Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-01
ON THE EVE OF BATTLE
Republicans Confident. Demo-
Gratis Hoping in West Va.
DOUBT ON GOVERNORSHIP
Believed. However. That Glasscock
Will Win by Small Margin.
REPUBLICANS REGARDED SAFE
Prediction That Taft Will Have
From $4,000 to 10000 Plurality
in State.
Special Correspondence III The Star.


WHEELING. w. Va. October 81, 1905.
In West Virginia the republicans are
confident. the democrats hopeful rms
sums up the situation on the eve of cleo
ton. The republicans are willing to go
into predictions with figures: the demo-
Gratis prefer to predict their success In
generalities But both sides are pre-
pared to receive surprises. inasmuch As
they privately confess an inability to
analyze conditions.
First of all, the outlook for Taft's car
rying the state remains bright. The DIT
ference from former predictions by repup-
lcans is that they are inclined to be more
conservative than few weeks ago lhey
stick around the 10000 plurality mark tor
Taft and $1,000 for Glasscock, who heaos
their state ticket-that is, those who
have. to pose in the imelght AS forecast
ers submit those figures to the public.
What was regarded at the outset as
safe guess was 15,VU for Taft. and an
analysis of all reports would lnnicate IL
to be as near the probab illty as Is posi-
BILE under the circumstances. On illdt
basis Glasscock's majority is conJecturai.
but the average hope of his followers -
that he won't run more than .',utb Defiliiu
There are many guesses. with majority
from $500 10 1000 estimated for the gu
that Glasscock will land at all.
That the democrats pin but little falth
to West Virginia is evident by the fact
that i'm Chairman Mack's estimates re-
Gently il has Deen classed as doubtful.
with republican tendency. They hope for
landslide in the Nebraskan's favor, but
are extremely dubious. On the governor
snip issue they are more than hopeful.
They are fighting hard for their candidate.
Lewis Bennett, and have reason to be en-
couraged over the prospect of some re-
publican support
Solid Congressional Delegation.
Indications are good for the election of
a solid delegation Of republican repre-
sentatives, namely, the return of Repre-
sentatives Hubbard. Sturgiss. Gaines,
woodward and Hughes. Parsons. the
democratic candidate. has put up an ag-
gressive campaign against woodward. and
the result in that district will be the
closest of the five. There, as elsewhere.
the result depends on the running OF
Taft and Glasscock-
There is no commanding issue on state
lines and the reason for concern among
republicans is due to the depressed bust
ness conditions. the split in their party
which was adjusted but few weeks ago
by the withdrawal of the rival republican
candidates for governor, SW1sher ana
Scherr. and a growing sentiment against
the leadership of Senator Elkins. Subord-
mate to these factors are the democratic
negro planks, which while producing a
solid negro vote for the republicans. are
undeniably popular in certain parts of the
state and with other people in other parts
of the state.
fractional Troubles Arise.
Late reports from the southern end of
the state, where the bulk of the repub-
lican majorities were figured on. are not
SO rosy as a few weeks ago. fractional
clashes in Mcdowell, Mercer and Mingo,
and likewise in Fayette, now threaten
to overcome in measure the earlier
outlook Even In the fifth congressional
district, a hotbed of republicanism, Jim
Hughes has no easy sailing to go back
to Washington because of local trou-
bles and the hard canvass waged by DR..
Clark popular and aggressive CAM
paigner.
A member of Gov. Dawson's cabinet
this week said he would not be surprised
if Mingo would reverse the republican
ma ority of two years ago. and that Mer-
Ger county, another republican standby,
was destined to go into the democratic
fold In Mingo two republican factions
are at fault. In Mercer there is said to
be a revolt against the domination of
Isaac T. Mann, and in both cases the
disgrunted ones followed the Scherr ban
ner in the dual gubernatorial affair.
The registration of voters was COM
pleted this week and in all cases showed
an increase over the 1904 vote. which ag-
gregated something like 2350oO votes
then The republicans have had the adj
vantage of the registration feature. but
there is little complaint as to unfair
partisan tactics. the burden of criticism
being as to the looseness of the work
done by the registrars. which, however,
could be applied equally to the law.
whose ambiguity and contradictions
should cause lis perfection at another
session of the Legislature. The law is q
good start. but the demand is for per-
Sonal registration.
Labor Vote on Usual Lines.
1t is question if the labor vote has
not been given too much attention. As
election day arrives the truth of Judge
Tafts remal8s in his Wheeling speech
! becomes apparent namely, that labor
would be divided along the usual lines.
The noisiest of the shouters about in
functions have always been democrats.
Hundreds of democrats will support Tart
because of the belief that Bryan's cleo
ton will impair or retard business. and
their votes will help counteract labor de-
fections from the republicans to Bryan.
The increased animation in the demo-
cratic party in West Virginia this year 10
due to the magic Bryan works among
his followers: to the belief that troubles
in the dominant party would help. and
the let up in prosperity. The railroad men
especially show a Bryan leaning. but the
farmers have failed to betray enthusiasm
on that score hence outside of the in
dustrial centers. where organized labor
holds forth. particularly in the Ohio val
lev counties. the republican managers
do not tigur on a republican loss ma
tionally
Senator Scott is interested in the cleo
ton of the state senators who will hold
over two years hence. when his fate IL
to be decided but ii is hard to estimate
the future complexion of the legislature.
1t is natural to expect the republican
ma iorty will be decreased but republic
ity has been unwieldy at the three last
sessions The liquor issue is playing
some part in the legislative contests, the
liquor and temperance elements seeking
to control the senate. but their affair
has been overshadowed by the contest
for the electoral vote and the governor
ship.
Regarded as Safe Estimate.
Finally it is the one best bet that Taft
will carry West Virginia by 5000. that
Glasscock will have 1900 to 5000, and
that the republicans will elect all their
congressional candidates and good ma
iority of the legislature. An increased
democratic vote and a decreased republic
can vote will result. compared with the
1904 returns. The only danger from the
republican standpoint is in the propor-
tons And down in their hearts both re-
publican and democratic managers are
al sea The difference between them