Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-15
THE SHOT GUN DEFENSE
SLOGAN OF THE DEMOCRATS IN
KANAWHA COUNTY.
They Allege That There Will Be Colo
nizing of Negroes and Republicans
Point to Democratic Tricks.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening star

phase to n situation that is already suffi-
GENTLY picturesque Visions of trouble are
developing through talk of plans OF both
parties In the conflict to station guards
outside every voting precinct to prevent IT.
regularites. The republicans claim they
have good reasons for believing that in
democratic counties democratic sherins VIII
have swarms of special deputies to brow
beat and intimidated, and they talk of in
voEing the aid of special deputy federal
marshals to resist the others
Here in Wheeling, normally republican
city in a normally republican county, there
are democratic chief of police and
democratic sheriff, and as Wheeling is the
county seat of Ohio county, which Demo-
cratic State Chairman McGraw declares is
the fighting ground of the state campaign,
certain republicans, who may De more
far sighted than timid, declare that ad-
vantage will be taken by the democratic
officials to intimidate republicans. Pollcc
Chief Ritz when asked about 1t, r1diculed
the assertion as coming from frightened
pai>- but declared with equal positive
ness that no illegal votes would be per-
mitted.
The lack of a registration law in West
Virginia is a loophole complained or by
the democrats, who express fear OF IL
legal negro voters in the mining coun-
ties There have undoubtedly been some
along this line. and as a reason that coun-
ty, the largest in population In the state.
is the fountain head of the white mans
gov eminent" theory, which was dropped
from the platform at the state convention
after 1t was said 1t would hurt Henry =.
Davis IN northern. debatable states.
The Shotgun Defense.
THE shotgun defense is now the slogan
of the democrats in Kanawha. In Mingo
ern end OF the state. there is expressed an
alarm about the possibility of the repub-
Iicans encouraging repeating. The same
suspicion actuates the republicans. Threats
Of retaliation, which go to the extent of
powder and lead are being muttered back
and forth. With each watching the other
the result may be a model election.
The advantage of the machinery is all
with the republicans, and this is not thing
to be scoffed at, but the campaign has been
Sc free Of real old-time antagonism SO far
that this talk of guards at the polls would
seem far-fetched. The tax issue has had
the effect of disturbing the republicans and
engendering opposition among a large num-
beI of them to the state ticket. more
pecially Dawson, their candidate for gov
ernor, thar they do not present an unbroken
front. 1t is their fear of losing complete
control Of the state, after wrestling 1t eight
years ago after fight for a quarter of a
century, that makes them anxious about
the federal marshals and all that because
the democrats are beginning to say they
will resist to the bitter end attempts to cast
illegal votes or make negroes vote more
than once
Candidate Davis tells a story which was
much used by the Teter faction against
Dawson'S HeutenantS in the republican con-
test for the goyernorship nomination. 1t is
that OF darkey in kanawha county, who
voted twenty-seven times in the Kanawha
primary. changing his coat or cap, as oc-
casion required, and being guaranteed a
dollar clip. but who still maintains he us
owed sumfin." Senator Davis in his talks
through the state this week clamored for
registration law. for which the people voted
two years ago, but cognizance of which
was not taken by the legislature The
failure to include a provision making the
payment of the capitation tax a prereuuis-
lite to voting is the rock on which the dem
ocrats based their objection to voting for
the principal tax reform measure at the
legislatures special session.
Politicians, Not People, Exercised.
1t is the politicians and not the people,
however who are exercised over the cry
1t was the politicians who first got ex-
cited over the paramount tax issue and the
people may get interested in the premature
insinuations of fraud they finally got in
terested in the question of taxes.
The spelbinding tour of the Davis Hill
Daniels -Whyte party has certainly
enthused the democrats of West Virginia
II IL mas not gained votes. 1t has caused
nnuch comment as to the effect 1t will have
on the election and its extent can't be in
teihgently estimated until the enthusia SIN
II created has subsidized 1t has certainly
stimulated the democracy Little more of
nauohaI ISSUES VIII be heard, for Il is on
state issues that the democrats base their
hopes or success, with some indications of
fulfillment.
III betting shows the way the wind is
pIo"ihg, the candidates for governor have
an equal chance. 1t is even money on DaW-
son and Cornwell and odds on Roosevelt
carrying the state. In a few days It is pre-
ulcted, the odds will be on Cornwell As
the situation stands now Cornwell is elect
ed lie would win If the election was held
next tuesday, but 1t is realized that Daw
son Is the most astute politician in the
state and may be turning a few ouief
erichs IN unexpected places. His friends
are appealing to republicans at largo mot IN
scratch him. with the argument that Corn.
wells election will mean the disnlacamant
OF a thousand republican officeholders in
state institutions. al
Guess at Democratic Headquarters.
FOR the first time in the campaign figures
have been emitted at the Democratic steto
headquarters in this city, although NOT or-
hcially. One of the workers at headouor-
tiers declared Cornwell's majority would
run from 10000 to 10000 Others of both
psiIieS specuiatlng on the outcome believe
II Cornwells majority is more than OO0
the entire state ticket and Parker and Da-
Wis Will win, and that If 1t falls below that
ngure there Is no chance for Parker and
DAVIS. II is not a bad guess at this stage
that Roosevelt will have 10000 and that
Cornwell Will be the only democrat elect
ed. This guess will likely be DISPUTED In
certain circles, but II is as good as any
body else's. and, to use Hibernianism 10
maybe a little better
Senator Elkins has issued an authorized
interview invoking united support for
Dawson. His only speech of the campaipn
was made at Clarksburg in an accidental
meeting with Dawson, and was in his be-
half. This speech was snapped up eagerly
by an anxious element to mean the recoa-
nized leader of the West Virginia repubii-
cans would be heard again on the stump
Notwithstanding the embarrassment of his
father-in-law's candidacy for the vice nres
idency on the democratic ticket: but SEN
ator Elkins evidently desires peace In the
family and is hugging close to home His
appeal for Dawson carries its own signiE-
canoe
Republicans alarmed about the state
cherish the hope that n reaction NAV set In
favorable to the position they occupy on
the tax question. but the democrats de-
clare their prospects of victory increase
with the days. The republicans are very
alert In discussing the tax question, from
which they SHE'D at first, and Emmett Sho-
walter, Taylor Vinson and other leaders of
the Teter faction have been pressed into
service They argue for support of the re-