The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-08-13
Republicans Not Anxious tc
Dwell 81, Personality Of
the Candidates.
SITUATION IN WEST VIRGINIA n
MI. Roots Reflections Upon
Age 81 Senator Davis Turns
Many to Latter.


able than any other, perhaps, Is tho pre-
fslatency With which the Republicans.
dodge the main issue. They are in the.
habit OF haunting Democrats with the as
lcrtion that they have no Issue defined.
In the platform adopted at 81. Louis.
I But when. for the sake OF I argument,
Democrats admit II. and propose to take
the Republican candidate as the issue,
there is at once a howl raised, and the
candidate Is made TO hide behind himself
II Is most remarkable state Of affairs
slen a party insists SO earnestly that
Its canidate be not the issue. yet It Is
practically impossible to find a Republi.
can who does no, deprec cat 9 any attempt
10 place Mr. Roosevelt in Il this light
There is9 peculiar irony In this situation.
There has never been a man In the
White House who would have 80 much
enjoyed being the issue IN a poll tical COM
test as would Mr.. K Roosevelt, but his
alieutenants are compelling him to Eefface
his personality as much as possible, SO
that the opposition may be led to make
the fight along other lines.
Roosevelt the Issue. fg,ssS
n The Democrats arc moi willing to be led
sin that direction. IT. has been frequent
Nv asserted by leaders of Tho party even
before the nomination Of 30 Il eminently5
4 idate az "A Judge!
Parker. that Mr.. r oosevelt should be tho
main issue In this IN mpaign. Judge
zPhrker's speech accepting I he nomination
has. by Its tism and strong, pleas
5for5 return to fundamental principles
In the government OF this country, made
1t all the more plain that no more effec-
tive plan OF campaign can be devised
than to q dopt one which will make the
personality or tho two men the4 main
features or the contest. The one. rash,
radical. ca ger for the new In government
and fond OF all The glitter and fanfare
OF smonarchics. is brought into s1a rps con-
strast with the quiet gentleman from
Esopus, Il the Judge. the n American. who
believes still &; that the sentiments OF
nate the minds Of hose to whom Is CONE
,mitted the administration OF government
Roosevelt viii be he chief issuc 30 far.
:as Democrats are concern ed. W. s
Il II is very likely that the headquarters
lof the Democratic Congressional Com
mittee will be removed from this city
TO New York This 4 ma tier Is & not yet
settled, but II Els under consldera tion. and
1T is very probable tina on he occasion
gofBthe visit OF Hartman Cowherd to New
York next week j t will be decided that
the Congressional Committeeman do more
effective work forS..l the part y from that
city than from the national capital. Il
SIS desired that the Congressional COM
mittee. which devotes attention mainly
To contests for the Fl ouse OF Repre-
3Denocra ID Nj tional q Committee, sS
Mr.. Root S Blund Ter.
One OF the most prominent members Of
the West gyir ginia$ d elegation in Congress, \
q Republican,, OF course, said yesterday
that he did not think a. greater blunder
had been made in this campaign, and he
sdidS5not believe | hat one which would
have a! greater effect upon the result In
Nest Virginia would be made. I han the
sHllusions made by Mr.. r cot in: his speech
notifying Senator fairbanks OF his nom
3lnation,s to the advanced age age OF SEN
{ator Davis. q am positive that B Mr.
Roots blunder viii have = le errect OF
causing a. considerable number OF West
Virginia Republicans to vote for Davis,
he said. They resent the illusions OF
Mr.. Root, and itais 4 a fact, that when
"A read the speech 4 felt exactly the.
same way about 1t. Mr.. Root Is subject
70 Just such la pse b M VII
- The Democrats will almost certainly
elect 4 member Of Congress from the;
Third West Virginia District Colonel
William Seymour Ed ward s.. a well 3kno VIII
1iepubll can Of the district has been de-
Ifeated for the nomination by Represent
5tutlve Gaines. The nominating conyen-
ton has not; yet been held. but It has
been made plain that Mr.. Gaines Will
have a clear ma ority In * he convention.
IT Is now said that Mr.. q Edwards Will
run as an independent candidate. The
result Will be the election OF the Demo-
5crat, III 4 Is said thnt tile Dem crats will
nominate Y Charles Osscnton. who is one
of the brig htests young lawyers Of the
district, to Oppose Gaines and Edwards.
Gaines is he ablest member OF the West
Virginia delega Ion, and there are Dem
socrats In the House OF Representatives
who would much rather see any one OF
his collea CUES tired. II the report that
Edwards Is 5 to run as an Independent
candidate be true, neither he nor Gaines
can hope 10 win, for while Edwards Is
not popular In the district. he has sur
ficient following to- defeat Gaines IL II.
.ba with dawn from his support
Here is a Muddy Problem.
sydney p, Mudd. representative from
the Fifth M aryland District Is in serious
trouble. The Demo Gratis have nominated
on their ticket two men named Nudd.
Representative Mudd, who Is al Repub-s
.lican. says the ignorant voters OF his
district, especially the negroes, will be-
utterly unable to pick the right Mudd
when they 90 to prepare their ballots.
and that they are likely to sscratc the
wrong Judd, He has hit upon a plan
OF enltgkte ning the minds OF the men
who vii R. Want to support HIM. which
he hopes will u be- roductiVe OF results
He has had hundreds Of slips printed
bearing the. names OF the three aludds
vhoswill be on the ticket. & These he has
throughout the district. to-
T5fa t3s NJ Z. IA /. VI sass ia