Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-13
ITS ELECTORAL VOTE
West Virginia's Outlook is
Republican.
THE STATE TICK Ell
DOUBTFUL, WITH EVEN CHANCE
FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
Appeals to State Pride by Senator Hill
and Others Have No
Effect.
THE STATE TICKET
Special From a STAFF Correspondent.

very strongly indicates that the state Will
cast it's electoral vote for Roosevelt and
Fairbanks, the state ticket being In
doubt with more than an even chance
that the democratic candidate for COVER
nor will be elected. Even the most parti-
san of democrats concede that the ma
tional republican ticket is stronger than
the republican state ticket, and privately
they admit that the national ticket Is In
doubt, while they confidently claim that
they may elect their candidate for COVER
nor. If there was no strife over the tax
law to provide an issue for the state
campaign one would not know that ma
tional election is to take place here less
than a month hence. There is no national
issue that is being discussed, and the only
element of local interest that is evident
in the outcome of the election for Presi-
dent and Vice President is the fact that
Henry Gassaway Davis. the richest man
OF the state, is the candidate for the sec
ond place The interest that is expressed
in the candidacy of Mr.. Davis has not
inspired an enthusiasm in favor of his
election.
Effort to Awaken State Pride.
Since coming into West Virginia Sena-
tor Hill has sought to awaken state pride
by reminding the voters that for the first
time there is a chance to make West
Virginian Vice President. He has urged
upon them that they can now add luster
to the history of the state. and, being an
offspring of Virginia. the mother of
Presidents" may lay the foundation to a
claim of being the mother of Vice Presi-
dents" This is pretty talk but 1t doesn't
sink very deeply in the hearts of the rug
ged West Virginians. The average man
of the state, democrat and republican
alike looks upon Mr.. Davis nomination
jcrha Of Ion
as another evidence of his good fortune
in getting things that please him from
his party. But when these men talk about
voting their political bias and affiliation
are at once in evidence.
AS tio rule democrats will vote for
Parker and Davis and republicans will
cast their ballots for Roosevelt and Fair
banks. At least that is the way they talk
about it now. If there is any important
shifting of political sentiment away from
the old party lines on the national ticket
all evidence of such tendency is being
kept very secret
What Restricted Polls Show.
On both sides party leaders have secured
polls in restricted localities in order to dis
cover any change in political sentiment.
One man living in Piedmont, whicn is in
Representative Daytons district, told your
correspondent that he had systematically
canvassed from three to four hundred vot-
ers whose politics in the past were known
to him, in order to ascertain the drift of
sentiment. He had in that number found
one republican who intended vote the
democratic ticket because of his personal
friendship for Mr.. Davis. That result is
quite typical of what is reported by others
who have sought information by the same
careful method.
There is a small personal following of
Mr. Davis that will influence some votes
but there is an entire absence of any gen
m nj tor T.
ms, the republican son-in-law of the demo-
cratic candidate for the vice presidency is
being deserted, politically by members of
his family who are ordinarily republicans.
His wife is very greatly Interested in hav-
ing her father elected and her three sons
are quietly doing all they can to promote
the interests of their grandfather. 1t
seems likely that there will be some demo-
men, but there is no evidence that there
will be much shifting in that way.
Bryan's Name Brings Applause.
Mr.. HILL during his trip in this state has
repeatedly used the names of Clev Gland and
Bryan, saying the ticket that is supported
by those democrats should receive the sup
port of democrats of every faction When
he has pronounced these names he has
never been interrupted by applause until
Bryan Is mentioned, and then the demon
stration has shown that the Nebraska IN re-
talns the esteem of many of his old fol-
lowers. The Bryan men here as elsewhere
regard the nomination of Parker as a re-
buke to Bryanism. This feeling will cause
some loss of votes for the democratic tick
ct. 1T may not be great loss, but in the
opinion OF many of the best in nrormcd pol
lt1cians 1t will equal the number of re-
publican votes that will be cast for the
democratic ticket because of personal
friendship for Mr.. Davis
In West Virginia affiiation has a strong
hold on the great mass of voters Repub-
lcans and democrats are not as easily
shifted away from their tme-honored polit-
ical moorings. There must be an issue that
Will appeal TO them forcibly to cause them
TO change front. Everywhere it Is agreed
that so far as the national ticket Is con-
cerned there is no such issue that appeals
to them. There is abundance of evidence of
an inclination to let well enough alone.
Record Of Republican Majority.
With this feeling on the part of the peo-
pie the situation presents itself with rec
ord of republican majority of many thou
sand four years ago. To overcome that
majority there must be net shifting of
more than 10000 votes to place the state
In the democratic column. AS yet there is
a noticeable lack of interest in the national
election. 1t has not caused people to be in
different to political meetings when they
have been arranged with men of national
reputation as an attraction. People have
attended all these political meetings that
have been held In the state with a fair
show of interest to see men whose names
they have read In the newspapers and to hear
them speak. The democratic meeting In
this town, with Mr.. Davis, Senator Hill and
Senator Daniel the big attractions, has
been attended by as many republicans as
democrats. but outside these meetings peo-
pie are not talking about nor are they es-
pecially interested in national politics. All
that relates to the national ticket 1t Is
quite different when the state ticket is con-
sidered
The issue of taxation is a subject for ex-
tensye comment in the newspapers, and ii
is not difficult to arouse interest In an is
sue that will in some measure directly af-
feet the amount of taxes that people pay
on their farms and city homes. The legis-
lature has passed tax law that VIII not
go into effect until after the election.
The Taxation Act.
The republican candidate for governor
was a f0renoSt 6C,,ra f, fho oopci3ar, ., ~,