Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-31
DIVIDED ON TAFT BOOM
INTEREST IN WEST VIRGINIA
OVER REPORTED CONFERENCE.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

WHEELING, W. Va, March 60 1907.
West Virginia politicians have been inter-
ested and somewhat aroused by the report
from Washington that conference took
place there recently with Senator Elkins,
Gov Dawson and Representatives-elect
Hubbard and Sturgiss as participants,
whereby it was decided to give Taft the
West Virginia delegation in the republican
national convention. Perhaps the greater
surprise was developed over the statement
that Senator Elkins has the intention OF
taking active part in the 1908 program
for it was taken for granted that after his
reelection to the Senate for six years to
comes he would be content to stay outside
the strenuous circle.
There is little doubt, however, that Gov.
Dawson and Messrs. Hubbard and Sturg1ss
will work for a Taft delegation. Certainly
Senator Scott does not doubt it, although
he processes not to believe that Senator
Elkins will be party to a movement which
cannot help being construed as 1nimlcal to
Scott A boom for Scott for the presidency
has been allowed to go out from SCOTS
friends. and the fact that Immediately on the
institution of this boom there should De an
active and concerted movement to commit
West Virginia to Taft is regarded as some
what significant of the opposition Scott Will
have for reelection to the Senate.
So far as the rank and file OF the repup-
licans are concerned they betray no prefer
ence for the presidency at present. west
Virginia Is undeniably for Roosevelt ana
would be for Roosevelt'S choice possibly
if the issue were clearly drawn as between
Roosevelts popular policies and negative
policies, hence the awson-Hubbard,Stur-
giss faction Is displaying political WISDOM
in getting on the ground early under the
banner of Taft who is supposed to be the
choice of his chief.
Administration Divided.
rr,o ,+o+a administration will not be a
unit for Taft, from all appearances. Charles
w. Dillon, who has finally tired of the
strain of the state tax commissioners Of
fee is one of Gov. Dawson's most 1n1uen-
tial appointees who does not like Taft be-
cause he did not go along with the organ
ization in Ohio. Dillon thinks TAFT shouio
not have openly repudiated Boss Cox or
Cincinnati and he oeieyes tnat dai'' ny
this act, showed himself ungrateful for
what the organization had done for him.
directly and indirectly. There are other or.
ganization men in West Virginia VINO do not
like Taft for this reason.
If the Taft movement in this state con-
tinues to develop it will force Senator Scott
to make some kind Of a showdown -te
will have to state his position dehniteiy
for his own advantage. While his presl-
Dental boom has not been taken seriously.
yet he cannot afford to have himself put IN
the position of being cast aside for Taft
by leaders in his party, who will not De
slow to follow up their advantage by pro-
ceeding to defeat Scott for the Senate me
junior senator's prestige would suf1er ma
terially if a Taft delegation should De
chosen, when it was known that ne was
against such selection, and wanted the
delegation either for himself or to turn over
to another aspirant, and it might go to the
point of replacing Scott on the natlonal
committee, with Gov. Dawson or some
other representative of the dominant rae
ton.
Coupled with the proposition to pick
T., 90 T1n
Elliott Northcott for the governorship. THIS
plan would shelve Charley Swisher, VINO Is
making aggressive campaign LOT the
nomination. and it would mean that Nortn-
colt has boxed up his ambitions to De q
federal Judge for the southern district.
Several months ago Northcott allowed the
impression to be circulated that he would
not try for the governors chair. for then
he had in mind an associate judgeship. but
probably because the President refused W
stand for the dual arrangement the FORMER
state chairman is said to nave decloeo To
agree to revival Of his gubernatorial
boom.
Aspirations of the Swishers.
swisher will not be beaten until the con-
vention is over if he persists in remaining
a candidate but there are sufficient reasons
for concluding that he will not be candl-
date if Northcott is to be one. 1t was by
reason of an understanding with Northcott
that Swisher first got busy several months
ago. At the present Swisher is generally
considered to be the man the other fellows
will have to beat, and the probability or
his success has led to some talk among
democrats of putting up another Swisher
against him, namely, Howard L. Sw1sher
Of Morgantown.
Something like four years ago these two
Swishers ran for the state senate IN the
eleventh district. The subsequent secre-
tary of state and announced candidate for
governor was elected by materially re-
duced party majority. owing to the demo-
cratic Swisher's active canvass, and TO the
feeling against the republican SWlsher
tactics in beating George c. Sturgiss OF
Morgantown for the nomination.
There is no kinship between the two
Swishers They alike in their ability to
gain success in the material things OF NE
from humble beginnings and whereas the
republican excels in physical attributes. the
democrat surpasses him fNsintelectual en-
doWments Howard Swisher comes from a
sterling democratic family in the stoutiy
democratic county of Hampshire-the coun-
ty that produced the last democratic candl-
date for the governorship-and he Is popu-
lar enough in his own town-a republican
municipality-to be elected to local offices.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for the
nomination for superintendent of schools In
the democratic state convention six years
ago.