Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-25
TRIUMPH OF ELKINS
SENTIMENT rs OVERWHELMING
FOR HIM IN WEST VIRGINIA.
pecIal corresponder1ce OF The Star.

Special Correspondents of The Star.
WHEELING, w. Va, November "a, 1905.
With the simmering of interest In election
desire among the republican members OF
the legislature to hold an early caucus and
re-efect Senator Stephen B. Elkins at the
earliest practicable date. The desire for ur-
gency springs largely from the fact that
the session will be called on to consider an
amazing grist of bills.
Z Senator Elkins' qualifications for repub-
lican recognition and republican leadership
were again demonstrated in the late cam
paign. Proof of his abality to do things has
been shown in the death song" of Judge
Dent, the defeated democratic candidate
for Congress in the senator's district. The
judge gives Mr.. Elkins all the credit for
his, defeat by such a surprising majority.
He omits credit to his victorious competitor
and ignores the organization behind him
and such issues as had play.
A year ago Senator Elkins looked good
for struggle to retain his hold on his
party. Then there were other ambitions
of a possible clashing nature When Gov
Dawson passed him over to write to Sem
ator Tillman the average West Virginian
prepared to get a front seat for the fight.
The perennial talk of Judge Goff's enter
ing the lists was revived and the so-called
republican insurgent faction was featured
as a formidable opposition to Snator Ell
kins' reelection.
But the senator wiped out all opposition
even to breath when he made his speech
in the Senate on the Hepburn bill, and when
he followed 1t up with two amendments Of
peculiarly beneficial character to the min
ing district of West Virginia. Whether the
senator was playing politics or not, he GER
tainly hit the bell each time. His OPPOSE
ton faded as the mist before the morning
sun. There is no more talk of ex-Gov.
White of Gov. Dawson. of Judge Golf. Of
Representative Gaines or of w. P. Hubbard
contesting for his laurels.
His Triumphant Reelection.
So it will come to pass that Elkins will
be reelected triumphantly. 1t is only
question now of whether the republican leg
islatiye caucus will be held earlier than
usual. In the light Of the need for action
in deciding the horde Of applications for
clerkships, Partnerships and so on, and the
need of something like party agreement Of
policies to be thrashed out, it is believed
the senatorial matter will be got out of the
way on the first dash.
West Virginians are interested In the
prospects of Senator N. B. Scott for the
Craftsmanship Of the republican national
committee. He has been mentioned favor
ably as Chairman Cortelyou's successor,
with decided opposition likely only from
Harry c. New of Indiana Senator Scott
has been the West Virginia member for
over sixteen years. He was one of the old
Neutrality-suspicious. guard, and as a safe, jul
dicious pilot, without spectacular effects,
would fill the bill splendidly, according to
the West Virginia idea.
Since the election of the senator's fellow
townsman, w. P. Hubbard, to Dovener's
seat in the lower House. gossip has in
creased that in good time Hubbard will be
a candidate for SCOTS shoes. The truth
Of this will have show for its white alley
two years hence, when 1t comes to picking
out the state senator for the Wheeling dis
trtct, who. as a holdover. will have a vote
IN. fh4 TO- II
later.
Hubbard Is incidentally being doomed as
the next governor Of West Virginia. For
either office he will have an influential fol-
more decided preference from the Dawson
administration. tnasmuch as IT is an open
secret that the governor himself covets
SCOTS senatorial shoes.
Gaines Possibility.
Representative aGines will certainly be
trotted out at that time If Dawson makes
the fight against Scott. Gaines comes from
The southern section, where Dawson now
claims residence, and on geographical lines
will have claims for equal consideration.
Furthermore. aGines will appeal to repub-
licaps who have not been identified with
either the Dawson or anti-Dawson faction
In the meantime Senator Scott is the mon
arch of all he surveys and is said to be
growing steadily in the affection of the rank
and file. =
Senator Joe McDermott of Morgantown
has announced his candidacy for the pres
idency Of the state senate, and so also
have Senator Gartlan of Petersburg Sen
ator Marshall of Hancock county and
nearly every other republican holdover,
while the booming mill is at work for SEN
ator Hazlett of Wheeling and other new
members.
The state administration Is not going to
take hand until alignments are necessary
in the final stage. There will be a clear
field for all corners until the crucial point
Is reached where Gov. Dawson decides that
certain candidate will be cordial or un-
friendly to some pet measures which he
will propose in his first legislative message
Under the West Virginia arrangement a
governor does not get to convene a regu-
lar session of the legislature until two
years after his Inauguration.
The governor stirred up the animals in
the northern panhandle counties this week
by appointing Frank w. Nesbitt of Wheel
ing to succeed the late Judge Melvin on
the circuit bench of the first judicial cir
cult, which comprises Ohio, Brooke, Han
the district expressed an overwhelming pref
erence for William Erskine, also of Wheel
ing, as against Mr.. Nesbitt. The latter was
an ardent supporter of Gov. Dawson in his
preliminary and final contests for the gov
ernorship and was rewarded with a state
normal school regency first and a reported
promise Of the first judicial vacancy
There is no objection to him on any other
ground than that the governor showed a
tendency to follow Andrew Jackson's car
dinal political tenet. Judge Nesbitt's term
Will expire two years hence. Democrats
then against Erskine, who is a republican.
In view of present feeling they will have
some assistance for their candidate two
years hence. =