Evening star., 1900-10-03
IN WEST VIRGINIA
IS IS
Z
Hot Political Battle for Control of the
CHARGES OF COLONIZATION
National Ticket Subordinate to
State and Congressional.
E n ATORSH HIP INVOLVED

SENATORSHIP INVOLVED
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
MORGANToWN, W. Va,
October /, 1890.
If West Virginia had sixteen electoral
votes instead of six there could be no more
earnest political warfare than is now be-
ing waged in the state The political lead
ers are not sorry that the last month of the
campaign is here. The struggle has been a
long and bitter one, and the next four
weeks will witness some exciting scenes in
the larger towns and the elimination of
many plans and schemes The campaign
of education" is now being abandoned The
business of convincing voters has been
transferred entirely to the speakers bu-
reau of the two state committees and the
literary committees have taken up the more
important work of personal correspondence.
To control the votes of the party and to
concentrate the voters where they will do
the most good is the important work of
the hour and week with the managers of
the two great parties here.
There is much talk of colonization. 1t is
a stuffed club, which both parties have used
in West Virginia about this stage of every
campaign. 1t is somewhat remarkable that
the newspapers Of both political creeds
should accuse the opposition Of this Of
fense. There has been colonization and
vote buying in this state already. and there
will be more of it. West Virginia politicians
not different from their professional
brethren in other states. The great contest
here this year is for large stakes. and for
that the leaders are playing some big
games. The senatorship is the greatest plum
in sight and while there are but two avow
ed candidates, Senator Elkins for the re
publicans and John T. McGraw for the
democrats, there are two armies of workers
bending every effort to capture the legis-
lature. The gubernatorial and congression-
al fights become insignificant when COM
pared to the fight to gain control Of the
Legislature.
Two Kinds of Colonization.
The kind of colonization the republicans
have been doing is legitimate. Several hun
dred young men from Preston and Monon-
gala counties. both of which give large re-
publican majorities. taken up to
Tucker. Braxton and Randolph counties,
where they We're given good jobs in the
coal and coke works. This was done in
time to give them legal residence there.
They went to counties heretofore demo-
cratic in their ma jorities. The democratic
leaders have been looking to the same kind
of colonization, that vote switching is
being accomplished in many counties in
this way. But darker schemes are openly
discussed. IT Is said that superintendents
Of large coal works along the line of the
West Virginia Central railroad have been
given their orders to control the voters
EN- ployed under them That these Superfn-
tcndents will be held responsible for the
votes under their control. OF course. ii is
implied that the superintendents and the
voters themselves will not lose anything by
the transaction
These are some of the things which make
the campaign in West Virginia this year
exceedingly spicy. There is no apa ny now.
The mouutaineers are awake and alert.
Even in the farming districts, remote and
far from the centers of trade. the import
ant questions of the parties are being dis
cusscd. But as II was few weeks ago.
local issues and local contingencies in
teresting the people more Than questions
Of national Importance. West Virginia has
been republican but four years, and owing
to the slump In republican majorities in
1SlS and the loss Of one congressional dis
triet. the democrats are sanguine and are
putting up big tight.
When il comes to question of the popu-
la rity Of the two platforms. the republi-
Gems have the advantage in West Virginia.
Few democrats expect TO see their sta,e
and national ticket triumphant this year in
the mountain state. But in two con
gIeSsional districts. the second and third,
and in the matter of the control of the leg
islature, the democrats have somewhat
the advantage, and the republicans agree
that this is true.
Claims of the Democrats.
The democratic state committee has just
issued a prediction, accompanied by fig
ures. They claim the state for their ticket,
through and through, by plurality of
1880. This Is a clear indication that they
are not strong in their confidence. The plu-
raIity Of the successful party will be twice
1890 and doubtless larger than that There
will be no halfway victory for the winning
party in West Virginia this year. The SEN
timent through the state is rapidly crystal
ljzir1D and ut ha 1an
Star correspondent has talked to a dozen
republicans of prominence in the state, and
they say that if they win they will do 50 by
Il plurality from 1900 to 25,o0O. and If they
lose 1t will be by figures quite large.
Some democrats have said the same thing.
The small claim of 1890 made by the demo-
cratic state committee is not good sign
for them. But they are really playing for
the two representatives in the districts men
toned and for the legislature.
If the democrats carry the legislature
they will secure the state to their party
for quarter of century, for both party
leaders have boasted that in the event of
success this year they will redistrict the
state. Then why should not the democrats
concentrate their efforts upon securing a
majority in the Legislature, even If they do
lose the governorship and state offices this
year? 1t means a United States senator, a
sure victory in four years, with perhaps
all of the representatives too.
The republicans are basing much upon
the good times argument. 1t is popular
theme, and is going to win many demo-
cratic votes for the party in the state, but
overconfidence may lose many more. The
republican leaders here do not seem to al
together remember that the game is des-
perate one this year: that the democrats
have nothing to lose and everything to gain
The democratic state committee has ample
funds and knows how to make use of them
Senator Eikinx' Part.
Senator Elkins Is playing against the in
fuence of ex-senator Henry G. Davis, his
father-in-iaw, and his uncle. Col Tom Da-
Wis this year 1t Is the influence which has
meant much to him In past years The re-
publican state committee has hardly re-
covered from it's surprise that Senator Ell
kins could not keep his uncle. Tom Davis,
out of the congressional race and could
not keep his cousin, w. F. Landstreet,
republican,, in the legislative race In Tuck
er county 4 Col. Davis is the strongest man
the democrats could name for Congress in
lA