Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13
SW|SHER HAS CHANCE
Heavy Odds Must Be Over
come by Candidate.
TANGLE IN WEST VIRGINIA
Scherr Faction Still Intent Upon
Beating Him.
DEMOCRATS IN UNITED FRONT
Negro Enthusiasm Expected to Swell
Vote Of Republican Nominee.
Regularity Will Count.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

tlonal committee declared the ticket
headed by Charles w. Swisher to be the
regular republican ticket.
This was conceded a few weeks before
the outcome by the Lincoln party lead
ers. after finally swallowing their own
claim to legitimacy, made when they
pulled off rump convention, and ad-
hered to for some weeks following.
The national committees decision,
however, clarified the situation. The
regularity plea from this on will prove
potential.
But whether Swisher will be elected
governor is another story. His closest
friends intensely hope SO. They will
work for him enthusiastically as Swisher
men do as rule.
In all his political contests he has had
the faculty of infusing ginger among his
associates by reason of a winning per-
sonality and many qualities of leadership.
To combat an insurgent ticket of his
own party and a fairly well organized
democracy cabs for showing Of votes
he does not seem to have at the present
writing. AS the campaign proceeds his
position may grow stronger, but it is an
uphill fight for him.
Opposition Overcome by Dawson.
Four years ago Dawson was elected
was opposed by an element that con-
tested his nomination and by taxpayers,
large and small unfortunately, who
felt he stood for tax system which
would impose burdens on them, just as
thousands of other taxpayers felt he
championed a system which would re-
lieve them of tax burdens by shifting
them on somebody else.
Dawson had the popularity of Roose-
Welt aid This made clear nv
the fact that Roosevelt's plurality was
80. 600
| Dawson had, Furthermore, the backing
| of his party papers without exception.
| Industrial conditions were prOpitiouS.
| The democratic party made a vigorous
fight only for the governorship.
This year the minority party is Bryan
mad. and accordingly active all along
thusiastic for Taft. but forced to be
inactive because of the state muddle.
and has been idle for weeks in hopes of
a settlement which would permit a
solid and hearty fight.
| The national committees decision
leaves the state muddle virtually as 1t
| was, since the decision of regularity
for the Swisher ticket cut no figure
with the Scherr or Lincoln party. They
declare through their chairman; E: M.
| Grant of MOrgantown, they will fight
| the election of the Swisher ticket to a
| finish.
| Odds Against Swisher.
| Consequently Swisher enters the fray
opposed by the Lincoln party move
ment and the papers of the party en-
rolled in that cause. as against a unani-
| nous press for Dawson. 1t must be
conceded also that Taft is not as mag
netic a running mate as Roosevelt; also
| that industrially the conditions are diff
| ferent from four years ago. Hence If
/ Dawson got only 5000 under the more
favorable circumstances how is Swisher
| to succeed?
Swisher is nothing if not perennially
sanguine. All his life he has taken long
chances and landed right side up in the
end. He believes he will be elected. He
has infused a corresponding opinion
| into many of his active supporters
| He figures that the negro planks will
hurt the democratic ticket. to the end
| that every colored voter in the state
will be out on election day to guard
against Acknowledgement by voting for
the republican ticket. And that ticket
means the Swisher one.
| Swisher is popular among the negroes.
The state committee, by keeping on a COL
ored man as delegate al large, has made
the negroes line up for the regular ticket
When the Lincoln party set up a rival
state committee 1t overlooked colored rep
| resentatiOn.
| The increase in population in recent
years has been the greatest in the south
lern end of the state, due to the develop
ment of the mining industry. This section
| is a Swisher stronghold. Thousands of
negroes will be voted for the first time in
presidential campaign there.
| Swisher expects his majorities there to
overcome losses through OBJECTIONS to
Bennett or the Scherr column in the
northern counties.
| While recognizing his weakness In the up
per end of the state now. Swisher figures
and with some reason. that most repub-
| licans want to be regular, and that In the
final analysis it will be Swisher or a DEM
ocrat for governor, and that the majority
will take Swisher instead OF Bennett.
Qualifications of Candidate.
! Swisher's qualifications have been bit
terly attacked by his opponents. He has
been abused without limit. But he has
maintained his typical smile throughout.
And his record of hard ladder climbing
since he quit digging coal a dozen years
ago is beginning to appeal to the people
| Many who were Indifferent as to Swish
er or Scherr. preferring a stronger man.
but reckoning .Scherr as no superior, do
not look favorably on Scherrs disgruntled
attitude when he failed to win the NOM
| ination. 1t is advertised that Scherr has
Jared well at the public crib, measured by
the offices held by himself and the mem
berS of his family.
And from every viewpoint the Scherr
canvass has nothing to appeal for. Scherr
does not expect to be elected He will be
satisfied with Swisher's defeat But no
such argument will find lasting Judgment
with the voters after the campaign opens
In dead earnest.
| The regret was uniform and deep at
Judge Goff's refusal to accept the NOM
| ination a compromise candidate i'll
health being his reason. Golf was the
-tct,e Iv,rr
said.
1t may appear like hoping against hope,
| yet the feeling will not down altogether
that a new man will lead the republican
hosts to victory. This feeling Is based on
the conviction that Senator Elkins, one of
Swisher's sponsors. will turn the trick II
convinced of Benefits prospect of vic
tory.
This theory Is based also on Swisher S
supposed readiness to be drawn off at
Elkins convenience. His latest utterances
shatter this theory He insists that the
governorship is now a closed incident
| Benefits statement of expenses con-
nected with securing the democratic nom-
nation has not aroused profound respect
for the new law requiring these state
ments. He puts his total at $557 OF
which the bulk went to George l. Neal,
his manager. Neal files a supplementary
report showing how a band at the con-
vention, stenographers, stationery and in
cidentals eat up the money.
No other candidate for state office has
yet enlightened the public on his outlay
despite the burning eagerness to have
light on the sums put forth in the re-