The Washington times., 1908-10-30
Democrats Have But One
Hope, and That Is Elec-
tion of Bennett.
ANTI-NEGRO PLANK
is A BOOMERANG
Republicans Insist They Will Not
Only Go For Taft, But Will
Down Bennett By 1900.

ELKINS, ". Va, Oct. 3O.-The Dem
ocrats Of West Virginia have but one
hope for election day, and that IS the
election Of Lewis Bennett. their can IL
date for governor. They concede that
Judge Taft viii carry the state by q
good majority they 90 not expect 70
elect any or the men who are on the
State ticket with Bennett, and they
admit that they have no chance or
controlling the Legislature.
These statements were n uade today
by one or the party leaders who has
visited every county IN the state.
The Republicans. on the other hand,
claim that their ticket from top TO
bottom viii sweep the state. Senator
s b. Elkins, who returned home last
night from New York. said that Judge
Taft would get q majority Of between
$500 and 5.O00. and he predicts the
election OF ". z. Glasscock. the Re
publican candidate for governor, b.
about 1900.
The Democrats admit that they have
but one charge TO make against Glass
cock, that being that he is the creation
Of Senator Elkins. The charge. ap-
parenuy, is not SUFFICIENT 20 carry the
election. and the indications today are
that GlasBCOCk viii come out winner,
although by a much smaller vote than
that given four years ego 20 Governor
DaWson' who had a majority OF 1900.
Labor Vote Uncertain.
The labor vote. which in the past
has been largely Republican, is giving
the party leaders much concern, and
a goodIy portion OF IL is almost Ger
IA 70
who have Harold Huston ia the 4 Id
Tor governor.
Few OF the dissatisfied Iaborers, II is
believed viii 20 for Bryan. This is
principally due 70 the TACT that they
DeueNe their continued employment
would be endangered ~e-S the Demo
CIaLs empowered 70 revise TIE tarifI, and
W Nest Virginia Is a distinctly protective
JariH state. Tariff revision, which
would auect coal, timber. aud the glass
INDUSTRY, would almost certainly result
~ a setback 10 those Industries in this
state. This is feared by the woriuen
iuIly as much as 10 is by the mauufaCI-
uTers and producers.
The greatest card being played by
Lne Republicans is the remarkable de-
crease In taxes. IN 1904 the tax was s.
cents bringing in a revenue of Sgl5, 300.
The tax rate has been gradually ge-
dUced since that time until today K is
only cents. The revenue from tt-ls
source naturally decreased. the total for
1901 being S454. 90. To make Up the diff
ference, the cost OF special privileges
has been increased. Liquor Licenses.
Tor instance, cost 500 more today thrn
IN 151f- Corporations also are paytlg
greater share OF the taxes than Dur
years ago.
"Jim Crow" Law.
There IS one plank in the Democratic
platform that IS acting as a boomerang.
IL Is the anti-negro plank The party
leaders admit now that had they been
content with a Jim-CrOw plank il would
have met with much more favor than
has the dlsfrancnlsement plank. The
Republicans declare that tie intense
facuOnaI feeling engendered by he first
convention has almost enL-esy disap-
peared. That Il has proved a great
handicap Is admitted on AL sides.
In fact, Mr. GlasScoCk said today
that early in his campaign he found it
necessary TO devote as much time 10 the
internal troubles. IN his own party as
TO the Democratic candidate The ne
cessity for ironing out differences IS
now past, he said, and he declares that
he has the Democrats on the run.
Mr.. GlasscOCk said that there has
been an unusual Increase in the Tegistra-
ton Of Republican voters this year. a
fact which gives him considerable hope
for the outcome. The Democrats have
not lost sight Of this increase and they
declare that in several counties, the reg
| !stration has been Illegal. To support
their charges they claim that despite the
fact that many voters have moved out
OF the State, the Republicans today
have more names on their registration
lists than there Were voters at the last
Thus Tar, however, they have made nc
attempt to back Up their charges with
proof