Evening star., 1909-05-23
Promotion of Harmony Among
West Virginia Republicans.
SOME LATE APPOINTMENTS
Governor Ignores Factional Lines in
Making Selections.
BARTON, LABOR COMMISSIONER
His Fourth Term in the OMce-Gos-
sip Regarding Political Con-
ditions in the State.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.


WHEELING, w. Va. May %. 1909.
An era of good feeling in the republican
party in West Virginia is foreshadowed
by the appointments Gov. Glasscock con-
tinues to hand out. He is keeping to
pledge he made preceding the eiecuon
that he would not recognize factionai
differences, and he seems to be bent on
reuniting the party in one grand har-
monious whole.
The new governor had delicate task
in selecting the two majority members OF
the state board of control. and he cnose
two representative West Virginians-
James f. Lakin and John A. Sheppard
who were identified with the rival SWISH
er and Scherr clans, and he followed
these up this week by the reappointment
of Isaac v. Barton as state labor COM
missioner.
This makes Bartons fourth appoint
ment. he having previously served under
Cows. Atkinson, White and Dawson. he
was appointed first when resident 81
Marshall county but soon after crossed
the line to Ohio county, where ne mas
since resided. Barton's reappoinlment
was strenuousiy opposed by Charles w.
Swisher. likewise State Chairman sam
V. Mathews and others of the inner circle
of the old Swisher organization, put Coy.
Glasscock ignored political Endorsements
and political feeling and selected barton
on the strength of his record ana <ors .ne
labor organizations manufacturers ana
employers of labor generally.
Swisher Montgomery's Friend.
Samuel B. Montgomery, formerly a
state senator, of Preston county and for
some months back holding a position
with the Department Of Commerce and
Labor at Washington, was the candidate
for the place backed by the Swisher brl-
rade MONTGOMERY was also supported
bv the miners He started life as coal
digger at Tunnelton. His support, now
ever. was not active as compared WIN
that of the railroaders and other classes
of labor men lined up behind Barton
Barton supported Arnold Scherr TOT
governor last summer and went 70 ralher
extreme lengths in assaiiing o"lsneI .
that Swisher did not care to forget. COY.
Glasscock was q Swisher supporter Wnnie
the latter was a candidate, but he did
not allow his leaninGs to be innuenceo oy
the Swisher antagonism to Barton.
This incident Is the most prominent 10
date of the governors policy In appoint,
ments. He seems set on making gooo
record for himself and for his aoninls- ,.s
troduce the shears so as to limit un-
necessary state expenditures. and the
state board of control is to follow his de,
sires by exacting from the heads OF all
state institutions the most rigid economy
in management. The governor also In
tends to cut down the number OF attaches
at the legislative sessions and he will be-
gin his real work in that. line at the hrst
session to be held under his admnistra-
tion, which will likely be a special session
next winter.
Eyes Cast Forward.
Meredith Simms. one Of the bosses OF
the republican organisation in Fayette
county, is out with a boom for Charles
w. Dillon Of the same county for govern
or in 1912 Simms was one OF SWisher's s
star supporters and he won a hard ana
bitter hght for the county delegation. 1t
may be significant that he intends to
support Dillon when Swisher has alreahy
proclaimed himself q candidate again.
And it Is also of some interest that Dill
lon is booming ex-Gov. Dawson to sue
ceed Senator Scott. But the nature OF
politics played in Fayette and the sec
lion in and about Charleston has always
been puzzling to the denizens OF other
sections.
Intimates of Judge NJ H. Willis say he
will not be a candidate for Congress
against Representative w. p. Hubbard.
Certain newspaper changes in the district
and the Judges removal to Wetzel county
furnished ground for gossip. and while he
is personally silent the leaders OF the
anti-Hubbard movement last year, who
We're supposed to be casting about for a
new victim and who were rumored to
have Willis in mind, deny the SOFT I'M
peachment They are doing nothing In
that line at present and may forego the
anxiety of another struggle unless there
are unforeseen Developments