Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-12-29
FUNNY WORK AT TINDIANAPOLIS

FUNNY WORK AT INDIANAPOLIS. Dispatches from Indianapolis tell of a piece of funny business by which the republican leaders in West Virginia hope to capture the legislature of the state and with it United States senatorship. The scheme involves mixing General liar risOn up with one of the most unsavOry political deals recorded in our history | and in so far at least as this is concerned | it is to be hoped he will keep his skirts clear. We don't want another admins tration in this country beginning its term as Hayes did.
 The result of the state election in West Virginia it appears is still in doubt so far as the governor is concerned, and l the dispatches sent out regularly from | the state claiming Goff's election are in- tended to make it still more doubtful until such time as the scheme proposed can be put to a climax. There are like | wise complications about the titles of two or three of the congressmen-elect. The legislature is nearly tie politically, and United States senatorship depends upon its complexion. Now, for some reason, the democrats are anxious to secure the governorship and don't care a rap for the United States senatorship. which means very little under repub- ican administration. It has been com mon talk that Steve Elkins wants to go l to the senate from the state and his iden- tificatiOn with the business interests of the state and his ability in dividing up 1 tiOateIs int" Blocks of five would make | him 'Hkely" candidate in case the legislature were republican. If Golf were willing to make merely a formal | fight for the gOvernorship, then it is thought the democrats would be willing to concede the election of enough repub- licans in contested legislative districts to make the legislature republican on joint ballot and enable the republicans to elect a senator The democrats might throw in. to boot, certificates of election for some of the republican candidates for congress whose election hangs upon the narrow thread of a few votes one way or the other. The republicans by this would gain a United States senator and confirm their hold upon the lower house of congress, while the democrats would keep their grip on the state government 1 by means of the governor. This would put Golf in the soup, so to speak, which under the circumstances must be avoid ed. Golf, who is acknowledged to be popular man in West Virginia, ran this year, at the earnest solicitation of re- publicans. with the ayOwed purpose of endeav bring to break the solid south and the sharp and close contest in his state shows how nearly he succeeded in his purpose As it would never do to shelve such a man for Steve Elkins an effort must be made to provide for him, and it is thought cabinet seat would be very nice plum to drop ill his lap. Hence it is that a delegation of visiting statesmen from West Virginia have dropped in on | Harrison this week to talk up the busi- ness. These men are high in the counsels of the party at least in West Virginia. and their opinions it was supposed
 
 dent-elect.
 Some color would seem to be given to this scheme by the fact that Russell Harrison, the son of the president-elect, spends most of his time in New York consulting with Steve Elkins, whose un- savory political record would hardly make him choice companion for one so near to the next administration. If there are democrats in West Virginia base enough to enter into any such deal to promote Steve Elkins' ambition they had better let up, for the party in the country is not in a mood to furnish DOW der for that political hummer. Nor will it look with favor on any deals or schemes that must by their very nature work to burst the democratic organiza- tion in state that belongs in the demo- cratic column.
 For the republicans, nothing is too base for politicians of the Elkins stripe or the party that honors them. Birds of a feather will flock together.