Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-31
AN OLD POLITICAL CANARD
DEMOCRATIC CRY OF NEGRO COLO
eNIZATION IN WEST VIRGINIA.
Railroad Building and Coal Mine De-
geIopment Made Demand
for Their Labor.
specis Dispatch to The Evening Star.


CUMBERLAND. Md. August 31.-Re-
publicans in West Virginia claim to be
much amused over the charges by demo-
Gratis of coloniZing negro voters. These
charges are made every congressional and
presidential election. They have been dis
proved In the past and. republicans al
lepe have become too silly to be con-
sidered. 1t is regarded as the old racket
of the 'I-toId-yoa-sos," who, expecting de-
feat. give out the charge now so they can
point 20 it after the election as the reason
for the defeat
The unprecedented prosperity that has
struck West Virginia is the reason FOR
mora colored men working in the state
this year than any year heretofore Inc
unusual mining and railroad development
made it necessary TO go out OF the state
after labor. a large force of colored men
are engaged in excavating for the Coal and
Iron railroad, from Elkns to the FORKS OF
the Greenbrer to connect with the Cnesa-
peake and Ohio. Henry G.. Davis, ex-U. 5.
scr ator from West Virginia, and leading
democrat is president of the new road.
He is a brother of Col. Thomas b. DAVIS.
democratic candidate for Congress In the
second West Virginia district, who Is also
heavily interested in the new road Inc
Davises gave out the contract for the con-
struCtiOn. The republicans think 1t very
funny that under such conditions negroes
would be coloniZed for the benefit OF the
republican party. The only other road In
the state on which negroes are working In
great numbers Is the short line OF the ONO
River railroad, through Wood county, and
President Burt of this corporation Is
democrat.
1t is said on good authority that had his
uncle Col. Thomas B. Davis, indicated to
him that he would be a candidate for the
democratic congressional nomination in the
second West Virginia district, Senator
reelection
to the Senate. Col Davis was defeated
for the STATE senatorial nomination just a
few weeks before he accepted the congress
siona! nomination. 1t is claimed by some
democrats that Col Davis has been the
victim OF enemies in his own party, who
will make their strength known on election
feat William L. Wilson for Congress in
1894, when Aston g. Dayton, now the OPP
ponent OF Col. Davis. was elected. Col.
Davis, who Is now seventy-two years old.
has been very active In politics and has
The reputation of using 1.-The knife vigor-
ously. Now his enemies are laying" for
him, and some of these enemies helped to
nominate HIM
Senator Eikins are closely allied and both
being candidates of opposite parties makes
a complication which Mr.. Elkins wanted to
avoid. and. IL is claimed, would have avoid
ed had not Col. Davis been "euchred' by
his enemies disguised as friends.
Col. Davis was on the point of declining
the nomination after he had formally ac-
cepted it. but politicians got around him
and cajoled him into a reconsideration.
II is not thought that an attempt will be
made at 'bulldozing employees of the West
Virginia Central railroad mines into sup
porting Col. Davis. II there should be. Mr.
Elkins, whose interests are very large, will
have something To say.
Col Davis is very wealthy and is ex-
pected by his party to open his 'barl: ir
fact the expected liberality of Col Davis
IS what the democrats count on to pull him
through. Representative Dayton, the re-
publican nominee. is not a wealthy man.
but he is in comfortable circumstances. and
he has done much toward coal and timber
development, especially about Philippi his
home town. A prominent West Virginia
republican said yesterday that the national
leaders would not desert Dayton, and he
would have dollar for dollar.
Fairfax s. Landstreet a prominent official
of the Davis Coal and Coke Company
whose wife Is niece of Col Davis, will
likely be the republican nominee for house
OF delegates from the Tucker-Randolpt
district. on the whole the fight irN the sec.
ond West Virginia district promises to cause
most interesting family complication.
bet of 800 has been made by w. w
Kittle that Davis will carry Dayton's homs
county Of Barbour, Charles F. Teter, Mr.
Dayton's campaign manager. covering it.