The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-11-19
IS. !, b a DERSHIP
nv "a TE OLITICS
Primary Cause of West Nir-
ginia Being Republican All
These Many Years.
[By CharIas BROOK Smilll.l

ip0SSglslstl1yn SE4iSs
FBy Charles Brooks Smith,
WASHINGTON; Nov. 49, CONTINUE
ing in that reminiscent pathway we
struck in the article which preceded
THIS one. which told of how It came
about that the now Senator Nathan
Goff was twice offered and as many
times declined to enter McKinley's
cabinet as attorney general, let US
revert to that memorable campaign Of
1888 when Goff headed the state ticket.
was elected governor by 200
votes, and was counted out by leg
stature which was controlled by the
Democratic party by a majority on
Joint ballot of one vote, which was
later increased by ousting one or two
more duly elected Republicans.
But for that thin difference be-
tween the two parties how wonder
fully different the political history of
West Virginia might have been. 1t is
subject OF fine fertility for the
Imagination OF those who are fond OF
figuring out in their own minds how
things might have happened had they
happened otherwise than the way they
did happen. II we here submit some
thing as a starter for those addicted
to this particular kind of restro spec
ton, we consider our.sfaiththl Under
wood taxed for asgood purpose in
trapscribing this "Reminiscences to the
tissue enroute to the type.
g, In the Ia an 4 al iei Sc Did pat
riots ana fathers % Tie RepIbiiean
party West VT sitis figured the
lime arrived to peE u retr best foot
ord n win the state, gQpef ptnent
slTy AZ from eths Democrats who had
been holding 1t IONA good many years.
Conditions afid Decreasing Democ cratic
mhjoritfes from year to year seemed TO
Justify their opinion, By getting tho
very best men all along the Hne to
stand as candidates for the various
Offices from top to bottom of the ticket
that year, they figured they could eput
1t over" So they began early to seek
the candidates, the kind of men they
had decided they needed for their am
bilious scheme for their party's re-
demption. And 1t wasn't any easy
matter.
In those :discouraging minority days,
the nominations sought the men and
not the men sought the nominations.
While that was true OF the Republican
party, it wasn't true OF the Democratic
party. In that party 1t was hight
and a, frolic over the nominations, be-
Cause when they were gotten, It was
merely a question offwhat the size of
the Democratic majority would. be.
or course, those majorities had been
gradually, decreasing. but this Demo-
Gratis wrongly attributed this to fac-
tiofial troubles. which they considered
Temporary and would right themselves
apparently not figuring on "a gradual
and progressive change in the pclitis
cal opinion of the state due to a rap
idly increasing population, which
came from the large Republican
states OF Pennsylvania and Ohio, for
the mostpart.
ControlSo of the legislature was the
domfnent idea Of the plan. 1t was held
to be me key, AT, that time; for could
II be- secured the legislative, judicial
and congressional districts could be
changed from favoring the Demo-
cratic party TO favoring the Republi=
can party. In short, the Republicans
wanted to do a little gerrgmand erins
OF their own Their opponents had
been doing, 1t for quite Il number OF
years, and It must be admitted that
they. did the job fine and dandy for
themselves whenever they felt the
party,s needs required it, which feel
ing assailed them not infrequenly.
.Now to find the man to head the
tIcket-one Of extraordinary and SUI
perior attachments and personality
who would make a popular appeal to
the masses. He must have the pic
turesdue qauities of the hero the elo.
auence and personal magnetism Of the
uonniat orator Of that hour, by birth
and attainments he must appeal both
to the old.tine aristocracy and this
sturdy, blunt and Independent noun,
tain democracy HeShad tozbe a fair
y maIfy-sided and exceptional man tc
fit the stiff requirements laid down by
those Republican blaze trailers in
forest pretty dense and dispiritine
with. Democratic shadows. and en-
tahglements But that was the kind q
a man, and only that kind they figured
that had a chance to be. the gcentra
figure in a fight with a host of othei
GOOD men on the ticket with. him but
who would have less conspicuous
parts to play. The candidate for the
main office in those days, as it is II
these times but not nearly SO much
so, was the star performer He hac
to bear the brunt of the battle. i
was almost altogether up to him tc
put the enthusiasm into the campaign
tthey call IT the "pepS now) If they
voted for him, they would vote 'el
straight down the line to justice of the
peace. They didn't do much scratch.
ing in those days.
One would quite naturally think
that they would have had a hard time
finding just the kind of a man they
wanted that year to run for governor
1t would be hard to find him even