The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1894-09-15
DAYTON A STRONG CANDIDATE.
Chairman McGraw, OF the Democratic
Executive Committee, Has No Doubt
OF Wilson's Success, But Warns
Against Over Confidence.

Executive Committee, Has No Doubt
OF Wilson's Success, But Warns
Against Overt Confidence.
GRAFTON, w. Va, September l.
The Registers representative called
to-day at the office of Col. John T.
McGraw, Chairman of the Demo
cratic Executive Committee of the
Second District, and requested his
opinion as to the strength of the Re-
publican candidate for Congress.
81 don't concur" said Col. Nc
Graw, sin the generally expressed
opinion that Dayton is weak nom
nation. Iregard him as one of the
strongest men who could have been
named by the Elkins convention
against Mr. Wilson. The nomina-
ton is essentially strong in its neg
alive sense. The nomination of one
of the more conspicuous persons
discussed before the convention
such as Elkins, Mason or Sturgiss,
would have been an open declaration
of war, and as such would be accept
ed by every Democrat in the dis
trict. With either of these as the
Republican candidate the Democrats
would have chip on their should
ers, while with Dayton there is
nothing to arouse them to any great
degree of aggressiveness, but on the
contrary there is much to make
our people feel that success is al
ready assured
"The marked contrast in the rela-
tive standing and abilities of the two
candidates-one the most command
ing figure in National politics, and
the other quiet, unassuming young
lawyer of good ability-may hull our
people into a sense of security, and
cause them to feel that there is no
necessity for anything beyond ordi-
nary party exertion. In this sense
of safety lies our gravest danger"
"You, therefore, regard Dayton's
nomination as strong one?"
II certainly do, against Mr.. Will
son, probably with the exception of
Mason the strongest that could be
made. He possesses a great degree
of energy, which was demonstrated
by the fact that at the convention
his activity secured him a majority
of the delegates whilst Mr. Sturgiss
and his friends rested quietly on the
strength of their candidates super
Tor abilities and expected the nomi-
nation to come their way.
"You will find Dayton in the
heads of the hollows and at the
cross roads personally soliciting
votes, and our people must be on
their full party strength to make
the success of our candidate as
sured."
"Have you any doubt about the
election of Mr.. Wilson,
mot the least, and only warn the
Democrats of the district that they
must not depend either upon the
popularity of Mr.. Wilson or bis SUI
perior abilities and splendid record
to bring about the desired result.
Wilson has done his duty, and it is
now for us, individually and collect
lively, to do ours. To supersede Will
son with Dayton would be burn
ing shame, a sad travesty upon a
representative government and re-
Election upon the intelligence and
good judgment of the people of this
district Our only danger lies in
over confidence. Dayton will have
the earnest aggressive assistance of
Mr.. Elkins, and I imagine all the
money from the protected interests
of the country he may want, 1t
looks like repetition OF the Nor
rison campaign, when that sturdy
champion of tariff reform was strick-
en- down in Illinois, at the instance
of the iron and steel trusts and by
the brutalizing use of corrupt
agencies Wilson has aroused the
virulence and animosity of the pro.
tected industries beyond any public
man in recent years, and look for
tremendous effort to retire him to
private life. 1t can't succeed in this
district, this year, unless l am badly
mistaken"
"Have you accepted the chair
manship Of, the Executive Commit
tee?"
81 have. What else could Dem.
ocrat do when asked by his party to
share part of the burdens?"
do you expect to have an active
campaign
"We certainly do. The campaign
in this district will be pushed by
our committees on earnest, aggres
sive lines, and if Gordon Dayton gets
to Congress as Wilson's successor
he must go in the front door after q
stand up and knock down fight, and
not be permitted to slip in under
cover while Democrats are asleep
This will not be a good year in this
district for such line of political
procedure.