Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-12
Railroad Vote a Factor in
West Virginia.
THREE MEN UNDER BAN
ONE CANDIDATE ON DEMOCRATIC
TICKET, TWO ON REPUBLICAN.
The State Hot Fighting Ground, but
Chances Apparently Favor Roose-
welt and Fairbanks.
Special DISPATCH TO The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
WHEELING, w. Va, October 12.-For
the first time in West Virginia politics
the railroad vote will play an important
part in the state election 1t is the or
ganized employees of the railroads and not
the employing corporations that are meant
in this connection. The conductors, the
brakemen and other branches are animated
under a state standard. and have special
legislative committee. which is supposed 10
work for certain legislation and watch GER
tain politicians. This organization in recent
years has tried to get several bills MADE
into law at Charleston, and as result OF
the failure to pass any one of several bills,
particularly the so-called fellow servants
liability BILL the organization is going after
three members of the state senate who are
candidates for state offices
This fellow servants bill provided for al
lowing railroader to recover damages
from a railroad company in case OF acci-
dental injury to himself if he were not at
fault-in other words, If there should be no
contrbutory negligence. Until there was
handed down decision from the state su-
preme court that every man in railroad
companys employ, from the president to
the track walker, was fellow servant. ana
therefore could not recover damages from
the company should he be injured in a
wreck the railroad employees thought they
had equal chance with the passenger
who got hurt.
Bill Failed in Senate.
After a bitter fight in the winter of 1903
the house passed the fellow servants bill,
but the senate did not. Various sessions of
the railroaders' federation have since been
held and every senator who was unfriendly
to the bill is marked man, far as the
sentiment. of the railroad men goes. They
claim to control 1000 votes. and whether
that number will be actuated or not by the
edict that has gone forth, it is pretty GER
tain there will be a majority of them
against the marked men. This vote is
factor that is looming up gravely be-
fore Senator John j. Cornwen, the demo-
cratic candidate for governor, and Senators
Charles w. Swisher and Clark w. May, re-
publican candidates for secretary of state
and attorney general respectively. Along
the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad the
ganization is the strongest, and its prin-
cipal bureau of activity is in the city of
Huntington. 1t has a good membership
also on the Baltimore and Ohio and Nor
folk and Western roads.
Several conferences have been held with
the leaders of the movement in an effort to
induce them to withdraw their antagOnism.
The three men most affected are trying
earnestly to patch up an ugly situation.
The democrats incline to the view that
Cornwell will not be strongly antago-
nized Swisher and May will be- but the
organization, to be consistent, will have to
treat the three men alike. The democratic
hopes in this regard may be governed by
the fact that this year the railroad COM
panies are not debating to their men how
they shall vote. In the two Bryan cam
paigns the railroaders were lined up almost
entirely for the republican ticket, but they
are given free rein now, and those of
the democratic faith can be relied on to
support Parker and Davis which will be
element to take into consideration In
estimating the electoral possibility.
Indications Favor Roosevelt.
Notwithstanding this fact, the indications
still point to Roosevelt and Fairbanks car
rying the state by a safe majority The
democratic possibility of victory rests on
their state ticket. An instance of this will
be furnished this week in Fairmont. where
there has been a standing offer of 5000 to
wager on the success of the republican ma
tional. state and county tickets The bet is
divided into thsee sections. and that amount
covering the state and county tickets will
be covered, and the Roosevelt end of II will
be left untouched. The offer has been
standing for weeks. and now the democrats
believe they are running no risks in betting
on local issues
The tour of the democratic sneIIhindarc
through West Virginia this week will test
sentiment somewhat as 10 the national
ticket
w. p. Hubbard, the president of the state
TAX commission, will meet with the bank
ers of Wheeling tomorrow evening in an
cndeavor to explain away their fears about
the new tax law pertaining to the banking
and trust business This law goes into effect
IN 1908, and the bankers will be informed II
Is said, that movement toward its repeaI
VIII not be looked with any degree of
dsIavor by republican administration
The law re-enacts an old statute passed bv
democratic legislature N wbi
never enforced, but it has the new feature
OF state tax commissioners investigation
OF the business of the companies. The bank
ers have been threatening to vote against
Dawson. but they may be changed around
before election day.
Mr.. Babcock Takes a Hand.
Chairman Babcock of the national con-
eressional committee has filed a report on
the Gaines Edwards contest in the third
district, in which he protests against Ed
wards decision to run an independent
republican candidate Babcock takes issue
with ex-Representative ]. H. Huling of Ed
wards committee. which is to the effect
that while Edwards is morally bound to
abide by the national committees decision
IN favor OF Gaines. he cannot turn down the
requests of his friends who want him to
run independent of the regular nomination
Babcock declares Edwards is not entitled to
any consideration from the republican
N.
committee that passed on the contest was
composed of Representatives Sherman of
New York, Hull of Iowa and Loudenslager
of New Jersey.
Populist Leader Expected.
a new touch of variety is promised by the
coming 10 West Virginia of Tom Watson
who may be in Parkersburg the same day
that William j. Bryan speaks there. Since
Eugene Debs. the socialist presidential
nominee, has already been in this state, the
campaign needs only the appearance of
Rev. DIR. Swallow, the nominee of the pro-
hibitionists. to complete the bill
In the midst of all the distinguished ma
tlOnal consideration West Virginia is re-
cCiVing II must be repeated once more that
the so-called tax reform question is so
kicking up the dust that national issues
must Hnger in the twilight West Virginia.
therefore, with all issues and all manner
of campaigning, is the hottest fighting
ground of the 1904 battle
Ten Hurt in Jersey Wreck