Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-09-10
DAYTON,s MOTIVATION.

The editor of this paper attended
the Congressional Convention, which
renominated Mr.. Dayton, at Keyser,
on Wednesday OF last week, and he
is sorry that it was not possible for
every Republican in this county to
be present and see how the thing was
done. As they were not there we
desire to briefly and impartially, If
possible, tell them how the nomina-
ton was made.
Mr.. Dayton was nominated on the
first ballot and this, too, in face of
the fact that Hon. Geo. G.. Sturgiss,
one Of the brainiest men in the State;
Hon. U. S. G. Pitzer. the brilliant
young champion of Republicanism
from Berkeley and Judge John
Holt, Of Grafton, we're all candidates
before the convention. 1t was not,
however, Mr.. Dayton's great popu-
larity that nominated him, it was his
postmasters and appointees. In one
delegation, to our personal knowl-
edge, there were 6 postmasters, while
in the delegation from an adjoining
county was five of the same distin-
guished gentlemen. These appoint
ees of Mr.. Dayton we're not only
there in force, but they each had a
pocket full OF proxies, which it was
openly charged, in some instances
were secured by the use of money.
There was a bitter contest in the
committee on credentials, the OPP
ponents of Mr.. Dayton endeavoring
to shut out the proxies, some of
which were voted by men who were
not citizens of the same Counties,
from which they held proxies, but
the Dayton men were in the major
ity on the credentials committee and
q member of that committee, one
who seconded Dayton's nomination,
declared openly that had the proxies
been ruled out Dayton would have
been defeated.
There was something pathetic, as
well as deplorable in that conven-
ton, for even a disinterested person.
Here was George Sturgiss, a great
man, of powerful mind, who has
been a Republican regular for years,
turned down ANONYMOUSLY by Fed.
eral office-holders with bought and
forged proxies, sold out and betray-
ed by even John W. Mason, who has
been his companion in all political
battles for years. There was that
brilliant young champion of Repub-
licanism, Grant Pitzer, honest, man
ly and courageous, defeated because
the corporations put up the money
and the Dayton postmasters held too
many proxies against him. On the
platform were three men from Pit
zer's own county, Alex. Clohan, the
postmaster at Martinsburg, Editor
Smith, who holds lucrative sinecure
place as alleged supervisor of free
mail delivery, or something OF that
kind and Geo. M. Bowers, United
States Fish Commissioner, the latter
OF whom wore a Pitzer badge, but
all of whom were for Dayton, the
first two named being actively and
openly opposing Pitzer and doing
more than anybody else in the con-
vention to discredit his candidacy.
These things were enough to bring
blush to the cheek of any decent
Dayton supporter, but if it did we
failed TO discover the blush.
Dayton was simply slated by the
corporations and Federal authorities
for denomination, and nothing was
permitted to stand in the way of it.
The word was passed around that
the gold Democrats wanted him and
that they would more than make up
for any disaffection among the Re-
publicans and that word had to be
obeyed. We are aware that the ma
jority of our Republican friends, for
the sake of party regularity, will
vote for Dayton, despite the manner
in which he secured his nomination,
but we believe there are many manly
men among them who will repudiate
him at the polls. The statements
above regarding the convention are
absolutely and VIGOROUSLY true and
in fact tue half has not been told
Hampshire Review.