The Washington times., 1912-10-03
WEST VIRGINIA IS
STRONGFOR "T.R.'
IN 1912 CAMPAIGN
Roosevelt Voters Not Dis
couraged by Taft-Subsi-
died Papers of State.

MORGANTOwN, w. Va, Oct. A.
West Virginia being the home Of one Of
the seven governors who urged Col
onel Roosevelt to stand for the Repub-
ncan Presidential nomination previous to
the Chicago convention. II is quite nat
ural to seek for large numbers OF
Roosevelt followers In this State. They
are here. Excepting California, one
can find no State where Roosevelt has
a stronger lead among the people.
Now. II matters but little whether
Governor Giasscocl. in Joining with the
other governors who asked Colonel
Roosevelt to become q candidate. did
SO because Of the strong sentiment OF
the Republicans in his State for Mr..
Roosevelt. or whether the popularity OF
the governor himself. brought large
numbers Of adherents to the cause.
The point IL that these Roosevelt
voters have followed him into the
third party. West virginia Is a pro-
gressive State. industrially. The his
tory Of the development Of West vir-
ginia Is the history Of a people who
were quick to realize the value OF their
nasTa wsra ws sSs strides anS who wSsn S.
threw on Democratic allegiance and be-
came a Republican State. The native
citizenship IL that Of a hardy pseple,
They Sross awsg r.. oa 1em
inion and organised q new State dur
ing the war period, and this zeal for a
cause they believe to be right. holds
good today.
Backed Roosevelt In 1905.
Loyal to their political faith in 1908,
West Virginia stood by william H. TAFT,
but largely because he had been rec
commended to them by the retiring Pres
ident. In fact. owing to factional dif-
ferences within the Republican party
that year. the State would have gone
to the Democrats. but for the admira-
ton the voters had for former Presi-
dent Roosevelt, and their desie to sup
port the President of his choosing.
West Virginia has attracted but little
attention this year, politically. since
Governor Glasscock took his stand In
favor Of Colonel Roosevelt. Having
but eight electoral yotes-a gain Of one
large Republican majorities, the. situa-
tion has not been exploited beyond the
borders of the State.
The real news of the West Virginia
situation has. In a measure. been sup
"
newspapers In the state supporting the
Progressive movement. Again. the state
Republican committee, although expect
ing q large support from the Progress
sves who have no state ticket, is. un-
doubtedly. largely a TAFT organization.
So, there has been a lack Of publicity
regarding the trend toward the Progress
sive ticket.
Democrats Fear. Colonel.
It should be sufficient to say that the
Democrats, sanguine for several weeks
Of profiting by the Roosevelt sentiment
In the State. are now fighting the third
party desperately. The Democrats had
reason, early IN the campaign. to ex-
pect great things in West virginia.
There has been "a drift way from the
Republican State ticket since l9A and
only Roosevelt himself. In 1904. and his
Endorsement OF Taft in 1905. kept the
State In the Republican column.
The Democrats did carry four out OF
five Congressional districts In 1910. and
controlled the Legislature, which named
two Senators. So. with a split In the
Republican party this year. as It was
called early In the campaign. It looked
as II the Democrats might well antici-
pate a complete victory from the top
to the bottom Of their ticket.
reckoned with as many other States.
When the leading spirits Of the citizen
ship decided to cut of from old Virginia,
away back there in war times, they did
not lose much time in taking definite
action. The people stood together. as
a whole. on the proposition. This spirit
prevails today. and the evidence of It IN