Evening star., 1909-04-25
PUZZLES HIS FRIENDS
Northcott's Willingness to Ac-
cept Foreign Mission.
WEST VIRGINIA POLITICS
Probable Opposition to Representa-
tive Sturgiss.
LATTER IS WELL 1NTRENcHED
Scramble in the State for Position
Created by the Last
Legislature.
Special Correspondence of The star.

Special Correspondence of The star.
WHEELING. W. Va, April -. 1909.
The nomination of Elliott Northoott 10
be United States minister to Colombia
continues to excite comment. That a
young man of his political promise should
consent TO exile himself from the coun-
try for an indefinite period at the risk
of losing all his political prestige and
his intimate touch with the organization
is regarded by many an enigma. Sim
ply because he gave Charley Swisher his
| word that he would support him for gov
ernor. the young Huntington man refused
to be drawn into the governorshp CON-
test last year as compromise candidate
either as a dark horse or in any way
whatever refusing the "crown" on sew
eral occasions. He was the undisputed
| favorite of his party for the Office. and. in
fact, had been considered the heir to the
throne for full four years. But Swish
er seemed to have hypnotized him into
an agreement not to go after the place.
| Now Northcott willingly goes after and
accepts the South American mission. Per-
haps the s12 on a year salary attracts
| him. for like all lawyers who give poll
tics the greater share Of attention North
| colt has had to keep aloof from corpora
ton practice. Had he been disposed to be
counsel for the big coal and railroad in
terests in this section he could have COM
manded princely retainers. but that would
have prejudiced him in the eyes of the
people, who refuse to stand for political
| preferment for attorneys entangled with
the octopus He has, therefore, not been
what might be termed a money-making
lawyer.
Ritz for District Attorney.
A. Ritz Of Mercer county has been named
to succeed Northcott as United States dis
trict attorney for the southern district OF
West Virginia. Ritz stands we'll with
the political powers that be. and is said
to be very close to Isaac I. Mann. =
gentleman who Is gradually forging to
the front as a power in the disposition OF
political patronage and In the general con-
duct OF the republican party In this state
Mann wants to be senator some day, ana
Ritz can help him considerably.
There is an impression forming that
Representative George L. SturSiss IS 10
have opposition in the second district.
Howard Sutherland of Randolph county
af present a holdover member OF the
state senate, and L. ]. Forman of Grant
county. president OF the senate anu
retiring member. are both mentioned IN
this connection. Both have gone before
| conventions before and failed to lanu.
Perhaps they may not try next year 10
go against Sturgiss, who Is well intrench-
! ed. but after one more term ne Is due 70
| encounter the opposition or either. Of
| both.
Board of Control Gets Busy.
James s. Lakin and John A. Shepard.
| the two republican members or the newly
created state board OF control, are dis
covering that their first trouble is 10
elect a secretary. The minority member.
fc ohcn1
embarra ssment because the new ofncial
will be a republican. The board is Jusl
getting its lines in shape for organiza-
ton and will start to DO business aIter
Julv l. Over a score of ambitious news
paper scribes want to. be secretary. not
TO mention several politicians who never
welded the reportorial pencil.
The board will have the supervision
of all the state institutions, task IN
volving the purchase OF supplies. the ac-
counting Of the books and. in fact. the
general management At first the crea-
ton of the board was looked on as an
other attempt to build up a close pol1ti-
cal machine but second thought SHOWS
how much real hard work is involved.
The machine cry was raised when the
state tax commissionership was created
and indeed several simon-pure politi-
clans aspired to the job. with view 10
the pull they supposed went with IT,
But few years remain yet OF the term
of six years. and there nave neen three
having been elevated from an assistant
place No politician wants the job any
more because II is constant. monoto-
nous grind rather than a sinecure-
Scramble for Marshalship.
Auditor j. S. Darst was up In the frst
district this week scouting around a DIT.
While in Wheeling he was urged to name
Moses c. Kndelberger of the wheeling
fire department as state fire marshal. an
Office created by the last legislature at
the suggestion OF the insurance men OF
West Virginia whose companies are 10
bear the expenses of the office from a
voluntary tax Oh their resources. the
appointment lies with the state auditor.
but Mr. Darst has consented to accept
the recommendation OF a committee OF
three insurance men, two of whom live
in Wheeling.
Naturally, there is scramble for the
place and number of pressure appil-
cations have been laid on the auditors
Office but the decision to leave the mat
ter with the men who have to foot the
expense bill has struck popular chord
Auditor Darst has had a delicate row TO
hoe Gin organizing his office SO as to keep
from offending the rival Swisher and
Scherr clans. He, succeeded Arhoin :.
Scherr and the outlook is for ms re-
tanning many of the Scherr outht. Just
az Secretary of State Reed is inclined
| favorably to the old Swisher retainers
in his Office
Scott Solid With Coal Men.
Ex-Gov Dawson declares that he has
not given up entirely the offer of fed
eral census job in China. He intimates
his decision 70 accept the appointment
,f associate counsel in the Virginia debt
ase is in a sense temporary. and per-
aaps by next year he will be ready to
start for the orient.
As TO the United States senatorial con-
test next year. the opinion prevails that
poth Senator's Scott and Elkins have
STRENGTHENED themselves by their stand
pat tariff attitude. About the most po-
tential force in West Virginia politics is
the coal industry. Almost hundred
operators lourneyed to Washington to
protest against lower tariff, and Scott
made good with them. 1t is needless TO
saw Elkins made good. He always does
when he gets reused. as he has been In
the tariff controversy. His superior dip
lomatic abilities made him develop az
the logical leader from the West Vir-
ginia standpoint.