Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-08
TURMOIL IN WEST VIRGINIA
REPUBLICANS FIND CONDITIONS
SOMEWHAT CHAOTIC.

Opposition to Mr.. Hubbard, Repre-
sentative Of First
District.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
WHEELING, W. Va. March "A uni
form state primary law for West V1r-
ginia is sure to be enacted as result or
the troubles incident to the various MODES
of securing delegates to the republican
state convention. The hot fight for gov
ernor is entering the final rounds. and
complications promising bitter feeling
have already developed because of the eN-
tire lack of unanimi;y characterfzing prl-
maries and conventions called by the
county organizations.
The first primary for the year Is being
pulled off today in Kanawha county. the
largest county in the state, and Charles
W. Swisher will be awarded the county
fifty-nine delegates to the state conven-
ton without opposition. The county COM
mittee left the choosing Of the delegates
entirely to the candidate for governor who
should get the highest number of votes as
against his competitors. Arnold c. Scherr
and William II. Hearne. the competitors
Of Swisher. declined to accept the terms
offered hence Swishers walkaway IN
Kanawha.
Hearne never seriously considered maxi
ing a contest there. and Scherr declined
on the ground that the committees action
was unfair and improper. He took an
appeal to the state committee. which met
for that special purpose at Clarksburg
this week. and his appeal was turned
l. NtNa MOI lrff u
of the committee took the view that
Scherr's appeal in itself was not pertinent.
for Scherr commended that the kanawha
county committee had TO right to allow
nonresident candidate for state office
to monopolize the delegates. Had the same
appeal come from one of the resident can
didates, Topping for secretary of state or
Shawkey for superintendent of schools.
the state committee might have acted
otherwise. None of the gubernatorial can
didates is a resident of Kanawha.
Adopted in Other Counties.
The fashion set jim Kanawha this year of
limiting the selection of delegates solely
to the successful candidate for governor
has been initiated in Marion. Barbour and
other counties where Swisher is supposed
to control things. The committee in Ohio
county. after awaiting the decision Of the
state committee in the matter of Scherr' 8
protest over the Kanawha affair decided
| to place on the county ticket the names
of the candidates for governor and au-
ditor, the successful ones to select q dele
cation mutually satisfactory.
This means that Ohio county's ffty-two
votes will be for Hearne for governor and
for James X. Hall for auditor. and the
ruling is peculiarly fitting Under the cir
dent candidates, and their competitors
have signified willingness to let them
have their home county without contest.
Elsewhere, as in Fayette county, one
plan is for electing delegates to a county
convention from maglsterial districts, the
county convention in turn to name the
state delegates. Other counties will adopt
the mass county convention plan. In
Peasants county there will be q contest
for supremacy between Newton F. Ogdin
the incumbent. and Hollf Simmons, can
didates for state treasurer, but candidates
for other offices can be put on the ticket
by making contribution to the county
committee, and the delegation will be con-
sidered as instructed for the successful
one.
A fee of SO only is to be exacted from
candidates for any place on the state
ticket In Monongalia county, which has no
resident candidates.
The kanawha county committee set the
assessment for gubernatorfal candidates
at 1850. which Scherr argued was excess
I've. 1t was fixed at $3.50 in Marion
county: With fifty-five counties in the
state it is evident how expensive is q
gubernatorial nomination candidacy in
West Virginia on that scale. And all
for an honor and a salary of 5000 per
anrum. with executive mansion trim
mings
System Causes Chaos.
The chaotic system of selecting dele
gates to the state convention this year Is
particularly distressing because the state
committee has not time before the con-
vention to adopt binding set of rules
which would simplify the situation, but
the convention is certain to give consid-
Grafton to plans which will prevent COM
plications in the future. The legisla-
ture. as well as the committee, has dis
cussed the matter without fruit hereto
fore, but In the light Of present feelings
there will have to be results.
One of the propositions Gov. Dawson
had in mind for a special session Of the
legislature was uniform primary law
but he was forced to abandon 1t from his
call because certain members Of the SEN
ate threatened hostility to other pet hob
bies II the primary bill was included,
The regular session next winter will not
have a campaign distraction to interfere
and may be depended on to enact a
primary law. primary held on the
same day throughout the state. with all
Vic TOT Stdte OUlCeS on ING
ticket the nominations to go to the re-
spective candidates getting the greatest
aggregate of votes in the state, seems to
find the most favor.
Hubbard Has Opposition.
Senator Robert Hazlett has finally and
definitely decided to contest renomina-
ton with Representative w. P. Hubbard
in the first congressional district. Hub
bard is serving his first term. He had
the congressional committee adopt
primary plan for the nomination, the
voters of the district to decide between
congressional aspirants. This was I'M
expected by the anti-Hubbard men who
had looked for the old-time convention
system. but Hazlett must have received
great encouragement. He must make
his canvass In thirty days. as he has
just returned from the legislature which
adjourned last Tuesday night. Because
of the limited time. the original manner
dents of Wheeling and Hubbard's con-
coded stature and Hazlett's personal pop
ularity. the contest Is going to attract
attention throughout West Virginia, which
will overshadow the governorship fight.
1t will be ended with April II. Harrison
county will start the ball rolling April
@. and Hazlett confidently figures on
majority there, but it will require a ma
jorty of the popular vote in the eight
counties combined to nominate.
Minor Contest.
A sizzling contest for the state senate
is on in Marion county between ]. NJ.
Jacobs, a member of the house OF dele