Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-21
THE POLITICAL LIFE
WEST VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS Re-
FUSE TO INSTRUCT DELEGATION.
Lie Passed Between Excited Delegates
Ex-senator Davis Characteristic
Speech in Convention.

dispatch from Charleston w Va, says:
The democrats of West Virginia held a
series of conventions here today, in which
were selected four delegates and their alter
mates to the national convention from the
state-at-large. in addition to which each
OF the five congressional districts selected
two delegates and their alternates to the
national convention.
The big four selected by the state dele
gate convention were ex-senator Henry
G. Davis Of Randolph county, ex-senator
Johnson N. Camden of Wood, ex-Gov. W.
A. MacCorkle of Kanawha and Owen s.
Mckinney of Marion.
They were elected by reclamation. Only
two other names were presented in nomi-
ration, Joseph Murphy of Wood county
and Perry G. Afford of Lewis The last
two, Hearst men. had good following
from their respective counties, as well as
other counties in the fourth district, but
sentiment was Overwhelmingly against
them and their names were withdrawn.
Fight on Unit Rule.
The sentiment was strong against bind
ing the West Virginia delegation to the
support of any candidate for first place
on the national ticket. and the fourteen
delegates will go to st. Louis uninstructed.
In the closing hours of the state conven-
tion hot fight was waged on the question
or the adoption Of the unit rule of voting
~ the oelegat1on. The question was de-
Dated for nearly an hour. but in the end
the opponents of the rule were victorious.
IL is believed that the West Virginia
delegation has decided leaning toward the
candidacy of Judge Parker but this sentf-
ment does not predominant exclusively. as
Is shown by the personnel of the delegation.
Gorman and Hearst each having a follow
ing
The Tic pacead
During the proceedings Warren Hays.
supporter of William Randolph Hearst
for the presidency. who was selected as a
district delegate, while making a speech
froin a box in the theater where the con-
vention was held vigorously criticised ex-
Senator Johnson L. Camden as a bolter
In the past, and with emphasis gave the
lie to delegate who, an hour previous,
had been selected as an alter ate to ST.
LOUIS, because the alternate had branded
Hays in open convention as a greenbacker
The alternate, Col. Mccoy of Tyler county.
leaped upon a chair in the convention hall
ana responded in stentorian tones that Mr..
Hays was liar
A feature of the afternoon session was
a speech by ex-senator Henry G. Davis.
Ihat the venerable party leader holds a
warm place in the hearts of the West Vir-
ginia democracy was fully attested by the
spontaneous bursts of applause which
ence to him by other speakers. Ex-senator
Davis Is the recognized leader of the con-
servative element of the party, and along
with the other members of the big four
VIII Undoubtedly control the action of the
delegation at st. Louis
senator Davis, in sounding the keynote
or the state campaign for white mans
party, declared that it was the negro vote
lnat mad Kept the republicans In power
since the days of Lincoln. giving statistics
to show that in seven states the negro vote
was greater than the republican ma jority He
IeIerred 10 the frauds in the post Office and
iand once, and the refusal of Congress to
investigate. He had kind words to saw of
poth German and Parker as possible demo-
cratic candidates.
returns from every section Of Georgia in
the democratic primary seem to assure the
overwhelming reelection of Chief Justice
Ihomas j. Simmons of the supreme court
over MS opponent, Judge Richard B. Rus
SELL and the reelection of Chairman Joseph
s. Turner of the state prison commission
over Judson M. Strickland, along with the
rest or the entire state ticket, headed by
Governor Joseph NJ Terrell, which went
through unopposed.
Late returns from the ninth Georgia con-
gressional district indicate that T. M Bell
mas defeated Representative Carter Tate
Tor the democratic nomination from that
district
state Senator Gordon Lee has undoubted-
~ won the race for Congress in the seventh
Georgia district over Col. G. r. Hutchins
returns from the first Georgia congress
slonal district indicate the denomination
for Congress of Col. Rufus E. Lester.
Five hundred ballots have been cast at
the eighth congressional district convention
in Findlay, Ohio, with no signs of a break.
Each of the six delegations is standing
solidly by its candidate
Republicans of the eleventh Missouri dis
trict nominated Henry 8. Catfish for Con-
gress.
At Hendersonville. N. c., Judge H. q.
Ewart was nominated by the republicans
for Congress from the tenth North Carolina