Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-09-25
THE HAND
Of ELK|NS
MACHINE STILL IN FULL CON-
TROI---GLAssCOCK NOT LESS
OBJECTIONABLE THAN SWISH
ER-LINcoLN REpUBIhCANs
IGNORED.

TarherspurB, w. va, sept. %: -
Announcements OF the selection of
w. Il. Glasscock by the state com
mittee to succeed Charles w. Swish
er as the head OF the regular" Re
publican state ticket has occasioned
no surprise at state headquarters
the leaders here having been as
sured several days I'm advance that
Senator Stephen B. Elkins would
force the nomination of his
action became known here today the
managers began at once to weigh
the probabilities entailed, and their
reflections have resulted in the mos:
reassuring conclusions. IL is real
lied that the fight from the begin
ming. even I'm the earlier stages of
the Scherr-Swisher contest for .he
nomination has been the fight of the
people against the machine. or this
organization Swisher later became
the nominal head. though Elkins
was from she outset the actual head
and the dominating influence. The
elimination of Swisher merely re.
moves the title of a condition
against which the masses Of the par
ty are up I'm revolt. leaving the con
dition isself as palpably wrong as
in the beginning. Swlsher, the indi-
v!dual, is looked upon as being
merely the creature giving outward
expression to condition OF polit-
ical thraldom, enveloping the great
body OF the Republican party, and
no. as the creator OF that condition
He rose by sheer force OF It's un.
scrupulous dealings with the affair.
OF the party, and fell when I'm ths
face OF an outraged public's indiR
nation, his masters dared not fur.
ther naunt his name. In striking
at the officeholders' dynasty, the re-.
formers naturally aimed their blows
directly at the nominal head; and
for this reason the name OF Swish
er became synonymous with bribery
trickery, fraud and reeking venalty
which extended from the humbles
political wayfarer up to the mem
bers OF the state committee them
selves, who, whether practiciDg OF
not, countenanced and condone1 tn,
crimes charged and proven against
those further down the scale. Tn,
real power behind this saturnalia oi
political rape and rot is Stephen
Benton Elkins, senator OF the
United States Elkins was respon.
sible for Swisher's candidacy, ana
his supporting hand alone forced
hs nomination over the dgnffied
and earnest protests Of those who
stood up for political honesty and
decency in the hours immediately
preceding the Charleston conven-
tions. He it was who, when there
was chance for the two factions
to unite upon Con, interposed his
strong arm and defeated consum-
nation which, while IL would have
settled satisfactorily his partys
troubles, would have endangered
his own absolute dictatorship; for
this cause he interposed the obsta-
cvle which prevented COTS accept
ance, and threw the whole situation
back into blacker turmoil than ever
He It was who still persisted in
Swisher's remaining at the head oi
the ticket. until his own consum-
mate dupllcity was discovered and
exposed. and until it became clear
ly shown that there was not even
the shadow Of a hope that he could
win. And now that he has finally
allowed the withdrawal of one OF
his lieutenanss, the refOrmers are
confronted with another, stronger
perhaps, I'm some personal particu-
lars, but no less servile. and no less
closely allied with the Elkins ring
The ScherT people demanded the
withdrawal OF SW@gher, the annihi-
lation of the old Elkins COMMITTED
and the substitution OF non-fac-
tional candidate for both Scherr
and Swisher Instead Of accepting
this demand, II was met by .he Sc
lection OF a most pronounced Elkins
partisan, a member OF the Elkins
state committee, and a man who
owes his appointment to she collect
orship to Blkins interference in his
behalf.
Al the same time. through all the
maize OF attempted negotiations El.
kins has taken extreme care 10 SEE
that the personnel Of his easily ma
nIpulated state committee has not
been interfered with. And the en-