The Washington times., 1904-10-10
STATE TAX HOLDS
WEST VIRGINIA
Absorbing Topic Of Discus
sion Among MOuntaineers.
MUCH PRAISE FOR DAVIS
Parker Not the Card-Republicans Look
for $1,000 Majority for
Roosevelt.

State tax legislation is the absorbing
topic Of political discussion in West
Virginia this fall. II is the issue enter
ing most prominently into the cam
paign- On this the voters will be ar
rayed even more strongly than upon
party lines. or in State pride In having
q distinguished citizen running for the
second highest Office in the country.
It was the extent Of the feeling
throughout the State on this one issue
OF taxation that caused the leaders TO
open the campaign last week. in ad-
vance OF the big meeting at which Sec
rotary Taft viii speak. tomorrow night
The party managers were unwilling also
70 take any chances on letting the re-
cent Davis-Towne-AIcGr speeches
sink too deeply into the minds OF West
Virginiaus without attempting TO offset
the effect by a meeting preliminary to
the Taft affair
Talking State Matters.
Thus it has come about that Parker
talk is subOrdlnated 10 praise OF Can
didate Davis. and enthusiasm for R0Ose-
welt and Fairbanks is always linked
with more extended comment on how
the State issues are regarded This has
caused Dawson and AcGraw TO come
into greater PUBLIC notice than would
otherwise be the case, and a great fight
is being made on them personally.
All along the line the Democrats are
attacking Dawson as a fake tax re-
former. The Republicans hold McGraW
up as the Democratic dictator. who IS
bent on One-man power, and declare
his grip of the organization IS purely
10 satisfy the ambition OF his lie 70 get
a Legislature that VIII send him TO the
United States Senate.
Senator EIkins. who has been keeping
out OF the State contest TO an extent
which has provoked comment. IS now
getting into the ring, and has partici-
Parkersburg, and other points. He met
with members OF the state committee
and candidates on the State ticket and
gave assurances that his loyalty was
lively and cordial.
A Family Affair.
Candidate Davis is authority for the
statement that his daughter, Mrs FL
kins. Is a Democrat this year. II is
also averred that Senator EII1iEs' three
sons, Stephen, Blaine, and Davis, will
honor their grandfather by voting for
the Democratic electors. For that no
criticism Is heard. Tales are told that
voters viii scratch Fairbanks and vote
for Davis, and there may be a lumber
Of votes lost this way through limo
cence OF the voters regarding the man
ner Of voting for electors.
Tue campaign IS becoming more acute
daily, and It can be said that the pros
poets Of a big Roosevelt plurality get
more definite as the campaign pro
crosses. The poll taken by the Repub-
nCan State committee supports the be-
lief that Roosevelt will carry the State
by 80 coo, but on the basis Of the FIVE
Congressional districts such a plurality
for Roosevelt seems high estimate.
Republicans generally viii be satisfied
II Roosevelt carries the State by 1900.
which claim seems to them at this
stage 10 be reasonable. FOu- years
ago Mckinley had 2l.OOO. and eight
years ago 1000 but on both occasions
he was aided by gold Democrats.
Republicans who talk or a big RoGSe-
welt plurality say IL would be 90 90 with
out the tax issue.
AS was expected when the tax reform
session smothered the bill turning over
! TO the State treasury the statutory at
tOrney fees received from foreign cor
pOratiOns chartered in West Virginia,
GubernatoTial Candidate DaWsOn's in
terest In this matter Is being vigorously
agttated He Is serving his eighth year
as secretary OF state, and even il elected
governor and for years TO come he viii
receive these fees, being so a year for
each corporation. The bill 10 abolish
| the entrance Of the fees into his pockets
and succeeding secretaries OF state was
one Of the tax revision measures.