Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-03
URGED BY GOVERNOR
GIasscock's Legislative Pro-
gram in West Virginia.
HAS FOUR PROPOSITIONS
Republicans May Seize the Recon-.
mendations and Use Them as
Their Issues in Campaign.
Special Correspondence OF The Star.

FOR lack OF issues or an issue the re.
pubIicans Of West Virginia NAV seize
the legislative program just outlined
oy Gov. Glasscock. and they mixht 20
farther and fare worse. The governor
mas let 1T be known that he would like
the legislature to put the four follow
ing things on the statute books the
coming winter: A primary election Law.
county local option law, a law Gre
atlng public service commission. a
law providing for a production tax on
natural gas
10 the end that the legislature may
nave available data the governor in
tends to appoint soon commissions on
each OF these propositions, ana they
VIII hle their reports to the governor
before the legislature meets The agi-
taton Tor primary law insures the
adoption OF some kind OF measure. but
there VIII be hitch on the kind. There
is split between those who favor a
statewide primary bill and those who
think the unit should be the two counties
Ihose advocating the statewide idea
providing for uniform primary
throughout the state on the same day.
especially for both parties, seem to be
in the majority
County or State Wide Primaries.
Those favoring the county idea-that
Is, making primaries compulsory. but
WITHIN the Jurisdiction of the county
organizations instead of the state gov
CT hiieht-argue that state primary
Is rich mans game, and that no poor
man may hereafter aspire to Office,
whereas he can do so if he can get his
back and go into a state convention
composed OF delegates from all the
counties The temporary tendency
to the western or statewide primary
seems to indicate that the county ad-
'ocates VIII lose out. but they will not
give up the fight without, at least. a
compromise.
Surprise was created by the an
nouncement of Charles w Swisher,
again a prospective candidate for gov
ernor, that he favors the uniform state
wide primary. Surprise was the result
because heretofore he has been a con-
spicuous advocate of the convention
method, and he was rather successful
in convention. Swisher the other day
anne out in an interview while in Bal
timore warmly commencing the Taft
administration. SO that his recent ap-
pearanceS in the limelight are taken to
mean he intends going with a vim
after the gubernatorial chair in 1912.
The republican stumpers for the most
part Will shout for the primary sug-
gestion of Gov. Glasscock. They can
do so without committing themselves.
inaSmuch as the executive simply says
he wants primary election law. West
Virginia is one Of the few states, IL not
the only one, which does not have q
primary law. The county committees
are supreme and there is practically no
going beyond their dictum, even in the
courts. This situation explains some
of the practices followed in getting
nominations, and the charges and coun-
ter-chargeS in the recent congressional
contest in the first district, besides
other complications, have developed the
crying need for some definite legisla-
ton on the subject For one thing, q
clear law providing penalties for fraud
ulent practices will be welcomed, even
though the new law be otherwise de-
ficient.
The liquor men do not want a county
option law, but would take il gladly in
preference to state prohibition They
would prefer. above all. a smaller unit
than the county, particularly a municipal
ity. The ''drys' will accept county option
as a compromise with none too good
grace. but, like the liquor men. they will
take it when they cannot get their ex-
IRENE. So the declaration for county op-
ton will make any campaign audience
feel that something is coming to them
with a republican legislature.
Public Utilities Commission.
The republican orators by adopting the
governors idea for a public service COM
mission will simply have to refer to Gov.
Hughes fight for this proposition in New
York to make hit. 1t is expected TO
be good stuff. especially for the radicals.
who are always "agin the railroads.
while, on the other hand. shippers of coal
and other commodities in West Virginia
will enthusiastically receive the sugges-
ton. and only an Indifferent opposition
is expected from the railroads.
Likewise, every republican candidate
can say he is for production tax on nat
ural gas and expect to strike a popular
chord. All he will need to do is to say
the Standard Oil Company is against IT.
Shaping the octopus is always popular.
There will be those who will say the tax
will be unconstitutional and that the
whole thing is buncombe. but the agrees
sive is always the better side in a con-
test. Accordingly. the republicans have
a tactical advantage, even though the
democrats care to oppose the proposed
tax, which is hardly likely
Candidates for the legislature are,
therefore, expected to take the cue given
by the governor and wage campaign
Incidentally they will praise
Senator SCOTS services Taft will be
praised and Roosevelt will be mentioned
when cheer is wanted.
Democrats LACK an Issue.
There is no line on what the democratic
is to consist of. The democrats
are slow i'm beginning this year, and their
must first resolve and reso-
lutte. Realizing that TO hit the tariff too
hard is ticklish thing in protection
West Virginia, they will handle their as
saults on the Payne-Aldrich measure as
judiciously as possible. but will go in for
and attempt to scorch
Speaker Cannon.
A little bird has Whispered that they
will endeavor to connect the state ad-
or rather various supple
mentary adjuncts, with being in some
way indifferent as to how West Virginia
shares I'm the pending litigation over the
Virginia debt. This is a matter which
involves millions, and in this day and
age of suspicious there has been created
a feeling that somebody expects to prof
II by the Virginia debt certificates in
the event of a verdict adverse to this
state. There has been a portentous crti-
cism here from democratic and republican
nsurgent sources that better alent could
have been secured to defend West vir-
ginia Much of this criticism, however,
related to ex-Gov. Dawson's employment
as associate counsel