Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30
sCHERR FACTION DEFIANT
DETERMINED TO STAY IN THE
FIELD TILL ELECTION DAY.
Middle Of Republican Affairs in
West Virginia-National Ticket
Not Likely to Suffer.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

| Special Correspondence of The Star.
| WHEELING, w. Va, August %. 1908.
| The republican state muddle is to be
passed on by a subcommittee of the ma
tional committee. but 1t is evident that If
the decision should be adverse to the
Scherr faction it will not alter it's purpose
| to go ahead with its campaign. Chairman
e. M. Grant sent notices this week to the
clerks of the various counties of the Off
cial party emblem selected. a profile of
| Abraham Lincoln turned to the right. and
the leaders of this faction also announced
| that they would open the Scherr cam
paign in Wheeling early in September.
But notwithstanding the continued
| noise from the Scherr camp the fact re-
mains that the insurgent movement Is
| losing ground. The Scherr faction re-
ceived a surprising blow a few days ago
when j. S. Darst. the regular party nomi-
nee for auditor, declined to accept a place
on the so-called "insurgent" ticket. Fol-
| lowing his declination, the name of Pres
| ley w. Morris of Parkersburg was sub
stituted. thus filling out the Lincoln
| ticket When it Is put on the ballots the
| insurgents will endeavOr to use also the
names of the regular electors. although
the regular" party organization hopes to
| prevent that.
Darst's refusal to stand for a nomina-
| ton on both tickets caused the Scherr
| people deep chagrin because they claim
| he had given them to understand he was
| not averse to their offer. but Darst wig
| gled out of such an attitude in a state
ment in which he said he had merely in
| timated he was willing to accept the in
dorsement of any other party. but would
not consent to be a candidate on two
| tickets at variance. In other words, Mr..
Darst drew the fine distinction in this
case between a party Endorsement and a
nomination.
Humiliating to Insurgents.
|. The humiliating feature Of it to the in
surgents was that at their convention
they nominated James K. Hall of Wheel
ing who had been a candidate for au-
ditor but who declined it few weeks
after the convention. This left vacancy
which ii was proposed to fill with Darst.
despite the fact that certain Of the Scherr
leaders were disposed to resist it because
they had already taken the position that
to recognize the nominees of the regular
convention in any way conf1icted with
their pronunciamentos about "high-hand-
ed outrages." committee manipulations.'
convention frauds etc.
Darst was really brought to decline the
Scherr ticket place by State Chairman
told him to stand by the regular ticket or
take the consequences. The consequences
were not specified, but needed no dia-
gram. So Darst declined to sail under
two flags. This was the consistent thing
for him to do. inasmuch as with about
all the candidates for places on the state
ticket he signed a paper that bound him
and them to ignore any other so-called
republican state convention. Under the
circumstances Darst could not therefore
rnyic Nv fny
tabooed over his signature. the signing Of
which was necessary to get recognition
from the regular convention.
The selection of the name Lincoln re-
publican party is another small dish of
crow it's patrons must eat, since they de-
MED with much Indignation at the outset
that they were to fly this caption. They
declared they were the republican party
and that all others who took part, or were
nominated. or looked with favor on the
convention that named the ticket headed
by Swisher were usurpers and revolu-
tionaries. This was a bluff that required
but little time to CALL
Regularity Not Questioned.
There never has been a question what
ever as to the regularity of the so-called
Swisher convention. Its regularity was
never attacked. 1t has been criticised be-
cause of its fruits and because of the seat
tions therein. The state committee has
been roasted to turn. but the cOnven-
ton itself was regularly called and regu-
larly conducted to a finish, and there can
be no reasonable doubt of the outcome of
the hearing before the national subcom-
mittee. This much is conceded by the OPP
position. and the decision this week to
entitle the kicking element the Lincoln
republicans indicates the acceptance in
advance of the recognition of the Swisher
I'll sol t11-1
this state.
Perhaps the Taft managers will stand
for having the presidential electors on
both tickets. preferring to take no
chances rather than risk complications
which might mean the loss of West Vir-
ginia. This fear may have Influenced
Taft, Hitchcock and Vorys from person
ally committing themselves at White Sui
phur Springs. Hot Springs and elsewhere
where they have had the proposition put
up to them by anxious West Virginia re-
publicans.
The dual republican ticket feature will
be complication to the county candi-
dates who must depend for their ma jori-
ties on personal canvass. and with few
exceptions they prefer having but one
ticket. since they realize the difficulty and
endorsements in soliciting votes that
they have to influence by means Of an
emblem. Where the voter is to be pulled
and hauled between rival Swisher and
Scherr partisans at the polls and advised
by the regular workers to look for the
eagle. and by the insurgents to hunt the
Lincoln picture, 1t is easy to foresee the
voters troubles and the probability Of his
turning for relief to the rooster to avoid
losing his ticket.
All Loyal to Taft.
Where this situation would result the
Taft electors would lose, consequently
any loss entailed by resentful Scherr men
because the Taft ticket would go only in
the Swisher column would be overcome
by votes lost to Taft through embar-
easements incident to dual republican
tickets. Throughout all the hubbub about
the state miXup no detection from the
national republican ticket has been in
sight. The Swisher managers are par
ticularly anxious to roll up a big major
ity for Taft and the Scherr leaders do
not care to offend the national end for
they want to preserve their party stand
ing.
The approaching election will be held
under new registration laws as we'll as
under new form of ballot, and the
counties in which Swisher ran strong for
the nomination are figured to turn the
new system to account. both state and
| nationally. These counties are in south
ern West Virginia and are relied on to
offset the strength displayed by Bennett,
the democratic gubernatorial candidate,
and Scherr in the upper counties.
Bryan is due to speak in Wheeling the
week after next, route to Maryland
He spoke here in the spring and there is