The Washington times., 1911-01-10
SENATE CAREERPLAN
OF ELK|NS' FRIENDS
Present Term But a Pre-
liminary, Is Opinion of
Supporters.
RECAPTURE STATE
AND REFLECT HIM
This Is Program of Republican
Friends of Youthful
Senator.

Republican friends Of the new Senator
from West Virginia, Davis Ekins, be-
lieve that his present brief appointive
term in the upper house of Congress is
preliminary to long Senate career.
They cherish the hope, and deem it
well founded, that when the Repub-
licans recapture the West Virginia Legis-
lature, Senator Davis Elkins will be
elected and will fill for many years the
place filled by his father. Senator
Stephen B. Elkins The term of the
latter will end March 3, 1913, and the
election which will be held in the Legis-
lature In snort time to fill the uneX-
plred term of Senator Stephen B. Elkins
Will hold only until that time
1t Is thought by the friends of Sena-
tor Davis Elkins that the prestige givel
him. by his appointment for the time
between now and the election by the
Legislature will probably result ulti-
mately in giving him a long lease in
the Senate.
Interesting Figure.
The new West Virginia Senator is
one of the most interesting members
to be sworn into the Senate in recent
years. For this there are several rea-
sons. One is that he is only thirty-five
years of age, and is. therefore, unusual
ly youthful to occupy a seat with Hale,
Aldrich, Cullom, and other veterans.
Another is that he is a miIlionaire's
son, and according, perhaps, to the
popular belief, ought to be indisposed
to take an active part in the difficult
affairs of a more or less hard, cold
world
AS a matter of fact, Mr. Elkins IS
far from being as young as his age
would seem to indicate, and in the
second place he is both a highly de-
Veloped and capable business man and
an aStute politician.
Senator Elkins is one of several chill
dren OF the late Senator Elkins, but he
Is recognized as the head of the Elkins
FAMILY. In recent years, in his fathers
lifetime, he was fully trusted by his
rather in the management of his vast
business affairs and, next to his father,
he was looked up to as the foremost
member of the family in everything
that appeartained to the conduct of the
Elkins properties.
Not Spoiled By Wealth.
The new Senator Elkins is an ex-
ample of a rich mans son who has
not been spoiled by wealth. He is only
thirty-fve years old, but for about ten
years past he has been taking a part
in business matters worthy of a man
engineering course at Harvard to fit
him for the management of his fathers
great coal and railway properties.
When he was about twenty-five he be-
gan to take hand in the management
OF his fathers business, and the father
having a high opinion of his SONS ex
ecufiVe capacity. at once began TO
place large responsibilities on him.
He put him in as director and manager
OF OIL, the MoSgantown and Kingwood Rail
long, occupying most importanI
strategic position in the West Virginia
coal field. Senator Davis EIkins is
president of this company. He is aIs,1
president of the Elkins Coal Company
which operates six large mines and
nearly 1000 coke ovens. and has 46, ,OO0
acres OF coal land He has direct and
intimate management of these proper
ues. He is vice president of the Farm
ers' and Merchants Bank, of Morgan
town, president of the Union Utilities
company, director of the American Ma
tional Bank, of Washington. and Is
prominent in the affairs of the Davis
Trust Company, at Elkins, W. Va.
In the Spanish war, he had valuable
military experience as captain on the
staff of General Schwan in Porto Rico,
and he served in that capacity with
credit.
Appointment Not Sought.
The appointment to the Senatorshin
was not sought by Davis EIkins. A
number of his friends, without any sug-
gestion or solicitation from him, went
to Governor Glasscock and suggested
1t would be fitting honor to his father
and fitting recognition of the young
mans power and ability if he were an
pointed Senator. And the governor did
Il Immediately.
1t might be supposed that Senator Ell
kins was novice in politics, but he
Is nothing of the sort. As a matter
Of fact, he was his fathers political
representative, and he is a shrewd and
astute politician. He is as experienced
in politics, or well nigh so. as he is
in business affairs, and his knowledge
of business is as extensive as most
Afty
Senator Davis Elkins was sworn into
office in the Senate late Monday after
noon. Senator Nathan B. Scott con-
Quoted him to the desk of the Vice
President and the usual ceremony fol-
lowed. Among those who watched it
were Miss Katherine Elkins and Mrs
Blaine Elkins. Some of the old friends
of Senator Davis Elkins from West Vir-
ginia were present at the ceremony and