF the amend
ment. three are in favor Of it, Of the bes
and most substantial citizens of the dis
trict, not more than 10 per cent are OPP
posed to the submission OF the amend
ment.
On the night of October oath, at the
sChool-houSe near lnWood, Senator Sill
yer made the statement that his vote las
year against the prohibition amendment
was not a personal matter, but the ex-
preston of what he believed the people
desired. He furthermore intimated thai
his future action would be guided by the
will OF the people. In order that the Sen
ator might know the wish OF the majority
of the voters of his home district, copy
of the above figures was sent to him a
Charleston, and with il an offer to sub
Stantiate the figures given with the actual
names of the voters of Mill Creek dis
trict. Though several weeks have passed
such lists have not been called for. Have
we not, therefore, the right to assume
that the Senator has accepted the figures
as representing true condition II SEN
ator Silver is using his efforts at Charles
ton against the prohibition amendment
then we are led to ask two questions
Was he sincere when he stated that he
stood ready to give expression to the will
of the people? If he was sincere, then
whence this cloud of witnesses calling fol
his opposition against the above named
measure ? They cannot be found in his
home district. The people OF Gerards-
town district are making disclaimer, SC
are those of the Opequon, and so on and
so on. II is up to somebody to disclose
the whereabouts of the "snOllygoSter."
Very truly,
Chas. E. Ely.