The Washington herald., 1908-08-09
DEFEAT OF NEAL
COMES As SURPRISE
Democrats of West Virginia
Name Bennett Chairman.
BROTHER OF TICKETS HEAD
National Committeeman aIcGraw,
Who OutpOinted Chiffon Faction
at Every Turn in state COnvcn-
tiOn, Owes Reelection to the Man
Who Supported Him at Denver.

] aA AEASifiLe5r " d. a AAE- 81 he meet
I ing Of the newly elected Democratic
State committee held in this city Thurs
/ day night developed another chapter in
/ the 0IcGraw-Chilton fight. and brought
forth a surprise
Il was an echo OF the Denver fight be
( tween John T McGraw. now the undis-
I puted boss Of West Virginia Democracy.
and William T. Chiffon for national com
mitteeman. George L Neal, the success
fui manager Of Louis Benefits cam
paign for the nomination for governor.
was one Of the Big Four 10 the con-
veution held in the city a mile high. and
there cast the deciding vote between Nc
Graw and Chiffon which continued Nc
Graw on the national committee. The
Chiltons' claim that Neal was elected as
Chiffon man, and that he betrayed
them OF course. Neal stoutly denies the
charge
However that may be. the Chiffon fac
ton. which IS the d0wn-State Democracy.
smarting under the defeat administered
them by AIcGraw. first at Denver and
later on the state convention at Charles
ton. where the foxy AIcGra outpoint-
ed the ChiItons at every turn and ran
things as he wanted then run. came
10 the committee meeting in this city
seeking revenge II was the political
scalp OF the willy and astute Bennett
manager that they wanted
Meals Election Conceded.
All along Meals election as State
chairman had been conceded. Bennett
desired him to run his campaign against
the Republicans. and he was probably
the best man. excepting AIcGraw, 10 take
the job. At any rate. having won Ben
netts nomination for him, he was the
logical man.
The Chiffon faction could not have ac-
complished his defeat on a straight vote.
but took a very winning and plausible
plan 10 turn the trick They came 10 the
committee bearing the olive branch and
praying for harmony They said they
wanted peace and concord. not war and
discord- They were willing 10 take any
man the 8IcGraw people wanted. except
Neal even 70 1ICGraw himself Indeed.
they favored 8IcGraw above all others,
and G. X. Osenton. Of Fayette. noni-
mated NCGra~ with burst Of rhetoric
that sounded strange. indeed. coming
from such an ardent Chiffon supporter.
Mc(sraw spoke in answer 20 this strained
compliment. saying he preferred Neal.
but If conditions would be such as the
Chiffon crowd declared they would be
down state II Neal were made chairman.
Il would probably be the wisest thing
10 select some body else. and McGraw did
not say. by any means, that ne would not
take the job himself
Appears Like Ingratftude.
part Of McC5raw 10 the man who had
saved his political life at Denver Adam
Littlepage. candidate for secretary OF
state. and the man whom Neal defeated
FOR the gubernatoriaI nomination with
Bennett. made a vigorous onslaught on
Neal He said he wouldn't stand for
him Bennett stuck out for Neal 70 the
last, only abandoning him when all hope
had fed
The fight went on for six hours. and
the speeches were bitter at times The
ChflrOns steadily maintained their atti-
tG5e Of demanding harmony az any price.
only that price must not be Meals cleo
ton For themselves. they had no prefer
encs- Anybody except Neal for them
Il looked as II the new committee had
Itself hoPelessly entanEied al the jump
OF. when a recess was taken IN the even
-NtE NUTS 10 E't--ala-A la-E t1L4llf1aEeS ~ q
leaders 10 confer Informally That ON
ference lasted two hours and resultel in
a compromise. The slate asreed on by
the candidates IN conference was later
unanimously ratified by the committee.
Judge Bennett samed.
Judge William George Bennett. brother
Of the candidate for governor. was elect
ed chairman OF the committee. and will
paign- Judge Bennett has himself been
three times a candidate for the nomlna-
ton for governor. but never succeeded in
landing IT, As far back as 1872 he came
within Eve votes Of securing the nomina-
ton. but was defeated by william A
ATacCorkle who was the last Democratic
governor West Virginia had Twice since /
then Judge Bennett has been a candidate.
but lost out.
Alfred E Kenney. Of Calhoun County.
was elected secretary Of the committees,
and Senator William Campbell. Of
CharlestOwn. assistant secretary. W W.
BeaI. Of WellsburE. was elected treas
urer; A P. Garden. Of Wheeling. ser
geant-st-arms. and Fred Carr. Of Charles
ton, assistant. Advisory c0mmittee-John
" Davis. Clarksburg- John T. McGraw,
Grafton; James A. Holley. Charleston;
George ". johnson. Parkersburg. and
was selected as headquarters.
The defeat Of Neal for the Craftsmanship
was a blow 10 him and 10 his friends
He had confidently expected to continue
TO manage the political fortunes Of Ben
nett. and his rundown Is looked upon as
another sample OF political uncertainties
Neal is cne OF the smOOthest politicians
in the State
Republicans May Compromise
The political atmosphere pulsates with
rUmOrs Of compromise between the war
ring Republican factions. but there seems
to be no foundation whatever for any Of
them Charles Wesley Swisher. the reg
ular party nominee for governor. declares
that he IS the regularly nominated candi-
date of his party. and that he has moth
ing TO compromise. and that he will re-
main at the head Of his party's ticket and !
expects 10 be elected AT the polls
Arnold c. Scherr, the candidate Of the (
faction which calls itself the Lincoln Re /
publican party. who is sojourning at At l
lantic City, has issued an interview in 4
which he says that he IS IN the contest to /
the end Despite this. however, II Is a i
significant fact that practically all talk OF 1
a compromise comes from his side
Lincoln Party Yacancies.
The Lincoln party has not yet succeeded /
in filing up the vacancies which exist !
on its ticket. There are two places to be /
illed, a candidate for secretary Of state 1
and one for auditor. and the committee
appointed to perform that service is meet
ing with many difficulties The subcom-
Inittee. a sort OF advisory board 10 the
State committee OF that party. of which
z. n. Grant. Of Morgantown. is chair