Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-07
ElK|NS TOURS STATE|AFFA|RS IN VIRGINIA.
Anxiety Over Senatorial Sue No More Liquor Legislation
cession in West Virginia. Is Election Prediction.
MlNGLES WITH LEADERS DEALERS ARE JUBILANT
Call Brings Slemp Promise to Reduce
Overwhelming Crowd. Democratic Vote.
OBJECT MEETING DEFEATED RICHMOND AWAITS PRESIDENT
Succeed
Interest to Two United Representative F. R.
Lasslur
Anxiety Over Senatorial Sue
cession in West Virginia.
MlNGLES WITH LEADERS
Call for Conference Brings Out
Overwhelming Crowd.
OBJECT OF MEETING DEFEATED
Choice of State Legislators of Great
Interest to Two United
States Senators.
-peciaI correspondence ~ The Star

:TecaI Correspondence 81 The Star.
WHEELING. w Va. November 6. 1aoo.
Senator Elkins has plunged anew into
the political game i'm West Virginia
Naturally the senior senator never en-
tirely releases his hand from the throttle,
but II is only preliminary to the case
OF his own individual affair that he gets
RICH: down to business. He Is getting
busy now in the matter OF the state. SEN
ators that are To he chosen for four
year term. each OF whom will have
vote OH his own succession as well as
vote on a successor tn Senator Scott.
The distinguished senator started on
little swing through West Virginia few
days ago to take a look at the land and
his fences thereon. He hurriedly left
Wheeling for trip to Middlebourne. the
county seat of Tyler. for a conference of
the republican leaders. the Pyle-Hill con-
test for the state senate being the object
II the confab.
Senator Elkins expressed a desire to
meet the leaders that he might get
lire on the situation. The candidates are
sx-Sheriff Steve Pyle and Thomas p. Hill,
both OF Tyler. The county is in the sec
ond senatorial district. and embraces also
the counties of Marshall and Wetzel but
Tyler's choice of the candidates this
year Is conceded by custom.
Hill Wants Another Term.
Hill is completing term in the senate
and wants to go back. his principal
hacker is Internal Revenue Collector
George T.. Work of Sistersville. the lead
ing town in the county. Pyle lives i'm
AIiddlebourne. and there has always been
hostile feeling politically between Mid
dlebourne and SiStersville. The oil boom
in the latter place brought in new
population. while Middlebourne is mostly
native sons, which Is one reason for the
friction.
Elkins wanted to have talk with the
boys and see If harmonious choice
could be made. He wanted. also, to learn
whether Pyle or Hill had the most
strength. But the conference did not pro-
duce the results required. for the reason
that the gathering place could not &C
commodate the crowd. The multitude of
attendants prevented quiet heart-to-
heart talk, so the thing ended where it
began The trouble was that when the
managers started out to get the leaders
they feared to overlook any active re-
publicans. so that pretty much everybody
in sight was corralled. Probably the
respective Pyle and Hill managers want
ed also to make large a numerical
showing as possible for their candidates.
Senator Elkins must have supposed the
county we'll supplied with leaders on over
looking the crowd, but he refrained from
any such expression. and after nm hour
or SO was driven back to Sistersville to
resume his journey through the state.
Pyle Adherents Confident.
The Pyle people are confident of their
ultimate success in winning the Elkins
favor. They want also to line up Sem
ator Scott, believing with this combina-
ton they will have no trouble in control
ling the situation. Their theory Is we'll
grounded, since they hope to have the
senators pull Collector Work away from
Hill, and without Work Hill has no po-
tential backing.
Pyle has formed a combination with
-. W. o. Hardman, once a stormy petrol
in politics and until recently a political
enemy of Pyle. Surprise has been ex-
pressed at Pyles alignment with Hard
man, but his sagacity Is complimented.
Hartman used to have ambitions to go
TO Congress. but regularly failed to get
Pyle and his friends to support him. On
the contrary, they clashed with him.
Hardman and Work never played to-
gether, either.
But rather than see Pyle win over
them. Work and his friends are prepar-
prosecuting attorney, for the senate. In
other words. they will be ready to drop
Hill for Underwood IL thereby they can
ride over Pyle's wiry frame. This plan
will not add oil to the troubled waters
in Tyler. because Underwood recently es-
tablished a new republican paper I'm Mid
dlebourne in opposition to the paper here
tofore regarded as the party mouthpiece.
Underwood has had an ambition to go on
the bench, but would take a seat in the
senate He is SO far silent figure. but
will loom up il the outlook appears good
for Pyle. and. accordingly, bad for Hill
Postmaster Lynn Kirkland. who succeed
ed Work In the Sisterville post Office
when Work was given the collectorship.
has always been for Underwood as
against Pyle or Hill. and he is winning
"a II 10
contest continues to grow in bitterness
Underwood compromise candidate
would look good.
Contest for leadership.
The Hill-Pyle matter is starting bitter
early simply because IL represents a con-
test for leadership in Tyler county that
has been of and on ever since Work and
Pyle aspired for the dominancy of the
republican organization there. The stu
alton in this respect is so generally
known that more interest is attached to
the outcome than half a dozen other SEN
storial contests combined.
West Eiryinians are wondering whether
ex-Goy. Dawson and Judge Dayton are
being mentioned or considered in other
states-one as a probable successor to
:he lately recalled minister to China, and
the other to succeed the late Justice
Peckham. ar. Dawson confesses he has
never heard of the use consideration
of his name except I'm the state press
Judge Dayton says likewisA but admits
a willingness to accept an appointment
to go higher. There are lawyers who
would like to see Dayton named. for in
leaving the district bench he would Gre
ate vacancy that would stimulate
mighty interesting contest among the fra
ternisy
The DawsonDayton suggestions go to
show the eagerness of West Virginia for
the advancement of her sons. There is
nothing backward politically about the
Mountain state.
INTRODUCES NEW SYSTEM