National Republican., 1886-09-01
GEN. eoTF Ton SENATOR.
His Chances Growing BriEhter as tho
Legislative Elections Approach.

Ahth Shhnceh oFoWthk bNlEnNtE W INV
Legislative Elections Approach.
Notwithstanding the fact that Gen. Coz
has positively declined to run for Congress
again in the Wheeling district, IL Is quite
probable that ho will continue to serve in
the legislative branch Of the government
after his present term. A United States
senatorshlp becomes vacant In West Vir-
ginia on the 4th OF March next. Should
the Republicans succeed in carrying the
legislative elections this fall Gen. God
would be the unanimous choice for the
Senate. He Ia the political Saul Of the
West Virginia Republicans-head aud
shoulders above his party associates. His
leadership is more generally acknowledged
than perhaps that OF any other man Ia any
other state IN tho Union. Indeed, II the
Republicans bad the senatorship at their
disposal, It's likely that no other man would
even be mentioned for the honor. SO the
election OF the general to the Senate de-
pends entirely on the success OF his party
IN November. That West Virginia has be-
come Que Of the doubtful states both parties
cOncede. Its old Democratic inaiorltes
have so dwindled down that IL may now be
said 10 be trembling In the balance. Predic-
tions as TO the result of the com
ing elections there could be made
with no more safety than one could
foretell how New Jersey or Connecticut
or Indiana would go at any given time.
There is hardly any other state In which
the change In political sentiment has become
60 marked within dozen years. There
has been q steady yearly decrease In the
Democratic vote until at present II seems
only n question Of time when the majorlties
vii, he reversed. 1t Is evident that Gen.
Goh thinks that this year will mark the
downfall OF Democratic ascendenGy, or he
hut
to Congress. He is a young man still,
wealthy, ambitious, and talented, and has
no desire to retire TO private life. His
aspirations reach higher than seat In the
lower house, however. He has had watch.
ful eye on the Senate for several years, and IL
appears that he can see his way clearly
enough now to retire from the House. His
friends say that he proposes to give his
time and energies 10 his duties as chairman
OF the Republican campaign committee, do
his part in electing a Republican House,
and then, with the houors thick upon him,
seek seat In the Senate. OF course he will
look after the legislative elections at home,
too. The result Of primaries 80 far has been
very gratifying to him. In most OF
the legislative districts of the state
the Greenbackers are combining with
| the Republicans. Especially is this the case
| In the Democratic stronghOds OF the south
| west. There have been such combinations
| before, but they have never had the con
sistency and strength which they are de.
| yeloping this year. Formerly portion OF
| the greenback element voted with the
Democrats In state elections, but the pres
| ent administration has treated the West
| Virginia greenbackers so shabbily that they
| propose to break loose from old affiliations.
| Nearly all the papers with greenback ten.
| denotes are urging combination with the
| Republicans, and greenback leaders every
where are pursuing the same course. When
the small Democratic majority OF two
years ago is considered 1t will be seen that
combination less general than is promised
in West Virginia this year would materially
affect the result Of the election. That
there should be Senator Gon In the If
tieth Congress is, therefore, by no means
| among the imDrobabilties.