The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-11-12
her AIDE
ID Guess
HAS EARNED TITLE OF eRosyEN.
OR or WEST VIRGINIA, THINKS
JOHN WALLACE.

John Wallace wrote as follows for
yesterdays Prttsburg Dispatch:
"Charles w. swisher's claim to the
title of the Grogvenor of West Virgin
ia was surprisingly supported by the
returns. OF all the surprises. the ac-
curacy of his prophetic vision Is the
greatest. He predicted the election
of all five Republican Congressional
candidates by maximum and minimum
majorities which were closely approx.
lmated, and he missed 1t but little on
the Legislature.
The Secretary of State claimed Sc
Republican members Of the House,
with - in doubt, mostly to be Re
publican. Sixty Republicans were
elected. In his detailed guess by coun'
ties he misplaced only two, Barbour
and Pocahontas, and the result was
close in each. He claimed Repub'
lican representation of "a in the Sen
ate, including the hold,overs, as
against six for the Democrats, and he
was just two short, for his own par
Ity, or balance for the two he missed
on the House.
Just Right Last Winter.
The Republicans will control the
Legislature by Sc on joint ballot, or
exactly their strength in the 1904 cleo
ton. A recount in Mingo after that
election gave them one member, and
a contest in Barbour or some other
close election may do the same this
year.
when swisher made his prediction
a week before the election he said the
Republican majority on joint ballot
would not be less than A. Early last
winter he said It would be what nc
lually happened. Had he abided by
his winter claim his estimate would
have been marvellous.
"All politicians save swisher con
tented themselves with generaliztng
and usually fortified themselves with
qualifications as to what General
Apathy might or might not do.
BASED on the vote for Congress
West Virginia went Republican by cv'
er 10000, while based on the vote for
State Senate it piled up 5000 more
both figures being by far the largest
ever recorded for either party in the
State in an off year.
Democrats had expected to greatly
increase their representation in the
Legislature, and they had faint hopes
of electing Judge Dent to succeed
Congressman Davis, who slipped in at
special Congressional election last
year.
Prosperity Cry Won Out.
Democrats are not inclined to con
cede that the new tax laws counted.
The Democratic slump in agricultural
counties and the failure Of the Repuh'
lican vote to slump in the towns and
cities would indicate passive satisfac'
tion withsthe muchlys debated change
| in the taxing system. The Democrats
believe that the Republican prosperity
cry was potent, with the related alarm
bell about panic to follow Demo
craft csuccess. Their lack Of organic
alton contrasted with the efficient Re-
publican machinery was to their SER
ious disadvantage in the comparative
ly light total vote polfed.
"Now that it is all over there are
Republicans who fear their majority
in the Legislature may prove unwieldy
and disturbing to party harmony, as
was the case two years ago, when, ex.
cept for the caucus that unanimous
ly nominated Senator Scott, efforts to
get them in caucus that would be
binding were fruitless. They would
occasionally agree to assemble togeth.
er, II the gathering was to be a con-
ference, but they baked at caucus,
incidentally they split into two fac.
lions in the Senate. one joining with
the small Democratic minority. In
The House nearly every member of the
big Republican majority wanted to be
the floor leader.
Hot Fight for Reorganization.
zone Of the new issLes sprung dur
ing the preliminary conventions oI
both parties was a 2.cent passenger
fare on the railroads and almost uni
formly it met with favor. The first
bill along that line was introduced If
the last Legislature by DR.. T. F. Ian
ham, of Taylor county. He was re
nominated on the strength of It. HI
really spurred the movement on ant
in sense originated 1t. The move
ment was popular everywhere. AM
vet the voters of TAYLOR county fur
nished one of the distinct surprises
Ivy overturning the Republican MAORI
Ties that county formerly gave and de