Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-26

the State, Preston county Is enjoying q
revival OF politics. The late school
election furnished the pTetext for the
re-ODening OF the iaetiOnal fight In the
Republican party. The fight has more
than a county interest inasmuch as the
leaders Of one Of the factions is none
other than the Chairman OF the Repu0-
lican State Executive Committee, Hon.
VIM. NJ. o. Dawson, who is well known
throughout the State as aclever and as
tnte politician, INC ia will, no doubt, be
remembered how he started out with a
klare of trumDets 10 carry West Nlr-
Rinia for the Republicans when Stephen
b. Elkins made the declaration that ut
was only q question OF finances in car
rying West Virginia"
II is doubtful If there is another
county in the State where one-man
power has held sway like Preston. Wa.
M. O. Dawson has been the absolute
s.boss" Of the Republican party in Pres
ton county since about 1870, when no
was made chairman Of the county exec
utive committee. From his first indUc-
ton into Office be assumed the role OF
boss. For years he ruled with an iron
hand. and no aspirant for othce could
hope for success without his endorse
ment. He virtually carried the Repub-
lican vote in his vest pocket. II Is sale
TO say that 4 large per cent. OF the
party became thoroughly disguised
with his obnoxious bosSiSm and
ONLY AWAITED A RICHMOND
or a Moses TO lead them. At intervals
from 1870 TO 1SSS men with more cour-
age than discretion would attack the
Boss only 10 fnd himself routed, horse,
foot and Dragon. This state or aHalrs
continued up until the year 1SSS, when
the late Samuel 2. Mccormick moved
10 this county. The opposition TO DaW-
son kept continually growing, and they
hailed Mccormick as their leader. Me-
Cormick's reputation as an organizer
and leader had preceded him and be-
fore be became acclimated, he 0uekled
on the armor and led the charge on the
Dawson breastwOrks. IL was q
able fight aud attracted State notice,
and when the smoke Of battle cleared
away Dawson found himself In the pO-
sitlon OF Warner Miller, lying
outside the breastwdrks. The Me-
Cormick men had captured the
county organization and Dawson
was compelled TO resign his chairman
ship. Thus he met his first Waterloo.
Arrayed on one side were the McCOr-
mickites and on the other sid the Daw-
sonites, aud the merry war was pro-
longed up until the death of McCOr-
mick. After his death things quoted
down. Dawson announced his retire
ment" from politics. For q short time
honOrs were even with the factiOnal
candidates, for the mode Of choosing
candidates had been changed from the
county convention TO
THE PRIMARY ELECTION,
something the anti-Dawson men had
MEsSn1ryLRg 10 accomplish for years.
but the primary system did not meet
with the appreciation Of Dawson, for be
discovered men whom he had repeated
~ turned down in the county cOnven-
tions were receiving nominations and
elected 10 Office. Something must DO
done. Since his retirement" he CD
served that the opposition were
capturing the Offices and that
the men who were filing
the embarrassing were cOnSDicuOuSly
incapable Of "bOssing" the Grand Old
Party. "Forbearance ceased 10 be q
virtue" with him, and on the 1lth day
OF May he had q mass convention called
TO meet at ROwelsbuTg TO nominate a
candidate for the County Superintency
Of Free Schools, which was a fragrant
violation OF the rules governing the
nomination Of candidates. About six
weeks previous 20 this four candidates
had announced themselves through the
public press and were making a canvass
of the county, as IL was the explicit un-
d~erstanding that no nominations were
to be made. IL was an open field and &
fair fight, and when the indications
pointed strongly 20 the election Of Peter
\. Smith, an anti-DawSOn man, the cry
was raised that the "Scheming Demo-
crats'( lone Of the candidates was a Dem
ocrat) were trying 70 capture the ban
ner Republican county," This was but
a himsy pretext, however, for the mo-
tive which prOmted the calling Of the
convention was for the purpose OF de-
feating Smith and 20 do away with the
primary election OF selecting candidates
and adopt the BOss's County Convention
once more. The convention met and
was n OF the st0rmiest ever held in
the county. State Chairman Dawson,
County Chairman FOrtney aud Editor
Wotring, OF the Journal, led one fac
ton, while the opposition was led by
Hon c, NJ. Bishop, Hon. James A..
Brown and Sheriff Shaw. The fight
waxed warm for fully two hours, and
THREATS OF BLOODY
noses and black eyes ruled supreme
among the warning factions. The
DawSOnites succeeded in nominating
their man, as the opposition refused 10
allow their mans name 70 20 before the
convention. The convention adjourned
and the Dawsonites hurried back 70
KingwOod. appointed a committee 70 go
aud wait on Mr.. Peter r. Smith and
demand that be withdraw his candidacy
and support the convention nominee.
This be emphatically refused TO do.
Heroic measures must be adopted, and
the committee proceeded TO abuse
and threaten him with dire vengeance,
and that they would boycott his hotel II
he did not withdraw. Becoming alarmed
At such threats, Mr.. Smith wrote 3 card
Withdrawing bis candidacy. The regu-
lar issue OF the Journal being printed and
mailed, an extra" was issued and sent
broadcast over the county announcing
the withdrawal Of Smith. Things were
now at white heat when the opposition
learned OF the withdrawal Of Smith.
On the morning of the election Smith
came out in a card Withdrawing his
'sv~ithdrawal" and asking his friends 10
stand by him, and charging the Dawson
factions with threatening him with
bodily harm and bOycotting his King