Evening star., 1907-08-18
POLITICAL POT SETTLING
WEST VIRGINIANS COME OUT
FOR NOMINATION.
Swisher Wants Governorship and j. S.
Darst Is After State Audi
torship.

Special Dispatch to The Star
WHEELING w. Va, August 17.-John
Sherman Darst this week announced his
candidacy for the republican nomination for
state auditor. At present he is assistant
tax commissioner, prior to which he saw
service in both branches of the legislature.
Darst is the second man In West Virginia
to make formal announcement that he Is
aspiring to place on the state ticket. the
other being Charles w. Swisher for gov
ernor. Claremont l.. Topping has virtually
announced himself for secretary OF state
however. and is at present making his
second tour of the state, taking in the
county fairs and other mixing affairs.
Darst will have to fight for the Jackson
county delegation with Speaker Jim Sea-
Darst has always had a struggle on his
hands for nomination honors in his home
county. but has managed to come out
ahead. Seamon is force to reckon with.
and the two of them Will have interest
Ing affair unless they come to an agree
ment to have the delegation for both of
them, a course probable.
Scherr Seeking Governorshipp
Darst's announcement means also that
Auditor Scherr will not be a candidate to
succeed himself for a third term 1t is be-
Heved In some circles that next month
Scherr will formally launch a latent boom
for governor. In other circles II Is believed
he will finally decide not 10 be an active
candidate. This opinion Is held closely by
Swisher followers. who contend that Swish
er will have all the others backed off the
boards at the proper time, and there are
grounds for this belief
w @. Conley of Preston and Robert
Stallings of Tucker are other looming
candidates for attorney general. while Har-
old a. Ritz OF Mercer would like the nomi-
nation but he Is holding back at present for
try at the supreme bench. Judge Joseph
NJ. Sanders. from his section. will resign In
October. and Governor Dawson has Ritz's
name under advisemeut.
The governor appointed Ritz to fill the
circuit judgeship vacancy when Sanders
was elevated to the supreme bench but
Ritz was defeated for the nomination TO fill
out the term at the succeeding election by
Isaac NJ. Herndon of Mcdowell. In that
contest Ritz was backed by the Dawson
regardless of Dawson and Teter affiliations.
Supreme Court Judges
There will be three OF the five supreme
court judges TO be elected next year Judge
w. n. Miller OF Wood county, appointed by
Gov. Dawson to succeed Judge Frank Cox
OF Morgantown. Will have to stand for elec.
tion to the unexpired term, and Judge Nc.
Whorter's term expires. AS Cox Sanders
and McWhorver come from the second fftr
and third congressional districts geograph-
teal considerations will figure. except In tn.
case OF the Cox vacancy. Judge Miller hi:
successor. resides In the fourth district, anC
so far there is no objection to him Georg,
MCClintic OF Charleston IS mentioned promi
Uently TO succeed Judge McWhorter.
Judge Sanders was afflicted with a guber
material boom last winter. but he den!e:
that he resigned to promote II. He declares
he returns 10 private practice because he 4
still a young man and does not care TO sac
rirce the earning years OF his life for tn,
compensatiOns allowed judges. He add
that he would accept the nomination fo
governor II rendered to him. but that he will
not make campaign for It, This in TIL
nature of things Is not likely TO come t
pass.
Want Hubbard Settled.
To succeed Capt Dovener on the river!
and harbors committee Representative Hub
bard Ia being doomed industriously. Rep
resentative Hughes, whose district has