The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-21
POLITICAL POT
sOiling ana Strong Candidates In
the Field.
MANY GOOD Men AND TRUE
who Are willing to Make the Fight
on Republican Zines, Who Await
Action Of the Conventions Some
Observations on the Democratic
outlook.


special DiSpltcn 70 ln9 4ltsAAk SArf4'
CHARLESTON, ". Va, March co.
# now looks as thought that brilliant
yopnE leader, Unlted States District
Attorney Joseph Holt Gaines, WIN run
owav with the Republican nomination
Ior Congress in this district. Not only
has he Kanawha at his back, bit Fay
lite as well, has endorsed him above
me candidacy Of an aspirant in that
county, NJ. ]. Roach, who has practice
ailv Withdrawn from the contest.
Mr. Gaines Is regarded as the logical
candidate. Twice already he has near
" had the nomination. and each time 1t
has gone to his rival By a narrow mar
Gin largely because he himself was
wiling to give way to the older can
Gtdate. The frst occasion Has when
Edgar P. Rucker. at present attorney
general, was nominated; the second,
when ex-ccngressmRn c. P. Dorr was
nominated at Montgomery after he
had encountered a brilliant opposition
from Mr.. Gaines.
This time, though, Mr.. Gaines has no
intention OF giving way to anybody. He
thinks he Is entitled to the honor and
viii spare no pains to get Sc, trustlng IN
the Republicans of the Third district to
elect him.
Mr.. Gaines has several points OF
strength which would rendar him q
more formidable candidate than any Of
his rivals. He Is q tFuesplue lifelong
Republican, coming from race Of Re-
publlcans. His father, the late Major
Theophilus Gaines, Allied many of the
very highest ofices Of trust and was
himself, in 1880, the Republican nomi-
noe for the same honor for which his
no less brilliant son is now striving. No
more graceful thing could be done by
his party than to afford him an oppor-
tunlty to achieve the goal for which
his father struggled and failed. On
the other hand, Mr.. Roach and Judge
G. w. Smith, of Mercer, the latter Of
whom is an active candidate are both
converted Democrats. The Republicans
here are always willing to open their
arms to converts, but they are not so
willing to confer upon them ut once the
highest honors at their disposal.
In addition to this primary advant-
age, Mr.. Gaines has the additional adj
vantage of standing in" with both the
ofice-holders. who always excite a little
envy among the less favored. and
those who are without the lines, For,
though a federal office-holder at the
time, Mr. Gaines was bold enough dur
ing the last senatorial fight to shy his
own castor in the struggle. He was
beaten, Of course, but he had shown his
pluck.
The most serious menace to Mr..
Gaines nomination is the announce
ment, within the past few days. that
L. A. Martin, of this city, win also be a
candidate. Mr.. Martin has served sew
eral terms in the legislature and made
an excellent record, but 1t Is not
thought that he is yet ripe for congress
sional timbar
Democratic Situation Uncertain
The Democratic situation is a little
less certain, The Democrats Of the dis
trict regard Congressman Johnston as
the strongest candidate. but there is
some doubt whether he will be willing
to run again. II he does 1t will be
merely because his party is unwilling to
trust the fight to any one else, since he
is known to have no liking for his pres
ent position in Congress.
In the event that Mr.. Johnston will
not consent to be martyred there is no
telling who win be the nominee. State
Senator C. w. osenton, Of Montgom-
cry. Is said to have the mania pretty
bad, and there are others who are at
present not saying much. Once in a
while Joe Chiffon is mentioned In the
connection, but he has been mention
ed" SO often that such Fumors are no
longer regarded seriously.
The question as to who had better be
their gubernatorial nominee is not en-
crossing the Democratic leaders so
much as the similar question is occupy
ing the attention of the Republican
leaders. within the last few weeks,
however. circumstances have brought II
more to the forefront. 1t is note
worthy fact that both Republicans and
Democrats have concluded that their
nominee is to be from the Fourth dis
trIct, and It would NOT be at all sur
prIsIng to see them both from Parkers-
burg.
There are now on the Democratic
side. Just as there are on the Republic
can, two candidates who are taken SER
iously. These are John H. Holt, of
Huntington, who was the Democratic
nominee for Judge of the supreme court
last time. and is now praetIcIng at
torney at Huntington, and Judge L. N.
Tayenner. OF Parkersburg, who Is
Judge Of the circuit court Of Wood
county. 1t is positively known that up
until a few weeks ago Judge Tavenner
had about decided to remain out OF the
fight, ard 1t is a source of somespecula-
ton among both Democrats and Repub-
lIcans as to what 1t was that induced
him to change his mind. 1t ls believed,
also, that he viii be backed by the
Chiffon accorlde wing of the party,
which is stlll alive. even though 1t
sometimes feigns to be dead.
Mr.. Holt, on the other hand. 10 be-
leved to be the fayorite candidate of
John T. MeGraw, the party leader.
t-.-s-~s---o-.-o-.-e--%-.