Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-08-15
SENATOR ELkINS
APPEALS TO TAFT
When Chairman Hitchcock and 9th
ers viii Gather at Hot Springs
For a Conference.

tiOl springs, va, aug. ia. j
yorys, Mr.. Taft's Ohio chief OF STAFF
will arrive ,nere for conference 10
day or Wednesday. Frank Fl. Hitch
cock viii arrive Wednesday, at which
time 1t is expected that the person.
mel Of the advisory committee" OF
which Elmer Dover is TO be secre.
tary will be decided upon. Plans for
the general campaign will be discuss.
ed Turing this conference, when it is
believed final decision will be reached
regarding Mr.. Taft's personal ar
engagements.
Although many requests are being
received for his presence at various
places, he has so far accepted no in
vitations. incidentally Mr.. Hitchcock
will be asked to define the course this
committee is to take in West vir-
ginia- whether aid and directions will
be given to Mr.. Swisher, the regular
nominee, or to Mr.. Scherr, the So
cdIleu DOlter.
Senator Elkins of West Virginia, is
also 'nere, as is Mr.. Swisher, who
came on the game train yesterday
with Mr.. Taft. Senator Scott is TO
come Wednesday, and 1t Is said Mr.
Scherr will be represented Senator
Elkins yesterday predicted Swisher's
election by $4,000 and said that
10000 more votes would be given the
national ticket in the state. He be-
lieves the regular organization should
be sustained. Mr.. Taft continues to
refuse to become involved in the con-
troversy.
AS the guests of Senator Bourne, of
Oregon, Mr.. and Mrs. raft partici-
pated in coaching party, which
drove to the Oaks, Warm Springs, five
miles distant, for dinner. General Ed.
wards also was a member of the
party.
Wants National Support.
Mr. Elkins had no hesitancy about
admitting that his purpose in coming
to Hot Springs was to get the re-
publican national committee to WORK
with and for the Swisher party in
West Virginia, Mr.. Elkins could not
see how the national committee could
possibly give any support to the
boilers" headed by Scherr.
THE Swisher party is the regular
republican organization" said Mr.. FL
kins.
The Scherr party hasn't even a
name. They are thinking Of calling
1t the Lincoln party, but ] do not
not know how they can expect to be
recognized by the republican national
The senator added that Scherr's
strength as nominee for governor on
the boilers ticket mad been exagger.
ated, and that Swisher would have
no difriculty in winning.
If democrats win, West Virginia
senators and congressman see in the
factional row a probability that West
Virginia may be lost from the repub-
lican column. The democrats, at their
state convention only week or two
ago, adopted an anti-negro plank,
which, il carried into effect, will prac-
tically disfranchise the negroes of the
state.
Let the democrats carry the state
this time, through split in the re-
publican party, and the anti-negro
legislation TO which the state ticket
is pledged will put West Virginia
safely in the list of democratic states.
The West Virginia representatives
and Senators who have been trailing
Mr.. Taft around for the last few
days are working to prevent this.
Both factions will mark time now
until Hitchcock arrives. Then the
Swisher people will ask for a show
down.
Mr.. Taft will not leave Hot Springs
again until September l, when he
will move to Cincinnati for the cam
paign.