Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-11
WEST VIRGINIA SITUATION
Parties Waging Strenuous Campaign
for Supremacy in State.
CHANCES FAVOR REPUBLICANS
Taft Booked for Good Majority-Re-
publican Candidate for Gov
ernor Not So Certain.
Special Correspondence of The Star.


WHEELING. w. Va. October 10. 1908.
In every one OF the LOO election pre-
cincts in West Virginia today the regis
trars are sitting tor the purpose of COM
pleting their list of the qualified voters in
accordance With a new law. Previously
the registrars made canvasses OF their
territory. Today they sit in a designated
place that they may be interrogated by
citizens. and todays proceedings will he
in effect the only personal registration.
About October 25 the various county
courts will sit to hear petitions for adding
or erasing names from the registrars
lists. After that date no man may be
put on or struck off. and only those on
the books will be permitted to vote.
The new law is vague and ambiguous
and has caused no end of concern among
the people. The registrars were allowed
fee of 10 cents name for every regis
tfation. an inducement not to leave off
man of opposite politics. Only in the
case of naturalized voter does the law
call for strict scrutiny.
The new law supplants a registration
law tried two years ago which was a
farce. II made the assessor the registra-
ton officer and there was no inducemeut
that made him DESTROYS of being careful.
and the result was unsatisfactory. The
law also permitted registration by. affl-
davit on election day, thereby offering a
wide field for laXity.
Following the repeal Of the registration
law some years after the civil war which
initiated against those in the Confederate
service there was an absence of popular
sentiment for registration of voters until
IN recent years when stories Of repeating
in counties lately developed by the min
Ing industry created an agitation for re-
form. Just as the law initiated two years
ago was little better than none and was
relegated TO the rear 1t is certain the law
now operating will he amended and Inn
proved by the Legislature. There will be
movement for personal registration, and
perhaps property qualification or the SUBJ
mission of a paid tax receipt.
In Hands u County Court.
The registration machinery is in the
hands of tie county courts. hence the Off
GERS a7e republican or democratic. ac-
cording to the political complexion of the
county bodies. Naturally it would be ex-
pected that partisan advantage would he
taken where possible. but it appears that
the registrars have gone about their work
with the intention to do fair by their neigh
bors. while the plan of payment stimulated
them to let no voter escape. The fact
however. that the ma jority Of voters
have been unable to learn whether they
have been listed or not, and will not knoW
| until they see the books today or later i'm
the courthouse. has tended to excite them
democrats have endeavored to make DO
litical capital out of this anxiety.
Registration seems to be heavy. SO far
as learned. but the indications are for a
state because Of frequent discoveries OF
men who voted heretofore who had not
been naturalized. Some had voted on
their first papers. Others had been voting
for years on good faith.
Taft Victory Predicted.
The signs continue to point to a Taft
victory in West Virginia. The election OF
republican governor is still a matter OF
some doubt, although daily doings incline
to an improvement of Glasscock's chances
He is making an Industrious campaign.
and republicans of high degree of both
factions keep recording tributes to his
character and capacity. These testimo-
mails are to be collected and circulated in
pamphlet form for distribution, for Glass
cock does not enjoy a very wide state &C
quaintance, and the eulogies from those
who know him intimately are necessary
feeling among disgruntled element that
Glasscock is merely Senator Elkins man.
The democratic attack is to be on that
line. The fact that Glasscock as attor-
ney has represented some Of Senator Ell
kins' large business interests and that
Elkins successfully backed him for inter-
nal revenue collector four years ago is
made much of. The Lincoln party s
state executive committee with it's expir-
ing breath at Parkersburg a few DAYS
ago considered. included in a set of reso-
lutions paragraph insinuating that
Glasscock had been personally selected
in advance by Elkins as a compromise
candidate to solve the Swisher- Scherr
hyp% oo1@ -
the paragraph was eliminated. The reso-
lutiOns declare that the withdrawal OF
Swisher was a victory for the Lincoln
cause and omit an Endorsement of Glass
cock. but many Of the Lincoln leaders
and probably a large majority Of their
followers will support him.
Bennett at Standstill.
Bennett. the democratic candidate for
governor. is not growing The charge
| that he is backed by the liquor interests,
made by Supt. Theodore Alvord, state
president of the Anti-Saloon League, who
favors Glasscock is hurting Bennett.
Another asserted vulnerable point is Ben
nett's attack on the new, tax laws In
this connection republican orators are
showing up the large land holdings OF
Bennett. with view to proving he has a
selfish interest in assailing these laws.
Democrats generally admit the mistake
OF not putting up Maj Thomas f..
Hodges of Morgantown. who was defeat
ed by Bennett. Bennett Is by compari-
son weak brother. Nevertheless he will
get many republican votes on the anti
machine cry rather than because Of any
personal appeal or argument he could
make himself.
Republican majorities will be reduced
as whole in all the counties with the
possible exception of the black-belt coun-
ties in the southern part of the state,
where the negroes are aroused over the
danger of Acknowledgement contingent on
the election of a democratic Legislature.
AS to congressional candidates the re-
publicans are reasonably certain to elect
four of the Ave. Harry woodward being
In danger in the fourth as he has a
hustling opponent in w. A. Parsons. In
the first district Hubbard has q cinch.