Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-29
ASPIRANTS FOR SENATE
CONDITIONS OF POLITICAL SIT
UATIoN IN WEST VIRGINIA.
Special Correspondence of The Star
WHEELING. w. Va 7,

WHEELING. w. Va, July % 1905
When the fifteen republican insurgent
leaders repaired to White Sulphur Springs
Tor conference they created a pretty big
wave OF interest hardly justified by their
numerical showing. But as a result of
their pow-wow another man, Zachary Tay-
Tor Vinson OF Huntington, is enjoying a
boom for Senator Elkins' shoes. while
Thomas Perry Jacobs of New Martinsville
ana the letters he wrote form a new storm
center.
Finsons name has been sprung In the
last few days and those responsible say he
conilded to them his ambitions LAST fall
when he was stumping the state for the
republican ticket. Mr.. Vinson was the
Hoor leader of the Teter forces in the state
convention and he made a speech denounc-
ing the methods by which Dawson's dele
gates from kanawha county were selected
d most caustic arraignment which was fire.
quently made capital of by the democrats
In the campaign. Vinson came over TO the
republicans from the democratic party
about ten years ago. and the fact that he
mas not been always a republican will be
used against him IL he really intends to
make fight for the sena torshp
Judge Blizzard remains noncommittal on
his boom in the same direction, but /. Is
regarded sufficient cause for tributes
and attacks. 1t Is being freely stated that
he VIII not oppose Elkins because o.
desire to have the senator's influence for
reappointment to his present position of
district attorney. But there is no question
OF his sincerity in any plans and calc,la-
tiOns he may have for trimming the Daw-
son wing of the dominant republican fac
tion He has been the minority factions
chief counsellor and will undoubtedly con-
tinue to be until truce is called, an
eventuality not promising
Fire and Cross Fire.
Judge Jacobs is the object of fire and
cross-fire because his epistolary illusions
on the White Sulphur conference have
been made public He was classed as an
tnsurgent sympathizer because of his active
part in the Teter campaign, and Senator
Sam Montgomery invited him by letter to
the conference to which the former jurist
replied by suggesting a more central meet
ing place. Judge Jacobs did not attend
the conference, as generally reported, and
he wrote to former Gov. White stating that
he had part in 1t nor sympathy with
1t; that he was not a kicker, and that
when the party in convention assembled
set the tune he would try to sing to it,
Gov White published this letter to take
fall out of the insurgent sails. and then
the insurgents published the first Jacobs
letter. The judge followed with third
to explain both. Benjamin Buffers re-
mark about the wisdom of walking hun
dred miles in preference to writing letter
is worthy of recollection in the pending
dispute. In the meantime Senator Mont
his conference invitation that the party
may know whether or not he understood
the objects of the conference whose meet
Ing place he wished to change
Judge Jacobs Aspirations.
The Juror the Jacobs correspondence Is
causing may have deeper significance than
the wayfarer can fathom Judge Jacobs
certainly must regret 1t. At present he is
a candidate for the position Of dean of the
State University law school. He was named
as one of the university regents about cam
paign time by Gov. White, and he Will
therefore have vote on the deanship. He
was candidate for supreme court judge
at the last convention and at previous
ones, and was also unsuccessful in other
political aspirations, but served a term as
circuit court judge. AS chairman of a
strenuous convention in Magnolia district,
Wetzel county, last year. when he and the
rest of the Tetec faction captured the dele
gates, he was severely censured by the
Dawson following. but that feeling was as
suaged by succeeding events.
Judge Jacobs is more unlucky than the
half a dozen White Sulphur conferees. who
kept their identity concealed. despite the
vigilance of a United States deputy mar
shall, dispatched from Charleston to take
notes on the gathering for the editicatton of
the Dawson-Elkins leaders In the state
capital. Senator Montgomery explains that
the unidentified gentlemen leaped from
rear window of the hotel to escape detec-
tion All of which goes to demonstrate the
various novelties Of politics IN West Vir-
ginia.
The insurgents propose another rally In
the early fall, and while they have kept
secret the result Of their initial operations
1t is known that they hope to effect an
organization by counties, and particularly
by senatorial districts. They want to con-
troll the next legislature. with the main eye
on the senate. They deny that this meeting
was anti-Elkins. AS to that, Senator Mont
gomery speaks In this fashion: Il expect to
give Elkins the same loyal support that he
melted out to Lakin for Congress-
1t does not need diagram to understand
that Montgomery insinuates that Elkins
did not support the republican congress
sional candidate in the second district last
month, and that he will not cast his vote
In the senatorial caucus for ElknS. The
other insurgents, however, are not SO out
spoken, and appear to labor under fear
of expressing such sentiments at this juno
ture. They would not be SO backward If
there was room for choice but Blizzard
and Vinson only yet speculative con-
testants, and neither's name arouses more
than a limited enthusiasm or suggests the
potential persuasion necessary in winning
over doubtful support in a legislative bat
tie.
The Possible Golf Boom.
Judge Nathan Golf might say word of
.hree letters and the whole situation would
two-lettered word few months ago Cling
Ing to a straw. the dreamers yet dream
that his refusal to become candidate did
not carry with 1t a. determination to refuse
an acceptance of the caucus nomination.
That contingency is, of course, practically
impossible The only possible way to bring
such situation about would be field of