Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-10-25
The DANGER is AHEAD
In the Second District if Dayton
is Defeated.
SOME WISH TO SEE HIM BEATEN
Peculiar Situation Exists in the Second Dis
trict--A Review.

REGULAR otuailon ESslS IN lhe oeCono us
trct-A Review.
Grafton. w. Va, October. %. IF
Aston Gordon Dayton is defeated for
reelection the consequences may have
a far reaching effect upon Republican
success III the Second district.
This is because if DAYTON is beaten
it means that he has been sacrificed to
make room for ambitious men in his
own party. Despairing of ever beat
ing him in the convention for the nom
ination many OF them have adopted
the doubtful expedient of knitting him
at the general election. By getting
him out of the road tn ev hope to make
room for themselves.
Thus it is plain that Dayton's de-
feat will endanger the future of the
party He and his friends know full
well how his defeat may be accom-
pllished and it does not take very
discerning mind to see that the Davtou
faction could not feel kindly towards
the nominee i'll 1904.
The center of the feeling against
Dayton is in Grafton. The leaders
are DR.. Lanham. state senator, and
Editor Holt of the Grafton Sentinel.
DR.. Lanham is credited with congress-
ional aspirations himself while the
journalistic gentleman as is well
known failed of reappointment to the
Grafton postoffice.
MR.. LANHAM'S ARGUMENT.
DR.. Lanham argues that Mr.. DAY.
ton has had enough. That he has
been in so long that with the immense
patronage at his disposal he has been
enabled to build up an unbeatable ma
chine That through the workings OF
this machine he is III position to
pack every convention with postmas-
ters and "sich' to such an extent that
there is nothing to do but nominate
him by acclamation. From these
premises Dr. Lanham deducts that if
any other stalwart Republican wants
show for the nomination his only re-
course is to defeat Mr.. Dayton at the
polls. Some of the friends of Senator
Stark L. Baker are advocating the
same policy, but the Beverly statesman
is calling them off. While there is no
doubt that the genial giant is being
groomed to make the race two years
H. fr -,
iCusly Strengthening Mr.. DAYTON in ia
yor of a Democrat. The consequence
is that Mr.. Dayton has no more ardent
supporter than Mr.. Baker. but the lat
ter cannot control all his friends. and
more danger lies in his candidacy.
PASSIVE OPPOSITION.
Mr.. Hollis opposition is of passive
indifferent kind In his newspaper he
absolutely ignores Mr.. Dayton The
Sentinel makes no mention of the
meetings. The organ has been silenc.
ed, and it's strains are no longer heard
enchanting the voters to the polls II
is really remarkable the difference 4
small town postoffice may make in
the politics of some substantial citizen.
To offset some of the kickers men
toned great deal of harmonizing has
been done This has done some good
work, and the result as that many ele-
ments which have been opposed to Mr..
Dayton in the past are now for him.
Among these might be mentioned the
g. A. r.. post at Grafton which il
the past has been full of bitter anti.
Dayton men. They are now working
for him.
Mr. DAYTON himself is not Worrying
apparently. There is one point about
Mr.. DAYTON unusual in politicians
he is very conservative in talking OF
his own prospect and never over esti-
mates his own chances. At least he
did not in his four previous cam.
paigns.
MR.. DAYTON TALKS.
In reply to questions Mr.. Dayton
said
I" NV campaign so far has been most