Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-23
SITUATION Is COMPLEX
YULETIDE POLITICS IN STATE
OF WEST VIRGINIA.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
WHEELING, w. Va, December 22.-The
senate presidency plum and the legislative
lemon-the latter for Col John T. McGraw
are two subjects that exceed in interest
the things that go with yuletide for West
Virginia citizens interested in politics. The
contest for the presidency of the senate is
growing in warmth among the followers
of the three republican candidates, Mar
shall, McDermott and Forman The demo-
Gratis are enjoying mild diversion by look
ing about for shoulders upon which to cast
the valueless mantle worn for years by Col.
McGraw. They talk of choosing another as
the United States senatorial caucus nomi-
nee, and thus paving the way to a new
leadership in the state.
The contest for the senate presidency is
due to narrow down to Marshall and Nc
Dermott when the solo1s gather at Charles
ton shortly after the holidays. norman is
on the boards for elimination after the first
trial of strength. If he can't muster a
good following he may decide to eliminate
himself before the balloting begins.
Back of Marshall will be all the anti
administration senator's Back of McDer-
mott, the final roundup If not on the
first, will be all the senators who stand
with Gov. Dawson on the policies which are
linked with the partys platform and per-
formances in the last two or three years.
McDermott will be the governors second
choice, for he prefers Forman, but he will
let go of his first love to beat Marshall.
Marshall came within an ace of landing
the place in the caucus two -earS ago. His
subsequent conduct in lining up with the
republican insurgents in a combination with
the democrats on legislation made him
persona non grata with the governor. More
over, the success of Marshall this year
might be construed as a setback to the ad-
illustrations program, past and prospec-
tive. For that reason Marshall, who fell
foul of the administration influence two
years ago, must face the same situation
again.
Marshall Needs Thirteen Votes.
Marshall must have thirteen votes to win,
and he and his hackers claim he has two
to spare sure with the prospect of three
more when they see how the cat is going
to jump. These three are figured upon as
members ambitious of getting committee
chairmanships and who will forsake per-
sonal preferences in order to be on the WIN
ming side. The Marshall men talk of get
ting as high as eighteen or nineteen votes.
On the other hand, the Marshall men ad-
nit that their chief fear is in their inability
to hold their votes in line until the caucus.
They realize the danger of some of them
slipping away, and they are not unmndful
of the growing strength of McDermott. AS
between Forman and McDermott they
would prefer a McDermott victory, because
of McDermott's more liberal views on ques-
tons affecting the regulation of corporate
interests. McDermott's campaign IS being
managed by Secretary of State SwiSher,
who has the reputation of never having
been behind a loser. SWiSher'S luck in poll
tics is provcrbial. McDermott personally is
confident of winning the fight hands down
and he shows no concern over the Marshall
claims to certain senators. In any event,
the issue will be in doubt for a week or two
SO far as the house is concerned, it looks
like a walkover for Seaman of jackson coun-
ty for speaker The day after the election
there was a big field. but most of them
seem to have been afflicted with stage
fright since. The fight in the house will be
over the clerkship with four putting up
lively sprint-Shaw, who was clerk for two
ant; Hodges, who has been q second assist
ant, and Douglas Hughes, brother of Rep
resentative James A. Hughes.
Will Forget" McGraw.
The democrats who want to dethrone Nc
Graw from the state party leadership have
not yet announced who they will invest with
the empty honor of their caucus nominal
ton for the United States Senate, but the
word has been passed around to forget Nc
Graw for change. McGraw has had the
honor three times, coming within vote of
being chosen when Senator Scott was first
elected He has abided close to the hearts
of the Bryan element and he cannot be de-
posed without a struggle, if he chooses to
fight but he may agree to forego the she'll
this time. The significance of the thing
lies in it's relation to the national commit
teeship. There is a feeling that McGraw
should give way in 1908 to g. new man
not so much in the expectation that West
Virginia may thereby be recalled to the
democratic column as that change will
not work worse than has been the result
in the several last campaigns.
Light on Congressional Fight.
While discussing McGraw there has been
developed a lot of new light on the con-
gresgonal contest in his district, the sec
ond, at the recent election. The nomination
of former Judge Dent was heralded as a
McGraw selection, and so accepted without
question by the remote populace. Now it
develops that Dents nomination was a
complete surprise to McGraw. He and for
mer Senator Henry G. Davis had picked on
j. Hop Woods of Barbour county, who was
slated TO get it without opposition. Dur
ing the recess for dinner at the keyser
convention, and within the hour preliminary
to reconvening, Judge Dent was solicited
10 stand by anti-McGraw men, and his con-
sent came a quarter of an hour before the
convention was recalled, and McGraw did
not know of the move.
AS Dent and McGraw are from the same
county and as McGraw had promised to
support Woods, the latter left his seat as
a delegate when Dent was put in nominal
ton and did not return to the hall. He &C
cused the judges brother, Will Dent, of
bad faith, and an exciting scene followed.
1t is stated, however, that the judges
brother was not a particeps criminis.
The story that McGraw was subsequently
lukewarm toward Dent is not credited, for
1t is said McGraw has always been "regu-
lar" 1t is known also that he contributed
$500 to Dents campaign fund. About the
only thing McGraw may have kicked
against was the box the trick of his party
foes put him In at the convention.