Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-29
BRYAN As A VOTE GE11EA
WEST VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS
THEREFORE ENDORSE HIM.
safes and Sanes" Who Supported
Parker Yield to Nebraska
Leader.


WHEELING. w. Va, April 81 1907.
ihere Is SO little doing in democratic cir.
cies In west Virginia that IT is absolutely
Impossible to get line on the party's pros
pectfve candidates and attitude regarding
state affairs. This contrast to the bustling
around of republican candidates Indicates
conclusively continuation of republican
supremacy.
In a national way West Virginia demo-
Gratis Will be for Bryan. not because those
high up In democratic councils In West
Virginia particularly prefer him. for they
disagree with his latest ''paramounts." but
because they think he Is vote-getter
among the masses and because conser-
vatism didn't pay In 1904 with their own
Henry G. Davis on the national ticket As
a rule the democracy in West Virginia Is
tinged with conservatism said To be tradi-
tonal of the party In the south. This
shown even in a state test on the taxation
issue when the republican attitude savored
of radicalism characteristic of the demo-
Gratis of the west
Taking the anti-side merely in opposition
to new steps advocated by the republican
administration may have satisfied the dem
ocratic leaders. but it did not bring them
votes. and they realize this proposition
when they show inclination to follow
Bryan again. The safes and sanes rose
to the occasion when they lined up the
delegation for Judge Parker, but they will
If he shoves government ownership to the
front and with show of enthusiasm II he
relegateS ii to the rear As to his latest
pronuncamento anent the initiative and
referendum. the West Virginia brethren are
indifferently silent.
The Leaders Disturbed.
Col John T. McGraw. who has faithfully
kept in the Bryan band wagon, regrets that
Bryan ever opened up on government own
,l,a,
nent leader was completely Disguised with
Bryan's break. and having known in adj
vance what Bryan would say. he quietly
turned his ticket for the Madison
Square Garden reception and hiked himself
without delay to the soothing sounds OF the
sea at Atlantic City. Mckinneys side
partner. Col. Charles e. Wells. stayed the
thing out to the limit. and is ferventy loyal
to Bryan today. notwithstanding assocta-
lions which might suggest the contrary.
There is no more sympathy for BryanS
government ownership views among the
Chiffon faction In the southern end of the
state, but the Chiltons are wise to the fact
that the masses with Bryan, and hay
ing started quest of the honors held
for years by McGraw, they will stand for
Bryan against all corners as a means To
the end William f. Chiffon wants to sue
coed McGraw as the accepted democratic
leader and he is arranging things effec-
lively to that end He failed to win the
nomination for United states senator senator,
to the last ballot, whereas Nc
Graw's name was finally Withdrawn to al
low the selection of John J. Cornwell.
The signal democratic victory won In
Charleston recently gives the Chiltons re-
newed prestige. incidentally they Guilt
waited closely the democratic members of
the legislature. winning over recruits from
the McGraw camp. One of them is French
Hays the oldest democratic member In
years OF service. Hays is from Gllmer
county. whence comes Senator Bob Kidd,
oils Had N he
clan Hays has started a boom for Senator
Adam b. Littlepage Of Charleston for the
democratic gubernatorial nomination. which
puts 1t up to the McGraw people to name an
opponent If they want to remain supreme.
McGraw trimmed the Chltons the last time
when they were back of William X. Thomp-
son of Huntington. but he may not care u
engage in another bitter contest for bosship
honorS.
Handy in fractional Fight.
Another suggestion for the guberna-
torial nomination is c. NJ. Wetzel of JEFF
ferson county. who has been his partys
floor leader in the house of delegates. a
farmer of the highest type. who enjoys
the esteem of many republicans. and who
would doubtless be pushed as the Me
Graw candidate in a fractional fight. be-
cause he has trained with McGraw. Wet
Eel personally suggests. in appearance.
the late Governor Pattison of Ohio. but
Senator Llttlepage, who has ben Jillman
would be the most pic
turesauely effective campaigner. and
would appeal logically to the labor ele-
ment, on account of his connection for
years as attorney OF the United Mine
Workers and his championship Of ad-
vanced labor legislation in the Senate.
But mention of Wetzel and Littlepage
is gossip only so far. 1t is not even
sured that either would take the nomi-
nation. and there Is no promise Of
tivity on their part or on the part OF the
respective factions with which they have
been allied. Reasonable speculation in
however that both men will be
to head the party ticket and
that the old McGraw Chiffon feud will
have another inning on that score. 1t is
virtually assured that the Chiltons will
make a vigorous effort to dethrone Nc
Graw as national committeeman. and
they find encouragement in preventing
the caucus Endorsement OF McGraw for
the Senate last winter.
One of the things that makes McGraw
strong is his regularity and faithful
service in sunshine and storm For In
stance, 1t is a fact not known except to
a few that he made good by his check
for approximately 10000 deficit in the
state committees accounts for the con-
duct of the 1905 legislative campaign.
The Chiltons have met this feature with
the response that they expended $4,000
to attain equally desired
results. And for this outlay there was
nothing to show but an increased re-
publican majority in the legislature.