Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-27
HARD POST TO FILL
West Virginia Office of Tax
Commissioner.
SALARY IS $4,000 A YEAR
But the Duties Are of Burdensome
Character.
POLITICS IN THE DISTRICTS
Representatives Opposed for Re-
Election-Senatoria Contest Be-
tween Scott and Hubbard.
POLITICS IN THE DISTRICT
al Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
WHEELING, w. Va, February 26. 1910.
: Gov. Glasscock is soon to make an ap-
| bointment that Is of more than ordinary
| interest. State Tax Commissioner T. G.
| Townsend is ending his term of office, to
which he succeeded less than two years
ago, and the aspirants are Frank C.
Lively and Upshur Higginbotham, both
prominent in state republican circles,
| with the prospect almost a cinch for the
selection of Lively.
The office of state tax commissioner
was created as a result of the bitterly
contested tax laws five or six years ago.
and 1t has been remarkable for the num-
Der OF men who have been called to its
arduous duties and who in turn tired of
the Job. Charles w. Dillon of Fayette
county had all he cared for in two years
of 1t. Less than a year was enough to
satisfy A. B. White, who had short
| time before stepped down from a rather
| strenuous four years as governor.
| Townsend was selected a fitting sue
cessOr because of his service as assist
| ant. He could have full term If he
| so desired. but he does not have any
more desire in that direction.
Actively Sought.
| When the Office was created it was
| sought for by a large and promising list
Everywhere 1t was viewed as a position
to be envied. Campaign stumpers oppos-
ing the creation of the office had held it
up to the public eye full of potential
| ties. The democrats declared with much
heat that the tax commissioner, with Ibis
army of spies," would be able to put the
screws to taxpayers who refused to abide
| by the dictates of the state machine"
and that political friends could be re-
warded at will. The favor of the big
| corporations was also held out as a pos
| sible inducement to profitable connec-
| TONS
| All of that viewpoint has been dissi-
pated. Instead of the job being one to
be hunted a governor has almost to hunt
man for the job. 1t pays something
like $4,000 year. and the average man
would like the stipend, but an average
man would not do for tax commissioner.
Frank Lively, who served first as state
pardon clerk and later as assistant at
| torney general, is considered by Gov.
| Glasscock to be properly equipped. The
republican organization in KanaWha coun-
| ty is disposed to favor the appointment
| of Upshur Higginbotham, who is one of
| the younger republicans who do things.
Like Lively. who moved a few years ago
from Summers county, Higginbotham did
not take long residence in Charleston
to identify himself with the higher cir
| cIes Of the organization and his appoint
ment on the whole would be more pop
ular. as Lively is considered a Dawson
| legatee, and the ex-governor Is not SO
| popular as he might be. But Gov Glass
cock practically intimated while in Wheel
ing for the Washington anniversary ban
quet of the Wheeling Board of Trade
| that he would name Lively.
Compliments His Opponent.
| The banquet aforementioned brought to
! the city, also. Senator Scott, who took
| occasion to pay graceful tribute to his
| congressional colleague and senatorial
opponent, w. P. Hubbard. who is confined
| to his bed by illness. the nature Of which
| is not known in Wheeling The senator
regretted Hubbard's absence and. how
ever deep or earnest he was in his re-
grets. they were not to be measured with
| the regret felt by the Hubbard adherents
who had been banking much on the con-
gressman's ability as speechmaker. Dur
| ing the autumn Hubbard hustled for the
| presidency of the West Virginia State
| Board of Trade successfully part of
his senatorial campaign, and had his con-
dtion permitted he would undoubtedly
| have spread himself at the banquet, which
| had been widely advertised as going to
| have both Scott and Hubbard among the
| speakers.
over a week, and considerable surprise
was felt at the announcement that he had
| undergone an operation at a hospital in
| Washington. Naturally. this unfortunate
turn has been depressing to the Hubbard
movement coupled with the ginger Scott
| has been throwing into his campaign the
/ last few weeks. There has been a good
deal of hope expressed in some circles
| that Hubbard might take advantage of
the situation to content himself with a
| t.T q of
the senatorial contest on the ground that
| it was too big a task for man not en-
joying good physical health.
Some Congressional Bees.
| Notwithstanding James T. Carter has
announced his candidacy for the congress
| sionaI nomination against Representative
Harry c. woodward, there is a boom for
Judge Woods of Richie among certain
anti-Woodyard people. Whether they be-
lieye in the efficacy Of a big field or that
| Woods Is preferable to Carter is not evil
dent at this stage. Judge Blizzard OF
Parkersburs. an insistent ant1-Woodyard
scout, who first gave Carter some encour-
agement, has taken to emphatic Woods
| boosts.
| in two deferred post Office appointments
| this week at Belington and Philipp. re-
| spectively. naming Walter 4. Cr1ss to
succeed Fred c.. Moore at Belington and
remaining w. A. Mason at Philippi. 1t is
thought Alex Clohan is on the cards 10 go
at Martinsburg in favor of DR.. Henshaw,
but Clohan will not be eliminated without
a sunderlng of difficult knots he has tied
| up in his behalf.
The authority is not given, but the state
ment is circulated that l.. j. Forman of
| Grant will oppose Sturgiss for renomi-
nation Politics and rival ambitions make
strange partners. and vice versa. Sturgiss