Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-28
LOSE IN REGISTRATION
REPUBLICAN APATHY IN WEST
VIRGINIA A FEATURE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
WHEELING, w. Va, October 27.-1f reg
istration is to count there will be a decided
slump in the republican vote in West VIZ
oinia for in Ohio county alone is shown a
shortage of 5000 votes, or more than
enough to lose a county that has been
giving $500 majority for the party. For
the first time the new registration law Is
in effect this year. 1t Is not model Jaw
the registrati ton being left to the assessors
on their rounds in the spring months IL
a voter discovers on election day that he
has been missed he has the alternative OF
attestng his legality by the affidavits OF
two responsible citizens.
Local politicians have estimated that not
more than fifty voters could be sworn IN to
a precinct on election day, and that such
task would absorb the attention OF the cleo
ton officials, before whom the af1idavids
must be made or before Whom they must
Ia examined and certified II made by no
tarv public or justice of the peace. Con-
seauently In Ohio county, where the SUD-
tect has aroused some alarm, hustlins was
done to see that the voters missed hereto
fore were recorded in time.
1t is a question how far this laxity has
extended. If uncared for by the party
managers in other parts OF the state me
republican ticket is due for losses that may
prove costly On the other hand, the demo-
Gratis may suffer in proportion. AS they
lack the organization achieved by the OPP
position it stands to reason that they will,
unless as may be the case, they have less
To suffer because their strength Is more
in the agricultural counties than in indus
trial communities and therefore their stable
vote Is more easily located by the assessor.
Regarded as Progressive.
The registration law. it stands, has
been complimented for its progress by
Henry G. Davis. but minor democratic lead
ers contend that the prerequisite to vote
should include the payment of the dollar
capItation tax assessed against every male
adult The fact that such a provision would
entail on the campaign committees OF poth
ma rites the expensive necessity of paying
this tax for hosts of voters prior to election
day was largely responsible for Its defeat
when presented in connection with the
original law two years ago.
The pronounced apathy continues. APP
narently 1t Is welcomed by the democrats
who have no particular issue and who show
little inclination to take the stump. Not
single meeting has been held or arranged
for by the democrats throughout the first
congressional district and the same Is vir-
tually true Of the state. They are not
even gum-shoeing 1t IN way to be noticed
They seem content to let matters drift and
take their chances, hoping for the best.
This apathy has been damper on the
republican spirits. They are accustomed to
q whOOD ana QurTaN, Out they dIo DcSiIi
ming to be reconciled with the conclusion
that the people are satisfied with conditions.
They reason that this satisfaction will be
reflected in a way to their liking II the
voters can be induced to come to the polls.
Get out the vote Is the slogan now being
sent out from state, congressional and
county headquarters. Tons of literature
have been mailed by the republicans, and
they have conducted postal card cam
paisns, employing lower tax bills and
.'Cleveland soup house., cartoons. the lat
ter furnished by the National Protective
Tariff League.
Literature Returned.
Either because 1t entailed too much
trouble or because 1t would be so much
labor for nothing. the democratic commit
tee In Wheeling the other day dispatched
back to Washington load or two of Htera-
ture forwarded by the democratic national
congressional committee. This exempliied
the local sentiment in the democrtti q
camp-that the voters did not want to be
a,..,,,l>ad JTDlaSS fba unforeseen occurs