Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-03
ORATORY IN POLITICS
CAMPAIGN OF SPELLBINDERS IN
WEST VIRGINIA.
Appeal for Funds by Each Party-Re-
publicans Active, Democrats
Daring but Little.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
WHEELING. w. Va. September 3. 1904.
The oTatory begins in the West Virginia
campaign next Tuesday and from that time
on the republican stumpers will be in mo-
tion until election day. Former Gov. Geo.
w Atkinson and w. NJ. O. Dawson, repub-
lican nominee for governor. will address
the first republican meeting at Webster
Springs in Webster county. This is sum-
mer resort town that might be classified as
Democratic Chairman John T. McGraw's
nome since he has large holdings there. in
Guiding the big summer hotel. Colonies
Atkinson and Dawson will progress slowly
toward EarkcrSburg. speaking few nights
ia Nicholas and Braxton counties. They
want to be in Parkersburg September Il,
when the republican campaign vii! be for
naily' opened by senator Fairbanks. who
is running agai: / Former Senator Henry
G.. Davis.
1t will be noticed that there is a good
deal Of running into the CnemyS country
this year. the first act on the republican
program was 20 start the spcechifying in
Komney. the home of John j. Cornwell, the
democratic candidate for governor. and
Geo. c. Sturgiss, a tax reformer OF Nor
gantown. WaS enlisted for the job. The
Morgautown man was to have the honor
of first breaking the ice for Dawson, but
this part of the program has been changed,
ana AtkliSDu ana I'iNSpl Will tAp tl'dI
breaking in on Chairman McGraws sum
mer retreat The coming of Mr.. Fairbanks
to West Virginia is to he made much OF
All the candidates for Congress ana state
Offices will be at Parkersburg the day of his
appointment there, and there will be speak
ing and band music from dewy morn to
dusky eve. 1t will be worked up for all
i; is worth.
Other Spellbinders Engaged.
Besides invading the county of Hamp-
shire with Sturgiss the republican managers
threaten To throw other spellbinders into
the preserves of Cornwel. There is a faint
suspicion that this policy will react, and
already Cornwcn is telling them TO come
on. Mr. SturgiSs who, like the democratic
candidate for governor, is both lawyer
ana an editor. couldn't wait until SeDtem-
her III. hut has opened up his editorial bat
teries on Cornwell relative to Cornwells
position on the tax bills in the state SEN
ate Cornweli replies with equal vigor and
urges Sturgiss to repeat some of his state
Inents when he speaks in Romney, the
county seat of Hampshire
Through his paper CornWell mas been
making public two columns week on the
tax issue in a frank and fearless style, and
he has surprised the natives by taking the
initiative. Everybody in the state KNOWS
exactly where Cornwel stands, and it is
charged that the position of Mr.. Dawson Is
s. entwined with doubts and mlSglVlnSS
that the farmers. who were his Stanch9St
supporters for the nomination, have be-
gun To drift away from him since the now
famous special session of the legislature
Mr. Dawson has successfully avoided max
ing a clear statement of his position AT
any time although he has been generous
in handing out impressions more or less
uloaSing 70 the person and the time GOV.
White and former Gov. Atkinson. VINO ala
woman work for him through their large
aCquaintanCeS and ability TO mix with the
peGple prior to the convention. are figured
on To work equally hard for his election.
National Committeeman Alert.
Senator Scott who has charge of the |
speakers bureau in New York does not
intend to have the national features side
tracked by the tax reform and Dawson |
Cornwen business. He wants to be salts |
fled the legislature will be right for his re-
election in January. and he will send to the
state many of the big guns Speaker Joe
Cannon will spend four or five days III
West Virginia the latter part of September
Secretary of War Taft will speak in
Wheeling October 10, and at Grafton, DC
tober IL. and ex-senator John NJ Thurs
ton Of Nebraska will be utilized for fun
week These. with Senator Fairbanks, con- |
stitute but a part of the talent that Is |
said to figure in the battle for the s'a;e
seven electoral votes primarily, ana o'her
things incidentally. The national congress
sinnal committee does not like the look OF
things in the second and third districts ana
nossibly the fifth. The nomination OF Henry
G.. Davis for Vice PRESIDENT I"'P' "''i's
the alarm cry. , , -
,rbe paws nomination is being used so
strongly by West Virginia republican ieaa-
ers in alarming the national committees
and in arousing the nome voters that l'S
r-oht 10 the democracy may be questioned
10 n large extent There are democrats VINO
saw the Davis nomination has a tendency 10
brighten the republicans ard cause them 10
heal the soreness of their fractional fights
which without the nomination would have
been beyond healing. The Davis honor
works both ways. Democratic missionaries
to the throne can say because or the re-
nublican fear of Davis the republican fund
for this state will be large and that the
democrats will have to make special men
ton to overcome 1t. The republican pill
erims to the New York headquarters can
say that inasmuch as Senator Davis is
likely to contribute largely it is incumbent
on republicans to keep Up with him or take
the risk of losing West Virginia If both
Meas are successful there should be some
merry dungs In and about the voting pre-
cincts here in November.
Democrats Inactive.
The literary and speakers bureaus at the
republican state headquarters are working
like clocks and preparations have been
made for taking the polls The democrats
have not opened headquarters yet and have
no organization worthy of the name. Con-
sequently there is much muttering among
many of the faithful although others say
the organization will come by and by.
There are critics who are rising up against
Chairman McGraw and his colleagues on
the state committee for meeting at Atlantic
City to go over I'll" tax bills and other
things and they speak of them rainbow
CEasers. They say neither McGraw nor o.
5. Mckinney. who is next in command has
ability for details.
Unless the democrats get busy pretty
soon they he'd better call it off altogether
Following their state convention they were
very promSCuous and exuberunt. However
the situation is peculiar this year and lust
now seems to be waiting period In line
with tile lack of democratic energy repub-
Hcans are returning to TIE former claim of
5000 majority for the national ticket bas-
ing the increased majority over that given
Mckinley by the charactc. of the increased
population.