Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-23
DAwsoN-TETER CONTEST.
Congressional Fight in Second West
Virginia District.

Special Dispatch TO The Star
CUMBERLAND, Nd, April 22-The con-
test for the republican congressional nomi-
nation in the second West Virginia district,
the seat having been made vacant by the
elevation of Aston G. Dayton to the fed
erai bench. is described by politicians as the
Dawson-Teter gubernatorial contest over
again-only worse in its intensity.
The fight seems to be the field against
James s. La in of Terra Alta, the choice
OF Preston county, which is the banner
republican county in the district and will
have the most votes in the convention. one
delegate being allowed for each 100 votes
cast for President Roosevelt. This gives
Preston county thirty-nine votes Iakin
has the backing of Gov. William NJ O.
Dawson, while the other leading candidates.
with one or two exceptions, are Teter men,
1t Is believed that the Teter men will event.
ually combine on one of their number and
land the prize.
This combine will be composed of the
forces of Noah G. Kem of Elkins the con-
gresslonal committee chairman who has
carried his county of Randolph which has
nineteen votes; Ira E. Robinson of Grafton.
who is brother-in-law of Judge Dayton;
State Senator l.. ]. Forman of Grant
county, who last year secured One-third of
the votes IN the convention which nomi-
-.
Jefferson county. which has thirteen votes
Mr.. Keim had a warm fight in his county
OF Randolph because of the opposition of
Senator Elkins to him.
The latter supported Howard Sutherland
but keim, who is an adroit politician. with
the machinery in his hands won out. 1t is
COMMENDED by many that Sutherland was
not a bonafide candidate but was I'm sim
ply to rally the Elkins and anti-Keim
forces Robinson, Forman and Lakin will
go into the convention with the greatest
number of delegates. Besides his own
county, Lakin will have support from Bar
bour and Monongalia and scattering votes
from several other counties. He will prob
ably muster go out of the $50 votes on the
first ballot.
Robinson has his own county of Taylor,
with % votes. solid. probably 20 from MON
ongalia, which has 81 votes. and at least
10 OF the ID votes of Barbour. Forman
has Grant county. 13 votes; Pendleton Q
votes; probably Hardy, 6 votes: Hampshire,
votes, and a portion of Mineral. which has
Is votes. o. A. Hood of Keyser, prose-
cutting attorney of Mineral county. will
his county on the first ballot. The county
is expected to split after that.
A. Robert StallingS of Davis will have the
support of Tucker county. which has eigh-
teen delegates. Stallings, it is expected,
will be in the combine against Lakin. Some
say that it is not altogether assured that
Forman will join a combination, but il Is
argued that he will be forced to do so il he
Hetzel, banker and merchant of Martins
burg, formerly of Cumberland. has the
delegations of Berkeley and Morgan coun-
ties, or thirty-sev delegates in all.
1t is thought that he will try to shift
alone for time in the hope of a deadlock
and the lightning eventually striking. The
district has fourteen counties. Numerous
conferences are being held by the support
erS of the various candidates. On account
of the convenience of location, most of
these meetings have occurred in Cumber-
land, where on. several occasions there has
been a maSsing of the candidates. The
convention will be held at Keyser on We'd
nesday, April 26. The fight is so bitter in
some quarters and complicated that
there is talk of dark horse.
The democrats are looking on in the hope
of ruction of such a nature that their cam
didate might slip in. The democratic con-
yention will be held at Keyser on May 3.
The two most prominently mentioned in
connection with the nomination are John ].
Cornwell of Romney, who was his partyS
candidate for governor last fall, and State
Senator Campbell of Jefferson county.
Many predict that Robinson will get the
republican nomination because of the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad influence alleged
to be behind him. Mr. Robinson is attorney
for the Baltimore and Ohio in Taylor
county, w. Va. 1t is said that the federal
influence is opposed to Robinson.