Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-05-18
A NEW COM BlNE.
This One Proposes to Control Political
Nominations ia West Virginia
Of Course It's a Republican Scheme.

Special to the Register.
Charleston, w. Va. May 17.-Hon.
A. B. White, editor, collector, ETC., is
having some difficulty in getting the
wind into the sails of his gubernatorial
boom. When few months ago it was
agreed among Messrs. A. B. White, S.
B. Elkins, Nathan B. Scott, and W. M.
O. Dawson. that Mr.. White should be
nominated for Governor on the Repub-
lican ticket (Mr. Dawson to continue
as Secretary of State, and the other
places on the State ticket to be divided
up among the small coterie of manipu-
lators and their immediate supporters),
it was believed that the arrangement
would work like charm, and the vari-
Gus nominations On the ticket, from
Governor down, would be made by the
machine, without serious opposition,
but when the outsiders came to be
sounded on the subject it was found
that there was kicking all along the
line. The former leaders and the rank
and file of the Republican party did
not want Mr. White for Governor. They
thought that Mr.. Dawson had grown
rich enough in tie Office of Secretary
Of State. and that some other faithful
Republican should have pull at the
ruch public teat. Neither did they like
the idea of nominations being made
eighteen months prior to the State con-
vention and by less than half dozen
men who assumed to run everything in
the party and to hog all of the fat
places for themselves and personal
friends. To forestall the general oppo-
sition in the party to the scheme which
seemed to be arising, Mr.. White began
to deny that he had been agreed on
as the candidate for Governor, or that
he would be a candidate. and to give
force to this denial, he began to urge
prominent Republicans all over the
State to consent to be candidates for
Governor. This he did, and is still
loing for two-fold purpose-frst, to
conceal the fact that he is to be the
machine candidate, and second, to Sc
cure the friendship and support of other
prominent Republicans for himself.
His idea is to get as many candidates
for Governor in the field as possible to
bring on a deadlock in the convention,
and at the oDportune time to step in
Ind save the the party" by agreeing
fnr
1t is believed by the machine men that
this plan will work successfully. 1t
was the intention that this scheme be
Kept profound secret and it's publica-
lion at this time may have a tendency
10 Illustrate the plan.
However the work of grooming can
aidates for various places on the State
ticket is going on. 1t has been decided
that it will not do to put forward con-
ipicuously machine candidates against
The candidates of the masses. In other
words, it will not do to inaugurate a
clear cut issue between the machine
On the one side and the disorganized
masses or the opposition to the ma
chine on the other. All the machine
candidates for the several places on the
State ticket are to be kept in the back
ground till the proper time arrives,
when they are to be sprung on the con-
Fention and nominated.
Congressman Freer has been urged TO
become a candidate for Governor by the
secret agents of the machine, although the
machine hates Freer worse than the devil
hates holy water. They hate Freer be-
cause he is not one of them. He is indie
pendent Of the gang. If he were elected
Governor he would not ask the machine
whom he would appoint Secretary of
State, Adjutant General. or any other Of
ficer. Consequently Freer must not be
nominated, but he must be induced to run
In order TO complicate matters.
Brisad!er General Curtin of the National
Guard, is also being urged to run for the
gubernatorial nomination. Mr.. White,
meeting General Curtin at the capital a
few days ago, was especially soiicitous for
the general to consent to be a candidate
fYou must consent to run for Governor,
General; che party needs you; you are the
pniy man availa b.e-the only man whom
we can rely on to put up a winning fight