The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-07-04
Politics in Mesf Virginia
Arthur Wallace Dunn, h st Louis National Daily Be:
heves Both Parties are Preparing lots .:>.5..'x
49, I":., the Next Fluhf. u 8sSG@ - &<
the Next Fight. :

was chosen a member Of the republi-
can national committee In" 1888 and
has held the position for nearly> 30
eara,-He was q member of the leg
tslature, and under the Mckinley
administration he was commissioner
ct Internal revenueswRich gave him
an opportunity to Improve his polit-
ical fences. He Is now serving his
second term rs senator and wants
another. And that Is one reason
why he will get IT. believe one OF
the objections raised to. Scott lis that
he is not a nattveFof West Virginia,
He engaged in business in the state
inV 1871 and moved to Wheeling In
1875, where he has since resided:
He Is presidents 6f the Central Glass
Works, and has theld that position
since 1888. In view OF the fact that
more than half of the present popu-
lation Of the state has immiRrated
here since Scott came the-<:"carpet-
bag argument is not carrying much
weight. Il { .-, ''.--""' vi"
The real facts; are that q number
of men want the position OF United
States senator. There is no such
unanimfty of opinion that a man
shall continue tossucceed himself as
in several OF the; New England states
and such as has prevailed: An a num-
Der of states south and west. On
the contrary. there Is a determine
ton Of several ambitious statesmen
to go to the senate and they are In:
the field. not only when SCOTS term
Is about to expire, but also when FL
kins Is to be reelected. Elkins has
already been elected for three terms
and he will probably remain In the
senate as long as he desires the posi-
ton. - .."+'0
Senator Scott ds not considered
orthodox in his Rooseveltism. When
he goes. back to the senate he IS
compelled to hold up both hands
and swear allegiance to Roosevelt
twice a. day" That is his own me-
taphoric expression. Scott, was a
Mckinley man, also q Hanna man;
he opposed the confirmation, of Leon
ard Woods as major general, and
Wood was the presidents friend; he
has been inclined to give the colored
soldiers of the 25th infantry a ia
Vorable hearing; in fact he has not
always agreed with the President.
At the same time the President likes
to consult him about politics; and
frequently sends for him to talk over
affairs when difficult situations arise.
Senator Elkins Is about out of har-
mony at the White House: - Elksns
as chairman deths II tarstata ti Den,.S
merce committee opposed the Presi.
dents railroad rate program In its
early stages. That was enough. He
finally supported the President In the
later stages of the legislation, but
he was long enough In the opposi-
tlon to cause distrust.
The position of the West Virginia
senators with the administration has
prevented them from obtaiHing good
federal positions for many Of the
most prominent republicans Of their
state. In fact it may be said that
West Virginia Is "out In the cold"
so far as the federal patronage Is
concerned. In states where the
senators are close to the administra-
ton a dangerous rival can be put in
the cabinet Or sent abroad on a for
etgn mission T hat places the prom
thent men under obligations to. the
senator's land instead Of being rival
candidates for the senate they be-
come workers for the men who we're
instrumental in securing positions
for them. West Virginia's promi-
nent' men have not been given any
OF these federal positions. Such posi-
tons as have been given to that
state are small and some Of the Of
fers made have been refused beause
West V1rginains to whom they were
rendered considered the places be-
meath the dignity of n,ein Of their
standing at home. ~.
Failure on the part Of senators
and Representatives to stand well
with the administration of their
own party is always a handicap and
1t makes every contest for re-elec-
ton much harder. why don't you
stand In with the President p is q
question which they are asked, and
1t does not satisfy the inquirers if
the answer ts that the senator's be-
lieve the President IS wrong. AS a
usual thing the people of the state
are more often ready to believe In a
President than in their senator's and
representatives.
A few years ago one SENATOR ex-
planned his position to me in re-
ward to his support of the President
In regard to the confirmation OF a
certain man whom the President had
nominated for Offices I. told him
that he must know that the man
ought not to be confirmed and he
agreed with me, but he said he was