Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
NECK AND NECK CONTEST
CLOSE RACE FOR HoNoRS IN
WEST VIRGINIA.
Official Roll Call May Be Required
to Decide Between Candi-
dates for Governor.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.


WHEELING, w. Va, June Ii, 1903.
The closeness of the race for the re-
publican gubernatorial nomination be-
tween Swisher ard Scherr centers atten
ton on the situation in OHIO county. the
home Of w. H. Hearne. formerly an ac-
tive but now a receptive candidate for
chief executive. Ohio has flfty-twO
votes, a number about representing the
difference between Swisher and Scherr,
with the probability that this number OF
votes will constitute the balance of
power.
There will be $50 votes in the conven-
ton and 443 will be required to nominate.
The calaims of the Swisher and Scherr
strength. respectively. vary SO much and
are so conflicting that nothing but the
official roll call will determine definitely
how many delegates each candidate can
muster. While both profess absolute
confidence the people are dubious in view
of uncertainties peculiar to this night.
The persistent but unavailing sentiment
and clamor for dark horse more than
anything else testif1es to the lack of
deep-down enthusiasm for either Swisher
or Scherr popular choice for the
head of the ticket
Consequently. there is a good prospect
that Hearne's own county could deadlock
the convention by sticking to Hearne or
by dropping him and going to a dark
horse. Hearne forfeited earnest support
when he publicly withdrew from the race
after losing Marshall county to Scherr,
and he tended to confirm a popular esti-
mate that he was eccentric when he SINH
larly announced two weeks later his re-
entrance into the race. When he retired
he announced surrender OF an claim
on the selection Of the Ohio county dele
cation. When he re-entered the list ne
announced that he would pick &c dele
cation. AS the county committee ceased
to consider him after his withdrawal 1t
will name a delegation At Hearhe will
select a contesting delegation 1t simply
means one more nut to crack in the con-
testing delegation line
County's Large Vote.
Ohio county, which is the second larg-
est county in West Virginia, will cast
almost one-eighth of the number of votes
required to nominate. 1t is the only
county in the state in which Swisher or
Scherr or both did not make an effort
before the people. This was because the
county was conceded to hearne and he
was given the delegation at primary
at which his was the only name for the
office of governor on the ticket. The
same primary gave an equal voice in the
selection Of the delegates to James X.
Hall, Hearne's fellow-townsman and
candidate for state auditor. but Hearne
now bases his claim to an exclusive right
in this respect to a waiver signed by Hall
and certain members of the county COM
mittee as individuals shortly before that
primary. when Hearne threatened to con-
plicate the pending primary by demand
ing a second primary as between himself
and Hall, intimating he would retire from
the race in lieu of that privilege. To
keep peace in the family his demand
was unoficially complied with.
But when he retired from the race
later in disgust this waiver was held
null and void. Hearne contends other
wise. He takes the position virtually that
nobody could rightfully withdraw any
thing but himself. And SO he will make
his case before the state committee on
the ground that he is the monarch Of all
he surveys in Ohio county. The commit
tee is called to hear this and a score of
other contests In Charleston July 6. two
CARELESS Of how the committees may de-
termine these contests. the fight will be
renewed on the convention floor on the
report of the credentials committee UNI
less the convention chooses to follow the
1904 convention precedent. when. under
the masterful leadership OF Representa-
tive w. P. Hubbard. the Dawson faction
succeeded in eliminating a committee on
the temporary roll of the state commit
tee being held sufficient. The chances are
against another elimination of the Gre
dentials committee, and there is inter-
esting speculation as to whether the
Swisher or Scherr forces will be supreme
in the organization by senatorial districts.
the customary method of organizing the
convention committees.
Contingency of Importance.
On these preliminaries seem to depend
largely the heated race for the governor
ship nomination, notwithstanding the con-
fident claims of awisher and Scherr that
DIV ho h}rd IN, nd
no danger. Incidentally there is talk of
the states contingent on this outcome.
The two states seem to run after this
fashion: ::
Governor. Arnold c. Scherr auditor,
James K. Hall: secretary of state, c. L.
Topping; treasurer, E. L. Long: attorney
general, A. r. Stallings: superintendent
Of schools. Thomas c. Miller.
Governor, Charles Wesley Swisher: au-
ditor. J.. S. Dart: secretary of state. Stu
art Reed or John T. Harris: treasurer,
Newton c. Ogdin; attorney general. w.
G. Conley: superintendent Of schools, NJ.
p. ShaWkey.
AS their own race is too close for COM
fort, the leading candidates for governor
are concerned about the rest Of the ticket
only from the standpoint Of expediency
and are open to conviction right up to the
last. Large corporate interests have a
whole ticket because their investments
are subject to taxation by the state
board of public works, which is composed
of these officers. with the exception of the
secretary Of state.
Democratic Controversy.
The lively interest shown by the demo-
Gratis this year is manifested by their dis
position to continue their quarrels over
party leadership. and it is still an open
Issue as between w. E. Chiffon or John
T. McGraw for the national committee
manship. Their claims on the fourteen
delegates to Denver are of equal disstm-
ilarity and in corresponding variance to
the republican candidates for governor.
The latest dope put out by the Chiffon
people is that Bryan would like to have
the kanaWha county democrat succeed
Tom Taggart as national chairman.
1t is said the Chiffon faction will in
time trot out eX-GOv. w. A. MacCOrkle
as a candidate for governor. and that
Senator Littlepage, who would like to be
their candidate, will be appeased with the
nomination for prosecuting attorney OF
KanaN ha county or attorney general. II
he insists, on the state ticket. rs Nc
Graw men are mostly behind Lewis Ben
nett's candidacy, the Chiltons don't take
kindly to him. Bennett is away In the
lead but Thomas E. Hodges is backed by
considerable sentiment and will display
strength, as he is the choice OF John j.
Cornwell John w. Davis, Senator Kidd
and other intiuentials. besides an enthu-
siastic following among students and
alumni of the state university, where he
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