Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-08-25
h|lBE[ Quotations
From the Congressional Exchange in
the Sixteenth District.


The Sixteenth District.
R. p. SCOTS BID MORE THAN
COVERED BY PREVAILING
RATES IN CARROLL COUNTY,
OHIO -CAPPERS ON THE TRAIL
OF WEEMS- DEMOCRATIC CON-
GRESSIONAL CONVENTION
CALLED.
If the author OF the adage There is
nothing new under the sun" had lived
to make a study of latter day politics
he might have been forced to modify
his views upon the subject. Ohio is
noted for her politicians of experience
and fnesse, but it is doubtful if meth
DDS which have recently been adopted
in the Republican Congressional fight
in the Sixteenth district have ever been
in vogue before. The district is COM
posed of five counties. and according
to the call delegations must be elected
by popular vote in all the counties ex-
cept Monroe. Notwithstanding this
the central committee of Carroll has
discovered a means of shutting out the
small fry candidates and giving the
successful aspirants with financial
backing an opportunity to select their
delegations with all the assurance and
a'bsoluteness of Car or dictator The
primaries are to be held on Saturday,
September I'd, and the committee mas
decided that the candidates shall
be voted for directly by the
electors, the one having plur-
atty to select the delegation. AIS
proposition sounds fair enough, but
when it is understood an assessment of
s125 is required of every candidate
whose name goes upon the ballot the
aspect is changed. The idea seems to
be to shut out parties who desire to
control few delegates in the conven-
ton and thereby be in position to Sc
cure some political advantage for them
selves by throwing their force to tie
right man at the proper stage in the
proceedings. But the $125 entrance
fee staggered this class of candidates
and proved a Knockout for all but
Hon. F. H. Frimple, of Carroll, and
Gen. D. A. Holdings worth, of Harrison
county. Both of these gentlemen pit
UP the dough and will have the little
setto all to themselves. 1t is stated
there is very little likelihood of Hol-
lingsWorth carrying more than one
township, which would give him two
delegates at $3.50 per. Since "a votes
are necessary to choice in the con-
vention, figuring upon this basis the
market value Of a nomination would
be $3.50. The estimated value of the
entire flock" of delegates numbering
166 would likewise be $10,375, slightly
in excess of the original bid of R. P
Scott, who thinks he ought to have the
job lot for even money.
Within the past few days a peculiar
and genuinely new phase of the Con-
gressional contest has developed in
Belmont county. Hon. c. L. Weems
has been making canvass of the co IL
ty setting up his delegates, all of whom
are conceded to him, as he has been
led to suppose he has no opponent. 1t
appears however, that agents of an
other candidate who halls from an
other county have been following Mr.
Weems and scrutinizing his every
movement When the latter secures
the promise of man to go on the
delegation the agent sticks pin in
there and waits until the st. Glars
vile man departs. The prospective
delegate is then approached in a con-
fidential manner by the agent and an
effort is made to have him commit
himself for second choice. 1t is ex-
planned that a deadlock is imminent
and it is in this event support is So
licited from Belmont county for the
foreigner 1t is said goodly number
of Weems' men have been persuaded"
to commit themselves for second choice
in this manner 1t will readily be seen
this must weaken the local candidate
when it comes to a long drawn out
contest