Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-05-16
4 SLICK TRICK
Being Worked BY the State House
Ring for General Watts.

CHARLESTON, w. VA, May G.
The Intellagencer correspondent to
day fell onto new democratic trick
of the Chiffon managers, which is
gotten out in The interest of G. G.
Watts for governor. II is under
stood here that the state house ring
is to be against Watts on the out.
side, but in truth they are heartily
fayoring his nomination behind the
scenes.
The Chiffon circus was gotten up
to boom Watts. The circus is to go
from county to county in the woods
portions of the state, giving free en-
tertainments, and the clown is to de-
liver Watts speeches for governor.
1t is understood here also that the
circus is to be made a permanent M
stitution and will traverse the state
to drum up crowds for the demo-
cratic stumpers.
The managers know perfectly well
that they have to introduce some
unusual device to gather crowds, as
the people will not turn out simply
to hear democrat talk politics this
year.
The new coup d'etat is printed
appeal to Mr.. Watts to become a
candidate for governor as the repre-
sentative of the la boring men and
the free silverites of the state. The
petition goes on to say that know
ing the eminent fitness OF Mr.. Watts
for governor, and knowing his
"strong sympathy for the working
classes" therefore they beg of him
to become candidate in their spec
ial interests.
These petitions have been sent all
over the state, and in few weeks
Brother Watts is to be overwhelm.
ed by these voluntary" calls from
the dear working people, and he will
then yield to the pressure, and will
announce himself as candidate for
governor. This is a slick Watts
Chiffon trick, and will most likely
Idle bornin'." "For ways that are
dark and tricks that are vain, &C.
Col. Bob Carr is out ON the war
path. He sees defeat staring him in
the face, and he has taken his grip
in hand and is now somewhere out
in the state pouring cold water on
Watts boom. Bob can't win for
auditor if Watts is nominated for
governor, SO he is getting in his
work on his slippery brother Cor
nelius Caesar Watts.
Col. Bob is somewhat handicap
ped by his home contingent. Hith.
erto Bob sneezed every time the
Chiltons took snuff, and when his
excellency, W. A. MacCorkle, had a
pain, Col. Bob Immediately had two.
But these gentlemen now, while they
are presumably for Bob, neverthe-
less want Watts nominated for gov
ernor, which if done necessarily SIDE
tracks Col. Bob, for the reason that
they are both from the same county.
A friend of Col. Bob's said to-day
that Robert is sweating blood, and
is trying to find out "where he's at, .
When the labor petitions come IN,
and they will be due in week or so
he will then find who hit him with a
base ball club. When the cat comes
out OF the meal tub, the fact will
then be revealed to Roberts inquir-
ing mind that the Chiffon boys
swung the bat.
1t is a settled fact down here that
the Democratic State Convention
will declare for the free coinage OF
silver l6 to l, that Watts will be
the candidate for governor, and that
Col. Bob. Carr will be relegated to
the shades of innocuous desuetude.
This will be in accordance with the
eternal fitness of things, because
Bob Carr is not much of democrat
anyway.
Another phase, to be developed
later, will be the course adopted by
Col. G. L. Smith friends when they
learn the true inwardness of the
Watts movement. They claim that
they are not surprised at the Wheel
ing Registers course in formally en-
dorsing Watts candidacy and ignor-
ing Col. Smiths claims. The lat
ter's friends are largely in the ma
jority in the Registers particular
bailiwick and will doubtless make it
warm for the organ for its deal with
the Watts-C hilton-free-silver crowd,
and throwing overheard the sound
money contingent and its candidate
in the northern half Of the state. Tt
seems that the fight will resolve it.
self into struggle between the pop
ulistic free silverites and the honest
money men, with the Wheeling or
gan committed to the support of the
populistic combine, which will be
poorly appreciated, doubtless, by the
interests represented by Camden,
Postmaster General Wilson, Smith
and the administration men general