Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-19
MECCA OF POLITICIANS
Asf'IR AVIS NUMEROUS AT WEST
VIRGINIA CAPITAL.
Dayton Bttl Creating Two Federal
Districts IN Important Plum Tree
Progress of Liquidation.
Special Dispatch TO The Evening Star.

state capital of West Virginia Is the mecca
Of all politicians just now and the center
| of political interest. Such matters as Gov
ernor-elect A. B. Whites announced poll
cies, the filling of the federal positions
created by Representative Dayton's bill d.
viding the federal district court. legislative
acts and kindred themes, are absorbing the
time and thought OF all the politicians here
| this week. A federal judgeship, the United
States marshalship, collector of internal
| revenue to succeed Governor-elect A. 3.
| White; clerk to the state supreme court
and the minor appointments. including that
| Of two United States district attorneys for
| the state, are plums which many republi-
| cans are striving for. The announcement
| recently made by Governor Whites organ
| In Parkersburg that he might be a candi-
| date for the United States Senate in four
years has added a complex feature to the
| struggle to control and secure these offices
Governor-elect White denies strenuously
that he is candidate for the Senate. But
| the announcement carried with it a suifi-
| Gent significance to bring Senator n. B.
| Scott to Charleston at the opening of the
| legislature, where he spent several days
| looking after his interests, with a view of
| being candidate to succeed himself in
| four years. A seat in the Senate has sell
| dom been discussed so earnestly before in
West Virginia at such long range. Never
before did the prospect of senatorial fight
| play such part in the distribution of pat
ronage 50 long beforehand. 1t is now prac-
| tlcally a question of who shall succeed In
| the distribution Of the several offices men
TONED, with reference to strengthening their
| position for the battle in four years Sena-
| tor Scott or Governor-elect White.
No Bitterness Engendered
It Will be a good-natured fight, however,
/ for the two men are friends. Governor
| elect White had charge of Senator Scotts
| senatorial campaign two years ago, and
! was largely instrumental in securing him
| sufficient number of votes to land the
| position. 1t is settled beyond any question
| that republicans will fill the positions now
| to be distributed among West Virginians
| for the state has given such large republic
can majoritfes that the party controls
every branch of the state government from
| the supreme court down to the smallest
position in the state house.
| Governor elect White has met with the
| republican members of the legislature, and
| advanced his policy for the next four
| years. The legislature was elected largely
! through the fundamentally of Senator Ell
! kins, whom the republican members have
! unanimously Endorsed for reelection to the
| Senate. Governor-e,ect White Is very close
| to Senator Elkins. These two men, with
| Secretary of State w. NJ. o. Dawson. who
| Is to be reappointed by Governor White,
| are recognized as having been the. leaders
| of the republican party in West Virginia.
| Therefore, it is admitted upon all sides
| that Governor-efect Whites policies
| likely to be adopted by measures which he
seeks to have advanced by the present
legislature now sitting. Senator Scott Is
| strong In the state, however. and If he
| really believes in Mr.. Whites senatorial
! ambitions he may take hand in the dis
| tribution Of the fine plums about to be
| handed out here, as well as the legislation
| which Governor-elect White would have
| enacted. The outcome remains to be de-
| termined as to this feature. The evil
| dences of a clash between these two men
| have not appeared as yet.
Changes In State Boards.
| Governor White would have all state
| boards made new by a special act of the
| legislature, and bills making this possible
| have been prepared and will be offered.
Then the contest, IL there be any, will ma
/ terialize. To Star correspondent Gov
| ernor-elect White said that at present he
| had no power to create state boards, but
| all the appointments in the state were al
| ways the appointments of the outgoing
| governor. THERE'S opposition to the pres
| ent heads of the state university, Weston
Asylum for the Insane and the penlten-
| tiary. II the legislature passes the bills
| to create new boards, the democratic rep
| resentation in them will be reduced, and
| Governor reject White will then be In a po-
| stion to name and control, to some eX-
| tent. all the state patronage of West Fir-
| ginia.
| Governor Atkinson. whose term expires
| March 4, is. the most prominent candidate
| for the new federal judgeship. 1t is gen.
orally understood here now that by agree
| ing to Governor-elect Whites propositions
| outlined here, and by giving his assistance
| to the furthering OF the same. Governor At
kinson has greatly increased his chances for
| securing the judgeship. Representative A.
| G. Dayton, the patron of the bill creating
| two districts In this state. would like to
! succeed the present Judge John j. Jackson,
in the upper district, upon the expiration
of Mr.. Dayton's term in Congress. Judge
| Taa Of hayy 10 SfIrr1
and it Is intimated upon very good au-
thority that he has consented to do so,
| provided the salary be increased to 81 800
a year. which would go to him for life.
| Judge Jackson was appointed by Abraham
| Lincoln, and has been an able jurist.
Senator ElkIns Strong With People.
| There Is not an entirely unanimous senti-
ment here in favor of the reigning leaders
| Of the republican party, although Senator
Elkins Is almost generally admired and
| liked by West Virginia republicans. There
| Is just sufficient opposition to the plans of
the new administration to make prospect
for an interesting contest and political bat
| tie during this winter. Ex-Representative Z.
| p. Dorr, State Auditor l.. NJ. La Toilette,
| Senator Thomas E. Davis. Senator N. E.
! Whitaker and a number Of republicans
| equally as we'll known may take hand In
| opposing some of these measures. But the
| republicans Of West Virginia in the main,
! the voters and masses have signi1ed their
| confidence in the leaders. and there is little
| reason to believe that the slate of the new
| administration will be demolished. RepuD-
| lcanism has prospered and succeeded UNI
der the guidance Of its leadership in the
mountain state.
| The legislature Ia getting down to solid
| work, and there is much Of 1t to be done.
| The corporations seem to be getting hard
| raps from many of the members. who are
| introducing measures to restrict their pow
ers In this state. The redistricting of the
| state is one Of the important measures
| which bids fair to receive the careful at
| tention of the steering committee appointed
| by the presiding officers Of both bodies at
fhe suggestion of Governor-elect White.
Social gayety at the capital is now at Its
| height. g.