Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-12-15
PARTNER g.-.INS.
Asrrison's Henchman Again in the ]


M iitloal Procession. IS lal..,.
Not all eyes, but many eyes, es-
pecially many republican eyes, arc
turned toward West Virginia. A re-
publican legislature has been elected,
and Hon" Steve Elkino, latelyof-New
Mexico, Missouri, and more recently
OF broadway, is q candidate for United
States senator. His friend Edwards, q
member-elect of the legisla ture, is G
candidate for speaker OF that body,
and the plan Is, according to the best
advices, to make Edwards speaker,
then elect Elkins senator, and then
when the time comes for Mr. Faulkner
to retire to make Edwards the other
senator OF course there are
number OF ambitious aspirants for the
first United States senatorship, the
one to take the place OF Mr.. Camden,
who was so much disAgured in the
sugar trust investigation, who have
announced themselves. Hon. Nathan
Goff, ex-secretnry Of the navy and now
United States district Judge, is a
candidate without 80 many preten-
sions, but perhaps with the best
chance of all to be elected. He was
chosen governor of West Virginia, as
the republicans of that state firmly be-
lieve, once upon occasion, and is prob
ably deepest In the hearts Of his party.
Mr.. Elkins has much in his favor
He and his father-n-law. Henry G.
Davis, and his old.time star route
partner and business Louis, have in
vested other peoples money, and pos
sibly some money of their own, in de-
vcloping the timber and coal lands OF
West Virginia. They have built a
railroad or two and some handsome
residences, for Mr.. Elkins' palatial
home at Elkins, town on his own
railroad and named after himself, is
said to be worth two hundred and
fifty Thousand dollars, though / be-
lieve it is returned to the tax gatherer
as worth but twenty-five thousand
dollars. But the Nkns, Davis and
Kerens combination, with which sem
ators like German and Brice are
thought to have more or less close affll-
iations, has spent money, employed
large numbers of men, helped to de-
velop the state, and, of course, estab-
lished itself pretty firmly In politics.
Mr.. Elkins understands how powerful
the fugacious dollar is. He helped
Blaine make money, in some of these
same West Virginia enterprises In fact,
and Blaine liked him for it. He in
vested money in Russell Harrison's
Montana Cattle company and lost it
If it was his own, and Mr.. Harrison is
said to be the real reason why Mr..
Elkins was made secretary of war.
But with the power of money in
West Virginia there also comes a
weakness to Mr. Elkins. This is
caused by his use of money also. He
said several years ago, in one of tho
presidential campaigns think, that
1t was easy enough to carry West Vir-
ginia; it was only matter OF the use
Of money. And this statement the
democrats posted in big black lett,Ts
all over the state, and it WAS very
harmful to the republican campaign.
So, many of the old-time republicans
look upon Mr.. Ellsins as carpst-
bagger and they will have nothing Of
him. 1t is thought to be true that the
numerous aspirants for the senator
ship are ell intending to help Judge
Nathan Coff get the prize when the
time comes The republican managers
in the state have been willing enough
to use NJ, Elkins' money, Or the money
of others which he has been able to
collect; but they hardly feel like pass
ing Mr.. Goff by for this newcomer.
However. the ex-secretary Of war has
practiced before every court in the
country, business, social. political, if
not judicial, and he is unusually
nimble and, as his friends say, he has
such taking way with him, seeming
to be the friend of everybody.
1t is thought that Mr. Elkins. if he
came to the senate, would not allow
his public duties to interfere with his
private business. He could conduct
that just the same, and even il he were
not to continue to make money he
could probably get along comfortably.
being considered by most people to be
worth two million dollars, though the
estimate in the mountains of Weot
Virginia is eight million dollars. The
eX-secretery /, most familiar to old
habitues Of Washington as counsel"
in large cases before the departments
or congress. 1t is said that he had d
stake Of one hundred thousand dollaro
In the fur seal contract awarded by
Mr.. Window. That may have been q
mere exaggeration by persona who
failed to get tine contract. 1t is also
said that he came to Washington dur
ing the progress OF sugar legiolEtion
last winter to see that the republican,
were nicely kept in line, and it was
known that he wao here and much in
terested in the topic. 1t is hardly
likely that he was in charge Of the re-
publican end OF the thing. In the first
place, nobody was in charge of il
much, and Mr.. Elkins would hardly be
the man whom the sugar trust people
would select.
II MIR. Harrison's ex-secretary came
to the senate he could take his same
interest as formerly in the political
management of the republican party.
He could collect funds for use in West
Virginia or for the general use of the
committee. 1t is related that he and
one OF his friends secured each cam
paign subscription Of twenty-five thou
sand dollars on the sup,osition that a
valuable contract which the war de.
partmcnt was able to give out could
be influenced to come their way by
this liberality-in each OF the two diff
ferent directions, that is to say. But
it turned out to be necessary that
third bidder should get the contract;
whereupon the other two threatened
to sue the secretary Of war and his
friend, and make a thorough exposure
of the game unless the money WIS
given back to them, which, the story
concludes, was done. 1t is we'll known
that Thomas Ddlan, OF Philadelphia,
the chairman Of the finance committee
of the last republican national COM
mittee, had great trouble in inducing
Mr.. Elkins to give up subscription of
twenty-five thousand dollars which he
had collected fol the committee anG
was intending to tivert to the uses OF