Evening star., 1898-11-04
WEST VIRGINIA POLITICS
Republicans Quite Sure Of Carrying All Four
Districts.
Democrats, However, Have n Fight
ing Chance In the Second
and Fourth.
Sptciai Correspondence Of The Evening Star.


WHEELING, w. Va, November 3, 1893.
In 1896 the vote for Capt. b. b. Dovener
In the first, o, Wheeling, congressional dis
trict was 25,242, against 21 ,67S for w. w.
Arnett, his democratic opponent. With
1854 plurality to fall back on, Mr.. Dovener
feels rather comfortable, although 1t is
conceded that the disappointed post office
applicants will cut into this, as well as the
loss from apathy in an off year. His op-
ponent, Jackson V. Blair, is a young lawyer
from West Union, country town of 1,5O0
people. NJ. Blair is connected with vari-
Gus secret societies and is popular as a
mixer in the rural communities His can
vass has been quiet, and although a close
vote is expected, the democrats practically
conCede his defeat. Capt. DOVener will gain
some democratic votes in the river towns
by reason OF beng q champion or ONO
river Improvement and Of being member
of the committee on rivers and harbors.
In the second, Grafton, district bat
tie royal Is being waged between the pres
ent representative, A. G. Dayton (rep), and
John T. MCGraw (dem). Although Mr..
Dayton had majority of 2,251 in 1896, his
friends are alarmed as to the outcome.
Post office fights have alienated good
many of his friends, while McGraw is a
shrewd politician and popular and has
many friends at work for him. The chances
are with Dayton by a narrow margin.
A rather hard fight has been in progress
in the third or Charleston district between
William Seymour Edwards, republican, and
the democratic nominee, Judge David f.
Johnston of Mercer county. c. p. Dorr, the
p: esent incumbent, was set aside for Mr.
Edwards, and his friends are very luke
warm in helping the latter. However, the
republican majority in this district in 1896
was 1861, and as the post office squabbles
are minimiZed, the republicans are counting
on electing Mr.. Edwards by a safe
jority.
There is perhaps more political interest
taken in the campaign in the fourth or
Huntington district than any other. Both
sides have we'll attended meetings. The
fight is between Judge Romeo H. Freer,
republican. and George 1. Neal, aged twen-
ty-nine years, the penniless WONDER" as
he las been dubbed by his friends On ac-
count of the trouble-breeding distribution
of the post offices, Repres entative Warren
Miller withdrew from the contest for the
republican nomination, and Judge Freer
was named The latter is an old soldier an
eloquent speaker, and a popular campaign
er, but is in a district that is nearer nor
maly democratic than the others. The
publican plurality in 1886 1,16S. There
is strong free silver sentiment in the dis
trict and the contest is mainly that is
sue. James b. Menager, a former republi
can, Is stumping the district in the interest
of free silver, while Il. I. NinSon of Hunt
ington, state chairman of the gold demo-
cratic party is making speeches daily for
Freer. Mr.. Neal, the democratic candidate
vas elected mayor of Huntington when
twenty-five years of age, and was widely
known as the boy mayor He is a hus-
tier, and stands a fair chance of being
ciecta ID to Congress.
Summing up, it is probable that West
Virginias delegation will again consist of
four republicans-Dovener, Edwards. Freer
and Dayton, with the latter two somew hat (
in doubt.
The difficulty of getting people to attend
political meetings has been remarkable on
both sides. Apparently they are tired of the
mention of the tariff or silver question An
EeXation of the Philippines eXcites more in
terest, but there is opposition to the move
in both parties, likewise friendship for it.
Senator Eikins. Internal Revenue Commits
siOner Scott and Governor Atkinson have
republican legislative ticket, but are not
out to their meetings.
The big political event of the season in
Wheeling among the republicans will be the
appearance at the opera house on Friday
evening of this week of Postmaster Cen
eral Charles Emory Smith and Representa-
tive Dayton. Interest in political matters
that has been dormant is warming up here,
and they will doubtless have a large audi
enCe. There has been a notable absence of
acrimOny in the Speech-making and in the
newspapers during the campaign, and al
though the apathy has been discOuraging
to the spelbinders, TIE printed matter sent
out on both sides has received general con-
, sideration, and there will be a thoughtful
EXPRESSION of the public mind November s..