The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-12-19

One is sometimes always seeing inter.
esting and important sights when one
las quite forgotten to bring ones cam.
era along with ore.
1t happened today in the lobby Of a
big hotel, ard not only one but several
incomerJ acquainted with West Vtr.
elnta political history stopped dead
still and famed themselves for breath.
This 1t was: Judge Ira E. Robinson,
Attorney General Abraham Armistead
Lilly and Zachry TAYLOR Vinson laugh.
ing and talking as II nothing had ever
happened between them. It was a
close harmony conversation they were
having, their countenances lit up with
recurring smiles, and the peace-on-
carth.goodwill spirit CT the yuletide
season seemed to have claimed them
as its own.
This was the first time that the trio
had met since the seventh day OF last
November, a day crowded SO full with
the tragic fate OF politics for all three
Likewise, 1t was the first time they had
met since another well.remembered
meeting In New York hotel, which
was also filled to the brim with tragic
portents for all three. There was
some correspondence resulting from
their New York meeting, it will be re.
called.
Observers OF the meeting Of the
three here tied Sovera! dissimilarities
between this Washington meeting and
the one held in New York, the most
conspicuous difference being that this
one avs held in q crowded hotel lobby
and Messrs. William Nickel, OF Fay.
cite county and Grant p. Hall, OF
Charleston, were not present.
John Sherman Darst who will enter
upon his third consecutive term as
auditor of West Virginia. Is in the Cap
ital for few days. He came from
New York where he attended the an.
| 2ual dinner OF the big life insurance
men OF Manhattan and delivered an ad.
dress. BY virtue of his office, Mr..
Darst is insurance commissioner for
West Virginia, and every December TO"
years he has attended this annual
Function and has been invariably down
on the post.praEdial program for
toast Insurance has been one of the
subjects of official business with wnicn
he has to do that has proved an espe-
ctally interesting study for Mr.. Darst.
He has become an expert in that line,
so much so as to have caused him to
receive several offers from large ir.
surance companies. II IS fact known
to the intimates of the auditor that
when he quits Office hNlhi'g, providing
he does before old age Overtakes him,
he plans to connect himself with a
large insurance company. While In
New York this time the auditor was
the guest OF President ueggerman. of
the MetropoH,u.. e. MIR. Darst is
receiving the congratulations Of the
West Nirginians in Washington over
his thirU electiOn. His majority las.
month, he says, vas close to 5000.
When Congressman Edward Cooper
iilCd his certificate of election today
with tn" clerk of the House har@luest-
ed receipt for it. when goes to show
that Mr.. Cooper is what his friends
Know him TO be, long.headed bust
ness man. 1t pr"vcd to be the first re
teipt of the kind that the ltnuse clerk
had ever given, and he didn't know
Just exactly, he said, how to compose
one. Miss Margaret lIarbin, the ev.
Tert s.enOgrapher, attached to the Of.
flee staff Of Congressman Cooper
came to the rescue and wrote receipt
for the clerk. which hH signed. The
reason for this methodical and bust
ncssljkc way Of doing this thing is be-
cause the control OF the next House OF
Representatives hangs in the balance
ard nobody who has al interest in the
organization ls taking any chances
Both parties arc watching each other
as keenly Us the players in a poker
game along the Norfolk s: Western.
and that means that sure arc watch.
full. A single vote is liable to decide
which patty is TO have the upper hand
in the lower branch of the next Con.
ercss. Both sides are claiming to have
it right now, but neither is anyways
certain about it. 1t is Il shave SO close
that 1t is down to a single whisker,