Evening star., 1909-06-27

or see some of their partsans inserted in
good berths, but the governor seems dis
posed to glide along the stream of least
resistance and keep in office those whose
records have been satisfactory.
swisherites Suspicious.
The Swisher people are afraid Auditor
Darst cottons too close to the old Scherr
outfit in his Office, and they think Darst,
who owes much to the Dawson-Swisher
bunch, should remember where he got his
start. Darst never had the training pc
culiarly fitting him for auditor. and he
evidently would rather keep on as his
assistants the men who had experience
under Auditor Scherr than trust TO a
new collection What he will do later
remains to be seen.. but for the present
he is not in a changing mood
Failing to place Sam Montgomery In
Dor Commissioner Barton's shoes. the
Swisher adherents would like to see
Darst make Montgomery insurance COM
missioner, a job within the Darst be-
stowal. At present 1T is being filed by
Julius Scherr, brothee Of the former
auditor. and. like Montgomery. Preston
county man.
One of the effective arguments against
Scherr when he tried to be governor was
his fondness for handing good things to
the members Of his family, and 1t was
really the thing that hurt him most in
Charleston. which meant 1t hurt him in
kanawha county. the biggest county in
the state.
And. speaking of Preston county. 1t is
a matter of interest that this county
among the Alleghenies. famed for it's
buckwheat and republican majorities,
fares better than any other at the hands
Of the state administration 1t Is the
county ex-Gov. Dawson halls from Be
sides getting an extraordinary share Of
the good plums 1t manages to get away
with a lot of miscellaneous fruit Ger
ainlu nf in Vast Oipio
has as many ambitious and successful
statesmen.
Spook for Sturgiss.
With nothing particularly exciting In
Preston these days they are endeavoring
to frighten Representative Sturgiss with
opposition should he fail to hear certain
voices on the question of filling the post
offices at Terra Alta and Tunnelton. The
latter office Is filled now by the wife of
ex-senator Sam Montgomery, who, ap-
pointed originally by Representative Day
ton. dropped it when he went to the
senate.
week from Washington, where he Is on
the census pay ron. While in the capital
he declared that Senator Scott would
have no trouble succeeding himself.
Charles F. Teter, who is accused of
hankering after Scott's seat. keeps nom
committal, or says In effect that he will
take 1t IL he can get 1t, but declines to
say he will tackle the job Of setting up
legislature So 1t looks like Scott might
have opposition in the caucus TO the ex-
tent of honorary mention for favorite
son or two, but nothing more serious
than that.
Taxation Of Banks Considered.
Attorney General Conley has been
forced to get busy on the proposition of
| taxing banks. just after endeavoring to
| hold up the states end on the two-cent
| fare controversy with the Coal and Coke
| and Chesapeake and Ohio railroads.
These are two matters which are
legacy of the radical trend of the legis-
latures during the Dawson regime.
| permanent Injunction was secured by
the Coal and Coke Company against the
| two cent rate, and the company has gone
to the three-cent fare stage. This Is the
road built by Henry G. Davis, and in
which Senator Elkins is also interested.
siblites remote, hence there was never
any great sentiment for subjecting it to
the low fare, but the legislature did not
see how to make exception, other than
minimum of fifty-mile roads, and this
road was too large for that. The court
held that two-cent fare was confiscatory
on this road.
The Chesapeake and Ohio has secured
only a temporary injunction. but should
il succeed in making 1t permanent it will
mean that two-cent fare for West Vir-
ginia Is dead, unless imposed by a new
: law