The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-01-08
PRESIDING OFFICERS
ARE MATTER OF DOUBT
MANY CANDIDATES ON
JOB AND CONFIDENT
Charleston Interested in With
drawal ofResignatlon ofMr.
Watson-An Explanation.

speoL Dispatch t" the Intelltxeucer.
CHARLESTON, W. Va, Jan. III
anybody knows whom the gods have
selected to be president of the state
senate or speaker OF the house OF dele
gates the knowing gentleman has not
appeared tonight in any OF the various
centers OF gossip that always spring
up in Charleston Immediately prior't TO
a legislative session. The truth OF 1t
fseems to be that the question OF or
ganization is as unsettled as it was
week ago and, it will require a day OF
sitting tomorrow with possibly final
sitting in the caucuses Tuesday night
before the decision is made. To one
who drops into this maelstrom OF
politics from the placid outside world.
the odds in the senate fight appear to
favor Senator Wells Goodykoontz, Of
| Mingo, and Senator Roy Parrish. of
Harrison county. Senator c. c. Coal
ter, OF Summers. has shown strength.
: Talk is heard of Senator Ben L..
Rosenbloom, OF Ohio county, in con-
nection with the reception of the solid
vote Of the Democratic senators and
Republican votes. This talk Is given
the most scornful of repudiation by
the men ordinarily in close touch with
the situation. If Senator Parrish were
! not,so young he would be the favor
! ite against the field but somebody has
hunted up the family Bible on the
young man and has found that he was
born too recently to make him an
: eligible heir-apparent to the governor
ship. With the succession then pass
ing to the speaker OF the Democratic
house, the Republicans are not likely
to take chances, although Governor
elect .Cornwell'S health is said to be
of the very best. All OF the possible
presidents have been in the capitol
save the tall willow OF Mlngo, who IS
to come tomorrow.
Weir Still On Job.
| Delegate James w. Weir. Of Elkins.
i still allows himself to be talked about
as a candidate for speaker of the house
despite the fact that he is goSslped
about quite generally as the next gov
ernor's secretary. Others known to be
active or receptive candidates are JOS
ept 8. Thurmond OF GreeIbrier: AM
gus U. Mcdonald of Kanawha: John
D. Sweeney, Of Wood: Louis \. John
son, of Harrison: w. T. Talbot. Of
Webster: 4. W. c. Wrenshaw Of Ca.
bell. and Robert Bland. of Logan. OF
these delegates Thurmond has been
the most active. The contest Is far
up in the air. and the possibility OF a
dark horse is given even more con
sideration than in the senate fight.
Nothing excited more speculation
heye than the reasons behind the
mysterious midnight decision OF former
Senator G. ". Watson to withdraw
his resignation on the eve OF the selec-
.,ion of a successor. 1t is learned from
a reliable source that the real work
ings were these: Senator Watson
wanted to close his Identification as
the head Of the party. if he could
name his successor. and in so doing
retain control Of the party machinery
He announced his resignation in the
belief that this could be easily done
and it semed fairly sure that the
honor would be handed over either to
iGeorse T Watson or State Chairman
Glenn Shaver. both OF Fairmont, the
latter having let it be known ne would
resign from the chairmanship.
Complications Developed.
But complications developed in the
rising strength of Lawrence E. Tier
, ney, Of Mcdowell, who began to
gather around him all the phalanIes
of John T. McGraw The develop
ment of strength became so great that
Mr.. Watson withdreW his resignation
on the dark and stormy midnight. Just
in time to be caught BY the Sunday
morning papers.
Among the notable visitors already
here are Dean Charles E. Hogg, OF
Point Pleasant: National Committee
man Virgil Highland and Sherman
Denham. of Clarksburg: Senator Wal
lace Gribble of Doddridge; Senator
R. L. Gregory, Of ParkersburSi Dele
gate James Bassell. Of Lewis; Senator
Warren Miller. of Jackson; Senator
Raymond Dodson. Of Roane: Senator
IA. r. Montgomery, of Boone: Senator
Elmer Hough. of Brooke, and John h
Holt Of Huntington.