Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-23
ALL ARE FOR TAFT
West Virginia Republicans
Favor denomination.
MEETING OF Committee
Leaders Called to Assemble in
Charleston September 20.
FACTIONS MAY GET TOGETHER
Statewide Primary and Other Is
sues to Be Considered-Pos-
sible Candidates.
FACTIONS MAY GET TOGETHER
Special Correspondence Of The Star


WHEELING, w. Va. July %. 1911
Chairman Samuel V. Mathews has is
sued a call for a meeting of the repubii-
can state committee for September 20, al
Charleston. specifying only that it will be
very important" At this session there
promises to be a definite conclusion to
the wide and persistent gossip as to
changes in the personnel of the commit
tee and action on the question OF nomi-
mating the next state ticket by a state
wide primary.
Later on. if not at this time, the com
mittee Is expected to go on record for
Taft for a second term. There will be no
trouble about a Taft Endorsement. For
one thing, the President has virtually no
opposition, and the committee member
ship includes many of the old committee
who defied precedent when they Endorsed
a presidential candidate in the person OF
Taft three years ago. and just a few
weeks prior to the delegate conventions.
Sentiment on Primary Elections.
The main thing at the Charleston meet
ing will be the division of sentiment on
the primary question. There is an ele-
while another favors the retention of the
state convention with primary mod1fica-
tons The latter element will support
the plan advocated by Editor II. Z. Og-
den of Wheeling, one of the Lincoln party
leaders, who first pushed his idea after
the rival SwiSher and Scherr conventions,
and who got tacit promises from memoers
Of the present state committee OF support
for his proposition.
The Ogden method is for the election OF
delegates to a state convention by pri-
marieS in every magisterfal district. Dele
gate contests are to be settled oy the
county committees. In other words. Og-
den proposes to take in both the primary
and convention ideas and give to the
county organizations the power OF arbl-
trating disputes heretofore enjoyed by the
state committee. His plan has certain
appeal because it scatterS power and
authority. and because it insures a uni
formity of selection, as against the ola
system where some counties selected
delegates by primaries and some by mass
conventions. with more or less Scandai
and dispute, finally to be settled by the
state committee tribunal in the interest
of candidates controlling the state body.
Views of the Factions.
There is a faction Of the republican
party. headed by DR.. Hatfield of Nc
Dowell, president Of the state senate
and a gubernatorial probability, which
does not take kindly to the state pri-
mary plan because of local conditions,
but who recognize the state primary
sentiment and are DESTROYS of appeas-
ing it. They have operated by the
mass convention system In their coun-
ties, which include a large negro popu-
lation.
The old Dawson following, which
may include Chairman Mathews, Is IN
clined to the state wide method. They
talk much of nominating all candi-
dates on the same day and under uni
form rules prescribed by the state
committee. even to indorsing a candi-
date for the United States Senate to
succeed Senator Watson.
At any rate, the republican state
committee will declare for some sort
of state primary, both to appear con-
sistent with the republican convention
platforms of late years and with
view to embarrassing the democrats,
who are not expected to substitute
primary for the convention method.
Less talk is heard of late regarding
the suggested resignation OF off1ce-
holders from the committee. and con-
sequently there may be no develop
ments in that line for this year, at
least. Gov. Glasscock is due to impart
to the leaders some suggestions of
President Taft, impaired to the gov
ernor during his recent visit to the
White House for talk on the West
Virginia situation
The opinion is general that Judge
Nathan Golf will not hearken to the
pleas that he consent to have his name
used by the party as a candidate
either for governor or United States
senator. There is considerable COM
ment over the pressing anxiety to pull
Golf into the game now, in contrast to
the comparative ignoring Of him when
West Virginia was largely republican
beyond doubt
Willing to Run for Congress.
Judge NJ Fl. Wills Of WStzel county
has let ii be known that he is not averse
to leading the republicans in the first
district against John w. Davis, the demo-
cratic victor in the race for Congress last
year. The many admirers of Davis be-
lieve he will have no trouble in succeed
ing himself. Without doubt Davis is the
most popular democratic leader in West
Virginia at present. and X there is any
opening to put him into the Senate he
will have a great backing. He is men
toned much for governor, but he has
no ambitions for that. In fact did not
want the congressional nomination last
year, and only consented at the last
moment to consider it on the condition
that his father would not object. He
made this announcement the night prior
20 the Wheeling convention, and sent a
telegram OF inquiry to his aged father al
Clarksburg. The answer came in the
afternoon while the convention was In
progress. and while Davis was on the
stage, but the telegram was opened by a
sergeant-at-arms. The elder Davis urged
his son not to accept under any circum-
stances. That telegram was withheld
from the nominee until month later
when the admiring culprit presented 1t to
young Davis in a frame. So far as known
this story OF how John W. Davis was
induced to become the democratic stand
ard bearer has never been published.
Mentioned" for Governor.
Other democratic material for the gov
errors chair discussed includes Nationa
Committeeman John 7. McGraw, Repre-
sentative Adam B. Littlepage. State Sen
ator Sam Woods of Barbour county
Wylie w. Beall of Brooke and Stuart w
Walker of Martinsburg. with the likeli
hood OF the contest at the close being be
tween Woods and Walker. The democrat.
Will share trouble with the republican:
next year. because the selection of Wat
son for the Senate instead of McGraW
will extend the internal trouble line be
You'd election day.
Frank O'Brien OF Wheeling. son o.
the late Col. Thomas O'Brien, who was q
state treasurer in a democratic regime
some twenty years ago, is thinking o.
casting his castor in the ring for the
republican and some stumper for a youne
man. He may land the nomination II
Attorney General Conley decides to rur
for Congress in his district Coniey hai