Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-20
FOR THE EMPTY HONOR
WEST VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS
AFTER CAUCUS NOMINATION.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star
CHARLESTON, w. Va.
January 10, 1907.
OF the 116 members of the legislature
there are only thirty-one democratic mem
bers, but there is contest on for the
empty honor of the United States senatorial
nomination, which in it's intensity is fully
suggestive of something worth while. John
T. McGraw and William E. Chiffon want
the compliment their party's caucus can be-
stow, and they want it as earnestly as
though it carried with it the seat that
Stephen Benton Elkins will get for the
third time by the grace of the overwhelm-
ing republican majority in the legislature.
McGraw, who has for years been the ma
tional committeeman and the state chair
man, lives in Taylor county, in the north
ern part of the state, while Chiffon, who
was state chairman when the democrats
were on top in West Virginia, lives in
Charleston. in the southern section. Be
tween McGraw and Chiffon there has been
a difference of long standing, growing, it IS
said. out of uncomplimentary treatment by
the local paper McGraw then controlled Of
Chilton's conduct of the Office of secretary
of state in the MacCorkle regime.
From 1896 up to a little over year ago
the democratic following headed by Chiffon
and his brother. Maj Joe Chiffon, paid
little heed to McGraw's ascendancy because
they realized the folly of attempting to
stem the tide toward republican supremacy.
Last year they began to prepare for pos
sible democratic victories and also started
to set up candidates for the legislature, in
the hope that conditions might arise which
would give the democrats control of that
body and seat in the United States Sem
ate.
Lowest in States History.
The democratic strength in the legisla
ture is almost the lowest proportionately in
the states history now, but that does not
deter the Chiffon faction from wanting to
dethrone McGraw, who was honored three
times in succession with the caucus nomina-
ton for the United States Senate, and who
desires it again. He desires 1t again mostly
because the other fellows want to beat him
out Of it. He takes the sentimental view of
it entirely. He does not propose to be van
quished by those who seem prompted by a
desire only for revenge.
The battle will be fought out Monday
night, but no matter how 1t ends it will
bob up again through various proceedings
and reach another climax in a movement to
depose McGraw from the national commit
teeship at the next democratic national
convention. Practically the opposition to
McGraw is based on the fact that under his
leadership the party has been in the losing
class successfully. Otherwise he is in good
standing and personally popular.
1t so happens that both McGraw and Chill
ton are personally admired by devoted
hosts, hence the rank and file regret the
friction between them. But McGraw has
captained the minority army in the lean
years, financing campaigns when the out
look was gloomy and retaining an optimism
to the close that cheered up dispirited SOL
diers. He has had enough honor so far as
honors could be conferred in compli-
mentary votes, and might be satisfied to
stand aside for another democrat at this
time, but he refuses to be kicked aside and