Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-06-23
" Washington News
By Geo. nv. Summers.

eNfttc"t " tiS ASlsuolfeau
leadership in West Virginia is said 10
DC imminent, so far as the Federal end
VI IL y Is concerned, and former Sena-
tors Scott and Elkins. who have been
III soie charge of the Federal patrou
age, may lind rival In the dl-tribu-
lion Oh patronage The story comes
from authoritative sources that Presi-
| Gent laft sent last week for former
stare senator sam Montgomery, of
Preston county, who bad some months
ago declared that he would be a cahdi.
GATE Tor delegate 10 the next Repub,i.
can national Convention as q supporter
Of Theodore Roosevelt, and had several
conferences with him. AT one of
tn 'se conference ii is stated, the prcp.
osillon MAS made to Mr.. Montgomery
that ne assume charge of the Taft
ca npnga IA West Virginia and see 10
1t that TAFT delegation is sent To the
national convention. 1t is well-knowp
that neither Senatar Scott nor The late
senator Eikins was originally for Taft
IN The last cam psign and ia spite Of
the Federal patronage for the State
having been turned over to Senator
Scott by President Taft it is surmised
ne does not trust Scott to deliver the
state to him and therefore has called
upon Sam Montgomery to see that the
State is delivered.
| The story goes that the President has
| declared in favor of the election of
Judge Nathan Golf for the Senator
ship from West Virginia, in the event
the Republicans have majority 10
the legislature and has thereby an
tagonized former Senator's Scott and
Elkins, who have other plans, anu
that he is therefore unwilling TO trust
them to line up the State. sam Mont.
gomery is an active party worker for
| years and is not in fun sympathy with
scott and Elkins whom the President
is said todistrust politically, and there.
| fore the selection of Montgomery to
line up the Sta for Taft. In the mea u
time the Scott and Elkins forces G
trying TO induce Judge Golf to aeeel t
a nomination for LIE GoNeraorship IN
order TO head OIL any Senatorial aspi-
raiions he might have; and to assist i'll
| persuading Judge Golf 10 eater the
race for the Govern Jrsnip his position
| on The bench has been promised 10
Judge Ira Robinson if ne can persuade
Judge Golf to yield to their wishes.
Whether Judge Robinson will assist
in their plans or not remains to be
seen; but one thing is certaln--the
Scott and EIkips influence viii be ex-
erted against the candidacy of Judge
Golf for the Senatorship and it is high
ly improbable that 1t will encourage
his candidacy for the Goyernorship
unless it seems necessary to do so &c
keep him from the oenatorship.
In the meantime, Senator Scott is
continuing his policy Of removing from
office all Hubbard supporters of tile
last campaign One after another the
Hubbar d men who hold federal office
have been marked for removal by the
present dispenser of patronage for
Taft Recently especial effort to dis
place these men has been made and
it may be because Senator Scott fears
his authority as dispenser of patron
age may he questioned soon by Sam
Montgomery. In any event, he has
gone after not only the postmasters at
Benwood, McMecheh and Elm Grove
but he has also extended his opera
lions TO the fourth class offices. n. d.
Martin, postmaster at Rinehart, Har-
rison county, a supporter of Hubbard.
has been removed from office and Mr..
Starkey has been appointed in his
place, the latter being staunch sup
porter of Senator Scott. Mr.. Martin
was removed without notice after sery-
ing acceptably since 1902, and came Oh
to Washington to enter protest, only
w NC loldsl IL was wv law w Pip
test as the change had been made.
Whether the entrance of Sam Mont
gomery into politics as factor in
State matters will have any effect on
this policy or not can only be sur
missed at this time, but il is note
worthy that Senator Scott has become
suddenly active in recent weeks in get
ting Hubbard men out of office and
| putting his own friends in.
| Complaint comes to the Senators
from West Virginia from their con-
stltuents that the Senate is not doing
anything to alleviate sthe hard times
from which the people are suffering. II
is pointed out that business is suffer
ing from the inaction of the RepubIi-
can Senate, that coal mines are work
ing short time or are idle, that money