Evening star., 1913-10-19
ALL SEEM PLEASED
IN VOTE RETURNS
Leaders of Three Parties Find
Consolation in First West
Virginia Result.
APATHY OF VOTERS
Is STRIKING FEATURE
Quiet Scenes at Polling Places Sub.
iect of Comment-Democrats
Banked on Progresslves
sgeellI correspondenee Of The So.

q
WHEELING. W Va, October IS 1913.
As fOrecasted in this correspondence a
week ago and previously, the special elec-
tion in the first West Virginia district re-
suited in Maj. NJ. VI. Neely, democrat; Ju-
liam G. Hearne. republican, and George y.
Laushiin, progressive. finishing in the or
der named. Hence, there was little sur
prise. and the notable thing in the after
math Is the general consolation from the
returns.
The democrats are pleased al the vic
tory because of the fact that NeeIy's vote
was little short OF the combined repub-
Ncan and progressive votes. They reason
that many of Laughlins 5 supporters would
have voted the democratic ticket had not
there been a bun moose ticket in the field
and there is ground for this contention
Mostly the democrats are pleased because
this was the first election after the pas
sage of the Underwood bill and because
of the vigorous campaign conducted by
the republican organization with tariff as
an ISSUE.
The republicans are pleased because
they came back as they put it, The
Hearne vote was so much greater proper
tionately than Taft's and the Laughlin
vote fell far short of RooseveIt's that
they find exceeding pleasure i'll their
showing They were anxious TO discredit
the bull moose cause by a showing of yot-
ing strength. Approximately. Hearne got
1900. LaUghGn 300 ana Nicely Is 700.
The bull moosers, as exemplified by
State Chairman Josep Handlan. are like
wise pleased at their showing without any
organization. because Laughlin insisted
on running his own campaign in his own
W. on
per bulletin publicity eve didn't have a
paid worker in the district" said Mr..
Handlan, 'and MIR. Laughlin refused to
allow us to solicit campaign fund. Had
Il been otherwise I'm sure We would have
got several thousand more votes, but not
enough to elect Laughlin We got IL per
cent of the total. which We consider a
good start
Public Estimate of Progressives.
The electorate in general believes the
progressives did not make a very good
showing. Hence. if public opinion counts
the progressive cause has not gained by
the election. The progressive cause as
advanced was a somewhat vague and
shadowy affair, taking the punch that
Roosevelt gave it in the 1912 campaign.
Laughlin in the closing days contented
himself with attacking Hearne's record in
the legislature and of the friendliness of
liquor men TO the Hearne canvass be-
cause of Hea-ne's votes in the legislature
and the recognized prohibition sentiment
FOR Laughlin
The fact that Nicely had enforced dry
laws when he was mavor, Of Fairmont
hurt him in Wheeling. Union district the
banner democratic stronghold of this
county, broke all records by giving
Hearne a plurality. one of the few dis
tricts in his home county to help him. A
majority for Hearne in this district not
withstanding the third party ticket. was
significant for the fri'ndliness OF the Ii
quor or liberal elerlent. In this sec
tion breweries and saloons are centered
and il has always been counted on for
good majorities for democratic candi-
dates.
The liquor issue, injected because the
Der. the law TO be effective next July.
helped Hearne locally in some sections.
although it may have hurt him else
where 1t helped Laughlin among the
so-called church vote, but ii lost him
many workingmen who might otherwise
have listened to his appeals. Likewise.
u hurt Neely locally. that with this
question omitted he probably would have
carried this county, the home of both
I.augnlin and Hearne. He ran IKE a
whitehead in mis- own county OF Marion
ana well in adjoining counties while
Hearne did better in the four river manu-
featuring counties.