Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-05-14
Movement in West Virginia to
Prevent Senator's Reelection
Makes Progress
Resolutions Indorsing the Course of
Senator Elkins in the Senate Turn
cd Down at Political Meeting at
Parkersburg-other indications Of
Revolt.

Washington, May H. The premoni
To overthrow and retire stephen b. Ell
lSins from the arena of national poll
ties have appeared In West Virginia.
Mr.. Elkins Will end his present term in
the senate In March, 1907, and the next
legislature in West Virginia will choose
his successor. He has big fight on
his hands. Since the rate regulation
question has been before the Senate
during the current session he has been
OF popular favor but the popular winds
were pcrversc.
News comes from Parkersburg. In
Mr.. Elkins state. that al a mass meet
ing OF the republicans OF the county,
held there Saturday, resolutions en-
dorsing the course Of the senior United
States senator were turned down, as
we'll as prepared instructions TO the
delegates to the district senatorial con-
vention to vote for Elkins' candidate
for the state senate, Thomas Gartlan.
Particular significance attaches to
this action at republican mass meet
ing I'm one of the principal West Nir-
gina counties from the fact that Per-
keraburg is the home of United States
District Attorney Reese Blizzard and
United States Marshal G. D., Elliott,
both OF whom are appoiutees uf flkns.
These men usually control the politics
Of their district What the movement
may amount to In localities where I'll
kius is not so strongly entrenched with
federal patronage. in Wow of the popu-
lar uprising in this instance is easy to
understand. The word THAT reaches
washington Is that anti lclkns senti-
ment is rampant all along the line.
Since his entry into the senate fol-
lowing his occupancy of the war port
folia In the Harrison cabinet Mr.. Ell
kins has been one of the prominent fig
ures Of the senate combine presided
over by Nelson w. Aldrich Of Rhode
Island AS chairman of the commit
tee on Interstate commerce he has ex-
ercsed powerful influence on railroad
legislation. The monument to his leg
islativc activity is the Elkins law pro-
hibiting rebates. which, according to
the Garfield investigation OF the Stan
dard Oil Company and the more recent
proceedings before the interstate COM
merce commission at Chicago, has not
checked the evil to any great extent.
Opponents of Mr.. Elkins declare he
has been u stumbling block in the path
of effective legislation designed to curb
the railroads as chairman of the COM
mittee having that subject In charge.
When West Virginia arose in pro-
test against the domination and dis
ordinations of the coal roads last
winter the republican governor OF the
state ignored Senator Elkins and his
colleague. Senator Scott and sent the
petitions praying for relief to Senator
Tillman, the democratic leader in
charge of the Hepburn bill. Senator
Ellsins, however, got busy with some
radical propositions intended to di-
vorce railroads from coal land owner
ship The latest political event in his
state Indicated that the people there
haven't much regard for his suddea
posing as their friend on the eve OF a
campaign that is to determine his con-
tinuance in public life.