Evening star., 1907-11-18
GOES BACK ON SWISHER
RUMoR THAT GOVERNOR HAS
SHIFTED POSITION.
New Phase of the Gubernatorial Sue
cession in West Virginia-Presi-
Dental Preferences.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
WHEELING. w. Va. November II, 1897.
Inspired by gossip from Charleston that
Gov. Dawson has shifted relative to
Charles w. SWisher for the republican
Igubernatoral nomina alton, movement has
cropped up among the Dawson following
to bring out l.. J. Forman of Grant county
for the nomination. Forman is at pres
eEt a member of the state senate. Incl
dentally it might be remarked that the
same people have been talking of Harvey
". Harmer of Harrison county, a former
member of the state senate and it might
5e further remarked that Formans name
s about the one-hundredth so far sug-
sested to lead the republican state ticket.
Forman has been a consistent tax re-
former. and measured by the prevailing
STANDARD of statesmanhip he is in the
front row. When he aspired to the senate
presidency last winter he had Dawson 5
taCit Endorsement, but Dawson wanted
Oliver Marshall senator from the west
ern PanhI NJ beaten. and could do IT
rnly with Joseph H McDermott. whose
rlmpaign was artisticaliy managed by
Secretary of State Swisher What DaW-
,uuld not do. Swsher could and did For
man waited to be president and wanted
the Dawson Swisher votes. but took his
medicine aCCeptably.
An argument used against Forman at
ne time was that he lived fifty miles
rom a railroad Such a location. it was
argued. did not provide a modern en-
rironment ard initiated against the in
"a p5tant having libel al view of things
for there Were various interests which
feared a prospective narrow viewpoint in
he senate presidency, and Senator For
man suffered in consequence. On some
9crtinent questions however. Forman dis
counted this impression, but it is practi-
ally cert sin that this suspicion of re-
strictcd vision would exist to greater de-
gree were he to enter the broader field
If the gubernatorial lists. inasmuch as
issues at stake and on the way incline
many people in the towns to fear a gov
e.nor who would want to complicate local
nome rule with big stick-the liquor
question and others. for instance
Slight Drift to Harmer.
This phase is emphasized because of a
previous drift to Harvey Harmer. Tha
Harmer boomlet is not dangerous. how
ever Harmer has virtually eliminated
himself by a deprecating statement. 1t
is a question whether he could get his
own county, since he failed to get it when
he tried for a senate denomination, ana
later accepted prohibition party nomina-
ton and was defeated on that ticket. Next
he accepted citizens nomination Tor
mayor of Clarksburg and defeated the
regua republican nominee, but was de-
feated for reelection by the republican
candidate on the next whirl.
While Harmer's independence may be
refreshing, it does not commend him to
the regulars in the party, and his pro-
hibitiOn tendencies induce the regulars
10 think he should seek nominations from
the party of natural liquids. Like For
man, he has been tax-reform extremist,
but Forman's political company has been
straight republican. The willingness of
Harmer boomers to boost Forman is sig
nificant, however. of a temperance Senti-
nent. Some of this element joined with
other active republicans of liberal ten
dencies in booming Judge Mason at the
came to pass that the judges decisions
on liberal or strict constructions of liquor
laws threatened side issue.
All of the scheming and booming gets
down to the hard, cold fact that there is
a powerful, unorganiZed opposition to
Swisher and that SWisher has potential.
underlined strength. Swisher has had the
talent guessing from the start. Arnold
Scherr. his chief opponent, has also a
large and influential following, and there
are those who are looking for man to
beat Scherr just as others are looking
around in the tax-re form camp for a man
to beat Swisher. 1t Is the wheels within
the wheels that keep the gubernatorfal
many to predict that the republican nomi-
nee has not yet announced himself. 1t is
situation to perplex grievously the band
wagon brigade. Hence the modest re-
fusal of the workers to positively commit
themselves.
On Presidential Lines.
Earl w. Oglebay, capitalist Of Wheel
ing, is talked of as delegate to the re-
publican national convention. George A.
Laughlin of the same city cherishes a
similar aspiration Charles H. Watkins,
the Wheeling member of the state COM
mittee, would also like to have the honor,
but If the traditions are maintained the
places will be handed around whence fat
campaign contributions may be expected.
AS with the gubernatorial situation. there
is little expressed presidential sentiment
in West Virginia. When the dignitaries
are pressed for an opinion they seek cover
under Roosevelt Endorsement. Months
ago Fairbanks boomers were at work
feeling the pulse of the various leaders.
Gov. Dawson, Secretary of State Swisher,
Representatives Hubbard and Sturgiss
and District Attorney Northcott came out
for Taft as their choice after Roosevelt,
but recently they have said less on this
point and the Taft boom is not gaining
ground. Indeed. unless 1t is soon injected
with ginger it threatens to decline
steadily.
Representative W O0dydrd is a cannon
admrer, and possibly Representative
Hughes feels the same way about it, but
both gentlemen are looking avidously on
desirable committee appointments from
the Speaker, which may have a tendency
TO cloud their vision. woodward. Hughes
and Hubbard are in a race to succeed
Capt Dovener on the rivers and harbors
committee. and Hubbard shows no sign
of letting GO despite the bait of a place
on the ways and means committee which
has been thrown at him recently. Wood
yard. in particular, wants the place for
the prestige il will give him in his APP
preaching contest for denomination
The belief increases that Gov. Dawson
will call the legislature in special session
in January or February. Primarily its
object will be the Strengthening out of
some kinks in the tax laws disclosed by
supreme court decision. The session
| will also afford opportunity of rengthen-
| ing the dominant party's position at the
election.
RICHMOND WOMAN SHOT
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