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c H A p T E R s I x THE RUNAWAY LEGISLATURE OF 1911 "Our Senators are standing like a stone wall."l ON NOVEMBER 18, 1910, Governor Glasscock, Republican members of the legislature, and other influential party members convened in the governor's office to discuss strategies for the coming session of the legislature. After this conference, Glasscock expressed confidence that the Republican lawmakers would work together in harmony,2 "even though they may not be successful in getting any thing done:'3 It was too early to predict what the Democratic plans for the session might be, but the governor felt certain that the Democrats, "as friends of the corporations;'4 would fight the creation ofa public service commission. By painting the Democrats as darlings of the corporations, Governor Glasscock hoped to generate enthusiasm. Actually, both parties had close ties with big business, making it a flawed claim. His sentiments, however, could have indicated that he had become more ardently associated with the reform elements in his party, especially after the 1910 Republican debacle. The governor further opined that the gas and oil interests in this struggle would aid them saying, "I think the corporations are going to be as well represented in the next legislature as they have been for the past twenty years:' Furthermore, in conversation with some of the leading Democrats, Glasscock learned that they planned to oppose a primary election law. He queried, "Just why they are going to do this I cannot understand, but you can rest assured they are going to make mistakes just as we have done:'5 Glasscock to A. B. White, Parkersburg, Western Union telegram, 14 January 1911, Glasscock Papers. 2 Glasscock to Judge Frank Cox, 22 November 1910; Glasscock to H. C. Ogden, 21 November 1910; both in Glasscock Papers. 3 Glasscock to Judge Cox, 22 November 1910, Glasscock Papers. 4 Glasscock to Judge Cox, 22 November 1910, Glasscock Papers. 5 Glasscock to Judge Cox, 22 November 1910, Glasscock Papers. 99 CHAPTER SIX Going into the legislative session, the Republicans had only one opportunity of gaining a position of power: the state senate was deadlocked between the two parties. The Republican goal was to elect a GOP president ofthat body, since the president was in effect a lieutenant governor, who would succeed the chief executive in case he died. As Glasscock explained to Senator Scott, "You know life is uncertain and if anything should happen to me I want to know that I am to be succeeded by a Republican:' With this maneuver, they also hoped to prevent "unfair gerrymandering;' especially of the "colored voters" in the so-called "Blackbelt" counties of southern West Virginia.6 In early December, the Democrats held a planning session at Parkersburg. Reports reaching Glasscock indicated that his partisan opponents hoped to challenge the election oftwo Republican state senators in order to gain control ofthe upper house.7 The governor recognized that the Republicans would have to fight for everything they wanted, as the Democrats seemed determined to capture the presidency of the state senate. Yet the Governor had "no fear of the result;' ifhis fellow party members stood together.s Before the governor's strategy could be tested, however, tragedy struck West Virginia Republicans when, on January 4, 1911, Senator Elkins died. This numbing news sent shockwaves throughout the Republican rank and file because in this moment ofloss the Democrats saw a gain. Since the mid-term election of 1910, even the casual observer expected the Democrats would win Senator Scott's seat in the United States Senate since his term of office was up, but now, with fate on their side because of the untimely demise, the Democrats aimed for two seats in the nation's capito1.9 Soon after Elkins's death, Glasscock appointed the Senator's son, Davis, to complete his father's short-lived term until the West Virginia legislature could meet in regular session and elect a successor. It appears that Senator Elkins had made a last-minute plea with Governor Glasscock for his son to succeed him. After the death, Colonel Snyder, the senator's personal secretary, wrote to thank Glasscock for Davis's appointment. Snyder stated that was what Senator Elkins had desired.1o The Wheeling Intelligencer also reported that Colonel Snyder had visited the governor shortlybefore Elkins's death, "bearing a personal message from the Senator:'ll Evidently, it was a wish that was hard 6 Glasscock to N. B. Scott, 21 November...

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