Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-06
THE LINES ARE FORMED.
West Virginians Ready to
Discuss Issues.
TICKETS COMPLETED
DEMOCRATS BID FOR SUPPORT OF
CORPORATIONS.
Republicans Have Special Session of
Legislature on Their Hands
The Outlook.


Special Coz respondence of The Evening Star.
CHARLESTON, W. Va, August g. 1904.
The West Virginia democrats named their
state ticket and adopted their platform this
week at Parkersburg and now the lines will
be formed for the greatest political battle
in the history CT the state 1t Is to be
national fighting ground, but state issues
will be paramount and other than the fact
that the second place on the national ticket
is held by 1.-The First Commoner," THE
Gladstone and Grand Old Young Man of
West Virginia. as Colonel John 7. Nc
Graw named Henry Gassaway Davis in his
speech as temporary chairman at the con-
vention the interest in the campaign out
side West Virginia's limits will be small
A day or so ago Senator Scott in Wash
ington interview claimed West Virginia
safe for the republicans by majority of
5000. This, of course. was comedown
from the constant claims of 10000, first an
nounced by an individual, now unknown,
over a year ago, and since repeated by re-
publican leaders large and small, but Sen
ator Scott is practical and cautious. At
the Wheeling republican state convention
there was one speaker who made a slip
and put it at 5000. To overcome his lax
ity another orator put West Virginia in
the republican column by 5000, condition
ed of course, on the selection of the can
didate whose praises he was sounding:
Elliott Northcott. the new republican
call for governor in 1903, will admit it is
going to be a red-hot fight. That Is all.
Den ocratic leaders, when talking not for
publication, but merely as an evidence of
good faith, will say the democrats have
rafting good chance of redeeming West
Virginia. AS former Governor w. A. Mac
Corkle puts it, Il have hopes" The alb
sence of a candidate for place until the
Nv Do r-lyarc
burg of itself indicated a lack of confidence,
which was in striking contrast to the few
yerishly intense republican contests that
were waged for months
Circumstances Caused Changes.
The democratic managers started out this
year to head their state ticket with the
man the St. Louis convention made Judge
Parker's running mate and the campaign
was to be along anti-negro and prostate
tax reform lines, but the st. Louis conven-
ton and local conditions since material
izing changed all that. Having been chair
man of the tax commission Henry G.
Davis stood for its recommendations, and
at the Charleston delegate convention last
ApriI he inaugurated 1.-The white mans
party" slogan, which was taken up en-
Enthusiastically At that time Davis was in
a receptive mood for governor and sounded
the keynote Of the campaign he would
Dental nomination of his cousin, Arthur
Pue German of Maryland. from whom he
got the anti-negrO political idea.
But the democratic nominee for governor,
John ]. Cornwell, made the first public
speech against the tax commissions report
in a Joint debate with Gov. White in Jeffer-
son county, and the platform omits refer
ence to the negro and lodges the tax-reform
issue completely, except to recommend a
constitutional convention, which is neither
a new nor a popular suggestion. 1t Is the
last suggestion Of the lot in the tax COM
missions report, where 1t Is made with ref
erence to revising certain parts Of the pres
ent tax system hedged in by constitutional
limitations. The constitutional convention
argument has frequently been made by the
republicans who opposed a faction of their
party in favor Of the originally outlined tax
revision.
Hill and sheehan obeyed.
The failure to declare for the elimination
Of the negro was late move inspired by
the advice of David b. Hill and William F.
Sheehan, the Parker managers, Oho feared
such a plank In Davis state would imperil
the national ticket in Indiana, New Jersey,
Connecticut and other northern states con-
sidered debatable. In lieu thereof the plat
form devoted half Of. an unusually brief
document to urging the passage of regis
tration law, which Is expected to suppress
the negro IL enforced. Two years ago the
people passed a constitutional amendment
permitting such law. but republican
posed, and it has not been passed. or Of
fered.
The democratic position on the tax ques-
blunder in opposing the constitutional
amendment before the legislature in its
pnts the party on the defensive before the
people, although 1t undoubtedly invites the
support Of the corporations which seems to
have been the thing In mind. Funds are
needed. and in this respect the republicans
will suffer more than they have in eight
years.
cans are wavering; likewise big coal COM
panies in the Fairmont and other great coal
fields. But the people at large have de-
manded tax reform. and 1t matters not
whether they had clear understanding of
what is meant by the the catchy phrase. and
a ahere q ,n relief in the compromise bills
given to the special session, and that the
democrats do not oppose tax reform '.as is
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