Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-17
IN THE LEAD FOR GOVERNOR
WEST VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS
LIKELY TO NOMINATE SWISHER
Deductions From the Present Situa-
tion-Gossip Regarding q. S.
Senatorship.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.


Secretary OF State swisher will be the
republican nominee for governor. His
capture of the Cabell and Mcdowell coun-
ty delegations within the week are con-
sidered conclusive Of his success ut the
Charleston convention, and he Is due to
fare equally we'll in the contests today In
Mercer and Berkeley counties
Incidentally the turn of events In
Swishers favor is connected with Sena-
tor SCOTS succession. From Washing
ton and West Virginia the big and little
guns have suddenly combined in praise
of Scott. Senator Elkins and Gov Daw-
son declared in Washington that they
could see no good reason why Scott
should not be given another term. In
West Virginia Isaac T. Mann denied the
soft impeachment that he was setting
up his pins to down Scott. United States
Marshal Frank Tyree. District Attor-
ney Elliott Northcott and other Swisher
leaders have denied the report that they
were active in a Swisher-M Mann coalition
which had for It's purpose the elevation
of both gentlemen at SCOTS expense.
Some pretty politics has been played
to the apparent mutual advantage of
Scott and Swisher. particularly the latter.
1t should be understood in consideration
OF the situation that Senator Scott has
never been partial to the Swisher cand-
guise his feelings. While not particu
lary strong for Auditor Scherr's guber
Material ambitions. Scott has been dis
posed to lean the Scherr way. In this he
has been polite, for while he numbers
ardent supporters in both camps he has
been just a little concerned about the
proba bility of Swisher using the guber-
material patronage to help project into a
United States senatorship either Gov.
Dawson or Isaac 7. Mann.
Mann Swings Mcdowell County.
When Mann blossomed out as a sure
enough leader by swinging Mcdowell into
the Swisher column. helping Cabell go
likewise and promising to deliver Mercer
and other counties along the Norfolk and
Western. the Scott people began to sniff
future complications. and out OF the
ground came a repetition Of a story a
year old-that Mann wanted a senatorial
prefix to his name. and that his activity
was due to an understanding with Swish
er. At any rate. there was something
doing all along the line.
Senator Elkins issues a statement to the
effect that Scott is a good man on the
Washington job and should be kept there
The Elkins statement was about as di-
rect a pronouncement as the senior sem
ator ever made in political affair. Gov
Dawson. who attended the governors
meeting in Washington. the next day de-
MED any senatorial ambition and compli-
mented Scott. And then came the whis-
per that in consideration of the several
announcements of Mann. Elkins and
Dawson. Scott will occupy a seat on the
Swisher band wagon.
This may be doping II out strong, but
1t is so construed in Swsher quarters. On
the Scherr side of the house the line
of reasoning Is that Scott and not Swisher
held the cards. They figure it that the
SWisher supporters had to placate Scott.
and that the assurances of support for
Scott were forced from Messrs. Elkins
Mann and Dawson to guard against Scott
fighting them with Scherr as a club. In
other words. that Scott would throw his
influence for Scherr unless those asso-
ciated with Swisher convinced him that
they had no designs on SCOTS shoes with
Mann or Dawson as the prospective bene-
ticiary
neutral at the most. which of itself. will
be a gain for Swisher. With Scott friend
ly with Dawson. and Elkins behind him.
coupled with his influential support In
other quarters. and the organization he
has built up, mostly of young blood.
Swisher looks the money. And, by the
same token. all preferred by Swisher for
the rest of the ticket is logical sequence
Prediction Recalled.
The writer predicted last September that
the republican state ticket to be nomi-
mated the coming July would read:
Charles w. Swisher. for governor: c. l..
Topping. for secretary Of state; w. G.
Conley, for attorney general: Newton o.
din. for treasurer. and NJ. P. Shawkey, for
school superintendent. At that time Stuart
F. Reed of Harrison was not announced
for secretary OF state. and other candi-
dates for state school superintendent have
since followed. as well as larger field
for other places on the ticket. But the
original outline still looks good.
Gov. Dawson has appointed Conley to
be attorney general to fill out the unex-
pired term of the late Clark w. May, and
this appointment gives him a distinct ad-
vantage for the nomination contest The
state is nightly concerned with the Vir-
ginia debt litigation, and Conley is al
ready familiarizng himself with the de-
tails OF the suit. His sponsors at the
state convention will make much of his
present connection with that affair He
comes also from the county Of Preston.
the governors old county, which has
about thirty state delegates. and there
are some people who think his appoint
ment means Swisher is to get an even
break or better there as d result Con-
leys qualifications for the office are such
as to entitle him to favorable considera-
ton without regard to this. however
Democrats Lining Up.
Just as Swisher stock is quoted higher
on the board before the republican con-
vention is that of Lewis Bennett of Lewis
county, who bankers for the democratic
| nomination. County conventions are fol-
lowing each other in Bennett indorse-
ments and instructions. Adam Littlepage
of kanawha. who also seeks the honor is
due to be left at the post unless his man
ayers soon get busy, but he can reason
ably expect good support from the south
ern section of the state. the bulk of which
has not yet been heard from. Bennett is
strong in the northern and central parts
OF West Virginia, but there is nothing
spontaneous about the Bennett BOOM
Mr.. Bennett is we'll supplied with this
worlds goods. and evidently can be in
duced to separate himself from portion
for the nomination he covets. Deductions
are natural in reviewing the stream of in
| structed delegations In all other con-
| vention years since the democracy went
out of power there has been no similar
organized effort. No enthusiasm followed
the mention of Benefits name when il
was first sprung. but he has been en-
gagged in business extensively all his life
and knows how results are achieved
Mercer county democrats have Endorsed