Evening star., 1912-09-01
VOTERS IN THE DARK
West Virginia Republicans Are
Confused on Electors.
FOR TAFT AND ROOSEVELT
Three for President and Five for the
Colonel.
WANT PARTY KEPT INTACT
Voters Would Be Sure of State
Ticket Even if the National
Is Defeated.
WANT PARTY KEPT INTACT
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Knows whether he VIII nave the oppOr-
tunity to vote for set of electors on
his ticket who will be for Taft. The
position of only three of them is known
10 he for Taft. and one of them is under
suspicion. being claimed by both the
Taft and Roosevelt men. The status
of the other five is a mystery, at least
SO far as the people are concerned.
state Chairman Lakin may be able to
inform National Chairman Hilles of the
true situation, just as Chairman w. NJ.
.. Dawson may be able TO give light
to Roosevelt. but 1t is significant that the
endeavors OF both the West Virginia
charmen to get satisfactory responses
has to the present not developed. Hence
the democratic leaders are tWtting
publicans desiring 10 vote for Taft, es-
pecially that their electoral ticket will be
only tbree-eighths Taft. and, likewise,
same electors are placed on the bull
moose ticket it will be only five-eighths
Roosevelt.
The muddle is due for one thing to the
evident desire of the SO-called bull
moosers in West Virginia to remain in
the republican party and not TO be identi
fled bag and baggage with new or
third party separate and distinct from
the republican party. The mix-up is due
to a kindred desire to save the state ana
county tickets and also TO a desire on
the part OF the leaders of both organiza-
uons TO secure control of the orthodox
republican organization for the future.
No Third State Ticket.
AS witness of this. Gubernatorial Candi-
date Hatfield. training with TIVE Taft
camp. selected for state chairman James
Lakin, always identified with Gov. Glass
cock and former Gov. Dawson, who are
inc Il,
there was an understanding that no third
state ticket should be put in the field
Further evidence of the intention of
the bull mooSerS' to pose as republicans
in the future Is the fact of William :.
i1iwards, national committeeman, de-
clining to quit the committee. although
an out-and-out Roosevelt man. Why his
resignation Is not demanded seems pc
cuhar. In view of the fact that Finn
OF Pittsburgh resigned shortly after he
took up the Roosevelt cause.
The recent action of the progressive
state committee in indorsing the repubn-
can state and coGuty tickets, where the
nominees express desire" to be put on
The prog greSSive ticket, indicates the pur-
pose TO pose as the republican organiza-
tion under another name. The reSolu-
tfons to this end allude throughout to "a
state primary" at which the republican
nominees were chosen and to ''conven-
tions at which others We're named, with
out using the prefix republican" or any
mention OF republican connection what
ever. These resolutions Were written by
ex-Gov. Dawson.
Ex-State Auditor Arnold C. Scherr, one
OF the progressive committee is authority
Tor the statement that after the election
tffe progressive party Will cease to exist
and that everything will blow over
Which means that SO far as West Vir-
g1nia Is concerned there is absolutely no
sincerity to the third party movement
and that 1t is purely temporary move
ment against Taft and that the leaders
here expect to profit by capturing the re-
publican organization, controlling the
state offices and to take part in the coun-
ellis of the national republican party in
the future
Position of Glasscock.
Gov. Glasscock, in a guarded statement,
defends his position by intimating he
considers Roosevelt and not Taft the reg
ular republican nominee The other lead
ers content themselves by saying little
and organizing for the defeat of Taft
and the election of the remainder of the
republican ticket Not a half dozen
democrats Of more than local repute have
been attracted To the new party standard,
and these were men who failed to secure
democratic nominations
Undoubtedly there will be found voting
the Roosevelt ticket some men in West
Virginia who are sincere in their belief
are attracted to ii by that sentiment but
outside OF this element the fact remains
that the new party is being hossed and
directed by one faction OF the republican
party which is in the movement to at
e in temporary advantage.
Because of the situation county leaders
and workers have come to the conclu-
sion that the head of the ticket is not
worth lighting for. They have been har-
monized by the belief that they can pull
together for the state ticket and that
the test OF republican regularity is the
state and not the national ticket. Most
all the leaders agree that neither Taft
nor Roosevelt can carry West Virginia.
and that with the republican vote divided
Wilson is sure shot.
The Taft men were insistent at first
against the state candidates being on
both tickets, but they have let up. They
are heard from less about the peculiar
electoral mix-up. Taft is stronger in
spots. and could be stronger yet with
pressure but the prestige and political
ability OF the Roosevelt leaders operat-
ing from the state capital, combined with
certain undercurrents. initiate against
Taft success.
Campaign Plans Lag.
In the meantime campaign plans lag
DR.. Hatfield and William r. Thompson
respectively republican and democratic
candidates for governor. have addressed
a few audiences, mostly at good roads
meetings and other public gatherings
but none under political auspices. Demo-
cratic headquarters. with Stewart Walker.
chairman. in charge, have been opened
al Parkersburg hut no further evidence
of activity is I'm sight
The democrats are overburdened with
hope but are in no apparent hurry 10
force things. and the republican county
organizations are waiting on advice from
higher up. The republican county candi-
dates say they Will attend both the
Roosevelt and Taft meetings and see no
complications in So doing
The point in the present situation is
the evident insincerity OF the Roosevelt
organization in West Virginia posing as
representative of new party opposed
10 the two old parties" If the so-called
progressives In other states are OF a
similar clan the bull moose" party will
pass out of political life with the cleo
tion.
Less pointed but somewhat interesting
is the lessened calling for regularity
by the Taft men, largely because they
don't want TO antagoniZe county and
state candidates who want to be on both
tickets. and the delay or inability OF the
democratic organization TO push things
for Wilson.