Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-03
WEST vIRGInIA'S DELEGATION
FOURTEEN TO REPRESENT RE-
PUBLICANS AT CHICAGO.
All Instructed to Vote for Nomina.
ton Of Secretary Taft-State
Nominations Later.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Nominations Later.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.
WHEELING. w. Va, May 2 1908
With the election of George A. Laugh
lin, Charles F. Teter, Charles w. Dillon
and Isaac T. Mann as delegates to the
Chicago convention the republicans OF
West Virginia have completed the job Of
selecting the states quota of fourteen
and all are for Taft, and SO instructed
The outlook some months ago was moi
propitious for Taft Instructions, but those
| who were in opposition had to fall in
when the time came.
Representatives Gaines and woodward
| were Cannon champions in their re.
spective districts. Senator Scott was no,
! Taft advocate. Other leaders felt dis
erection the best play and kept a silent
tongue until they noticed the steady trend
| toward the Secretary of War as propelled
by Gov. Dawson. Representatives Hub.
bard and Stursis and others
The Taft organization was conspicuous
organized adWirers of Knox, Cannon and
Fairbanks could do nothing but retire to
the rear. When Representatives Wood
yard and Gaines discovered the situation
they gave up the ghost. Senator Scott
acquiesced gradually, for he kept his
ear to the ground. Senator Elkins. as
usual has remained nnaligned. Perhaps
he has been too busy with other affairs
but he can be depended on to climb into
the wagon and explain that he had ar
ranged for seat in the beginning. Scott
had a natural leaning toward Fairbanks,
but he was prepared to be a Taft shouter
two years ago until restrained by the
Secretary himself. who said at the time
he preferred seat on the Supreme bench
to the White House.
Senator Scott's Attitude.
Senator Scott was consistent to the
last. In presiding over the state delegate
and judicial convention this week at Par
kersburg he was careful to say that Knox,
Cannon. Fairbanks and Taft were all
wool and of full 36-inch width. and that
Taft was particular friend of his. Incl
dentally In his speech to the convention
the senator impressed ON the republicans
the necessity Of harmony and work to re.
tain their hold on the state. because of
trade conditions and the clashings for
party nominations. While SCOTS speech
was heralded as a keynote-sounder, his
opinions had been faithfully and fully
forecasted by Interviews he gave out
several weeks in advance.
The Parkersburg gathering, which was
the first state convention In two years.
was a hummer In point of numbers and
good nature. 1t had not the faintest sug-
trast to expectations aroused by the pro-
longed gubernatorial fight between Swisher
and Scherr. Strangely enough, there was
virtually little heard of the state ticket
contest. which is due for climax in
Charleston in July. All the candidates
for major and minor places were on hand,
but the assembled republicans gave them
but Indifferent attention. They came APP
parently to name the four delegates at
large. but the judicial fight was supreme:
period. and otherwise the delegates
seemed to have come for good time.
They were impatient of oratory or other
sorts of windjamming, paying little h led
preme court who essayed to make
speeches in nominating favorites. All
they wanted was simple, brisk business
at the convention and a love feast in
the convention of the State League of Re-
publican Clubs was held. but only eighty
of the eight hundred and odd visitors
bothered themselves about attending it.
No Dark Horse for Governor.
The Parkersburg convention settled de-
eisively further talk of a dark horse for
governor. Judge Moss. a resident, failed
to get any encouragement, and Scherr
and Swisher effected compact to COM
bine against the entrance of a rank out
slider. If necessary they will throw their
strength to each other TO keep out third
man. Senator Scott expressed the stu
alton when he said the tight would go to
finish between these two.
1t is impossible to say accurately which
has the greater number of elected dele
gates on his staff. because of the diverse
claims of the rival bureaus. Recently
Scherr has been getting in effective work,
1~,,t fo he hos <<,
his younger opponent. Scherr will get
over a score of delegates in Monongalia
county today. Swisher having declined to
contest at the primary, but Swisher APP
break in the settlement of contesting dele
cations by the state committee at the
Parkersburg convention. and this settle
ment will be precedent for the same
counties at the state nominating conven-
ton.
BY the middle Of the month Cabell
Mingo and Mercer. three big republican
counties, will have spoken and the Swisher
men are confident ,as Of bagging them. These
counties at the start, but Swisher has sue
ceeded in capturing the local organtza-
tons. He has played Isaac T. Mann
against T. e. Houston, millionaire Mer-
Ger county coal operator, against mill
lionaire Mcdowell county operator.
Three Colored Alternates.
The colored brother was more in evil
dence at the Parkersburg convention than
usual. He insisted on securing two alter
mates at large and secured them. The
second district also chose one as alter
nate. so that for the first time West Vir-
ginia republicans will be indirectly repre-
sented by three colored men.
At the fifth district convention and again
at Parkersburg the colored delegates sue
ceeded in recording their views on the
Brownsville negro soldier affair They are
hoping to make their influence felt more
than customary in West Virginia this
year. They have figured out that their
1900 votes constitute the balance of
power in the state, emitting them to recOg-
milton. Certain it is. they seemed disposed
to be somewhat FESTIVE.
Two Sudden Deaths Investigated.
Cnrnner NoNift Was called llnon La sf