Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-28
HOPE FOR DEMOCRATS
Hard Fight on in West Vir-
ginia.
COAL STRIKE ISSUE
STRUGGLE IS OVER DELEGATION
TO CONGRESS.
Prospect is That the Vote Will Be
Light and the Chances
About Even.
jOAL STRIKE ISSUE
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
WHEELING, w. Va, October q, 1902.
West Virginia votes this fall for five
representatives and new legislature. In
terest in the latter is silenced by the fact
that the reapportionment bill passed by the
last legislature insures a republican ajor-
ity of at least thirty-five on joint ballot
To secure a majority the democrats would
have to carry the state by at least 10000.
The congressional fight is the hottest the
state has seen in years. For the first time
since the state went republican, in 1894 the
democrats are making concerted effort to
elect their congressional candidates. Here
tofore they have paid little attention to
that portion of the ticket, centering instead
upon the legislature.
Various conditions exist which give the
democrats hope of carrying at least three
districts. while some of the ultra enthu-
siastic think there is a chance of electing
the entire delegation. From an unpreju-
diced standpoint the situation is that they
have an equal chance in the second and
fourth districts, and fighting chance in
the third and fifth, while in the first only
landslide of mammoth proportions can win
for them.
The democratic claim is based upon the
lack of harmony in republican ranks. So
many disputes have arisen among the re-
ences have been necessary every few weeks.
Cause of the Contention.
The principal source of contention has
been the fight between Senator N. B. Scott
and John L. CALDWELL of Huntington, who
desires to succeed Scott in the United
States senator. While this election is not
held by the legislature until 1905. the fact
that fifteen of the state senators elected
next week hold over until the next legisla-
ture has led. to a somewhat unseemly
scramble between the two gentlemen, with
Col. Henry Schmulbach, wealthy brewer
of Wheeling, mixing in. In at least three
senatorial districts the feeling ran so high
that the senatorial conventions split, and
two different sets of candidates were named
and certified on the tickets. Repeated con-
ferences. however, in which Senator Ste
phen B. Elkins took a hand. resulted in
Strengthening out of these differences, but
under the surface there is still much sore
ness, which the democrats believe will af-
feet the congressional candidates.
Coupling the republican dissensons with
the fact that it is off year, the demo-
Gratis have jumped into the fight by nomi
mating five of their best men for Congress
1t is significant that all five of their candi-
dates have always been sound money men,
though they stood by the party during the
silver craze They are representative OF the
business and professional interests of the
state, and are all personally well fixed with
the goods of this world. The party, a re-
suit, has more money to put in the cam
paign than it has had since 1892, the last
time they carried the state.
MI. Dovener's Opponent.
In the first district the democrats have
nominated Owen S. Mckinney, a former
speaker of the house of delegates proprie-
tor of the Fairmont Times and Index
against Capt. B. B. Dovener, who has rep
resented the district since 1894. Mr.. McKin-
ney is very able and energetic man.
While he has always technically been a
democrat it is no secret that he has always
been in favor of a gold standard and Incl
dental If not absolute protection. Conse-
Quently he has the confidence of the manu-
featuring interests of Wheeling and Ben
wood and the coal interests of Fairmont. In
the platform on which he is running all ref
erence to the Kansas City platform has
been carefully eschewed. and In his
speeches Mr.. Mckinney follows the cue by
avoiding all mention of that subject This
fact has caused a small number of the sill
yer democrats headed by DR.. NJ s. Holt Of
Weston to publicly renounce him, but 1t has
gained for him the support Of more than
enough gold democrats who have been Vot-
ing for Capt. Dovener to counterbalance the
detection. Mr.. Mckinney has made a hard
effort to defeat Capt. Dovener, but the nor
NAL majority against him, however makes
his task well nigh hopeless.
The legislature of 1901 which passed the
gerrymander left but one democratic coun-
ty in district which is composed of the
eleven northwestern counties The republic
cans have working majority of 5000 in the
district, based upon the returns of 1890
The smallest majority Capt. Dovener ever
had was l,SO0 four years ago. At that time
there were four democratic counties in the
district. Besides his enormous advantage
Capt. Dovener Is popular campaigner and
has perhaps more personal friends than apy
other man in the district. There has always
been large element of republicans bitterly
opposed to him. but he makes up cor this
by an army of democrats who wauld
scratch their ballots forty ways for him
purely on personal grounds Then the crp-
tam has done yeoman work in getting jobs
Tor the boys at Washington, and his office
holdlng machine is one of the strongest In
the state
Light Vote Probable.
The outlook is not bright for heavy
vote and the republicans are the most
likely to suffer from the falling off Con-
sidering the situation in all its phases,
however, it is safe to predict that Capt
DoVener will be returned by at least 1000
majority, unless, of course, there is a land
slide, for which there seems no particular
reason at the present time.
The prettiest fight is in the second dis
trict, where the battle of 1898 between At
torney John T. McGraw of Grafton and
Representative Aston Gordon Dayton is
being fought over again. Based upon the
returns OF 1900 the district Is the closest
In the state. Even with those figures the
heaviest the republicans ever polIed, Mr.
Dayton has only 1000 margin to go on
Based upon the returns of 1885, when he
defeated his present opponent by only a few
hundreds the district is stand-off Mr.
McGraw Is directing his campaign from his
office instead of conducting an oratoricaI
fight as he did four years ago, and he has
built up a powerful vote-pulling machine
in every magisterial district. In one re-
spect Mr.. McGraw Is stronger than he was
four years ago in that he has the support
of the Davis interests. During the recent
coal strike he secured injunctions against
the United Mine Workers In Taylor county
and this fact is being used against him
freely and is hurting him.