Evening star., 1912-10-03
DEMOCRATS ARE BOASTFUL
Count on Split in Opponents Rank
to Aid Wilson and Marshall.
THIRD TERM SENTIMENT FADES
Prosperity Throughout State Unde,
Republican Policies Augurs Sue
cess Of Party at Polls.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

kINGWOOD. w. Va, October 3.-Three
political parties are claiming the cleo
tora1 vote Of West Virginia today. The
democrats are claiming it, with sanguine
boastfulness. because they believe that
the republican party vote will be divided
on account of the progressive ticket The
progressives are counting on carrying the
state because this was an original Roose-
| velt state before the Chicago conyen-
ton. The regular republicans lay claim
to the state because President Taft car
ried West Virginia by a great popular
vote In 1908, when the party was some-
what divided over factional differences.
There are other reasons, too, upon which
they base their claims, and not without
good logic.
While the Roosevelt sentiment in West
virginia was very strong previous to the
Cnicago convention there is no gainsay-
| ing that large number Of genuine ad-
mirers of the colonel have declined to
follow him out of the party. This has
augmented Mr.. Taft's original following
before the convention, which even then
was no small one.
ticket and have Endorsed the regular
| republican ticket-a strong one. This
| ticket, composed of men who are
capable and well known, will, Of its
| e,
hundreds Of voters who would not care
| to risk losing the state to the demo-
Gratis by voting for any other candi-
date than Mr. Taft.
State Naturally Republican.
| West Virginia is naturally a republi-
can state. While lines were not clear
ly drawn between democrats and re-
! publfcans when the state was created
the republicans came into power when
the new state became a part Of the
| Union. 1t Is true that the democrats
gained control afterwa rd but long ago
| the state swung back into the republi-
| can column. and has continued to give
| Its electoral vote to republican presi-
| dental candidates year after year.
| The vast development of the states re-
sources OF recent years brought the vot-
ers to see the wisdom of a protective
tariff. and the unbounded prosperity that
! has extended to every sort of business
and pursuit. and is now at height never
before known, Is a condition that voters
have always attributed in measure to
republican policies. The farmers. who in
years past struggled to make a living,
have seen markets opened right at their
doors. and they are not disposed to take
any chances that might disturb this state
of we'll being. There are good times in
West Virginia today. The labor troubles
in certain mining regions affect but a
w
Virginia. Throughout this northern part
of the state there is a demand for labor
at good wages, which has never before
been equaled, and demand that can
not be supplied
Third Term Sentiment Fading.
When you get a progressive cornered,
and ask him questions about this con-
tinued prosperity and urge him to de-
fin tic IN,
dent Taft, who he knows has supported
the measures that contribute to good
times, he does not come back at you with
any sort of replies that indicate his con-
viction against the President.
This third term sentiment that is talk
ed about as existing overwhelmingly in
the state vanisheS when you go about
| trying to locate it. There has been q big
Roosevelt personal following in the state,
and there are great many progressives
here now, but they were mainly voters
| who originally hoped to make the repub-
| Roosevelt again at Its head. There were
SO many intimate reasons for these men
becoming republicans years ago. so
many causes that touched them per,
| sonally. in economic and commercial
ways, that they are loath to depart from
their early party affiliations when 1t
comes to the test of the voting booth.
! With the states industries running at
ton notch. with work on hand for every
body at exceptionally high wages. and
with the farmers profiting by this state
of affairs as they never Prospered pc
fore the voters of West Virginia, Ike
men everywhere. are sufficiently interest
ed in their own welfare to support the
party which they believe by Its policies
keeps business hourishing. In all parts
of the state this sentiment is at the bot
tom. and as the election approaches the
feeling is going to grow even stronger
| Old-Time Fervor in Evidence.
| It Is quite impossible to expect these
/ HonllhliHanS Ia 0nanlV