Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-11-24
Conduct Of State Campaign Crit.
cised BY Rank and File.
NEW LEADERS ART DEMANDED
Tired Of Camping on Trail of the Re.
publicans--The Program of Gov
ernor Dawson.
ernor Dawson.
A dispatch from Wheeling says:

erShip is George Byrne, the deIeated
candidate for Congress in the Third
district, and he gives voice to views
that have been held by evidently no
mean number Of the rank and file. Mr..
Byrne asserts that the Democracy can
never hope to regain its lost ground in
this State until 1t chooses leaders who
will have the acumen to originate or
sieze issues, and to courageously adj
vance them, instead of following go
easy plan of campaign.
Mr. Byrne practices what ne
breaches. He was the first candidate
in the field ana fought until the last
vote was counted. He really did well
considering the general results. In
trying to beat Representative Gains,
personally a most popular man, and
conceded one of the foremost Republi-
can leaders, Byrne tackled an uphill
job at best. But he went at it in a
way that attracted admiration from
both sides of the battle line.
Mr.. Byrne mentions no names, and
hence no personal offense can be TAX
en-. He halls from the county Of
Kanawha. where his party's organiza-
tion is dominated by ex-Gov. w. A.
MacCorkle, and ex-Secretary of State
w. e. Chiffon, and the latter's broth
er, Joseph Chiffon. This socalleo
MacCorkle-Chilton wing is opposed 70
the leadership Of John 7. McGraw,
who is both State chairman and Ma
tional committeeman. The MacCor
kle-Chilton clan is of the safe and
sane" brand, whereas MeGraw and his
followers have been consistent follow
lers of the Bryan flag.
1nclines to Mceraw,
Byrne is inclined to the McGraw per-
suasion, which has not been of service
to him with his party's ruling powers
In kanawha. 1t is possible that he Is
dignifying Republican destinations inI
his criticisms. He may be taking a
fall out of the MacCorkle-Chiltonp PEG
pie for their alleged failure to be ao-
tive in his own case. Ii is more char.
liable and correct conclusion that he
is swinging his broad-sord right and |
left Byrne is merely duplicating |
what was said just prior to the open
ing of the campaign by Walt. II. Con |
oway. a young Democrat of Marion |
county, who declared that until the
Democrats quit camping on the Re-
publican trail they might as we'll shul
up shop.
And Q. S. Mckinney, honored many
times with nominations by Democrats
also OF Marion county, and sharing
with McGraw in the prestige of leader
ship, a full year ago averred that
the Democrats of West Virginia had
tired of marching to the same old flu
neral dirge and sighed for lively
Which was taken to mean
that Mckinney wanted McGraw. sup
planted by man who could do
things,
Reasons for Disaffection.
Democrats have reason for dissat-
iSfaction and disappointment Com
piete returns show that West Vir-
ginia's Republican vote made great
gains compared with other States.
pFoportionately these gains were in
excess To the presidential election two
years age The majority given TO
St,Mgiss for Congress III the Second
Nestrict surpassed any majority ever
given to Dayton, his Republican pred
ecessor. in any election. This is more
striking because the Democrats won
last year in a special election. And
Notwithstanding it was an off year the
Republicans gained control of the leg
islature by exactly the same joint bal
lot majority they got in 1904.
One trouble the Democrats have SUI
fered from is the lack of sympathy
held by their high moguls with the
type of Democracy preached by Bryan
and Hearst. The class of leaders are
not radical, though the rank and file
may be so inclined on national ques-
lions. On the absorbing issue of
state taxation the Democratic masses
have followed an unpopular path be, |
cause the leaders seemed to think 1t
was necessary to oppose the policy OF
the dominant Republican party.
Now there are mutterings of regret
from fairly influential Ligh privates, |,
who believe they were led astray from
the standpoint OF party vantage.
They believe a mistake was made
in not coming out for the entire tax
commission scheme, as championed by
Henry G.. Davis and John H. Holt,
two minority members of that body
Such a tack would haze undoubtedly
put the Republicans on the defensive,
for the Republicans compromised with
a piecemeal sheme of taxation. The
support expected by the Democrats did
not prove so potential on the roundup
and the air is still rife with charges
of betrayed against influential interests
who are alleged to have hooked up
with the Republicans at the eleventh
hour after a former show of hostil-
ity.
The coming session OF the legisla-
ture may give the Democrats fresh
ground to stand on. All responsibility
must rest on the Republicans with
their overwhelming majority. The
contests for organization of the legis-
lature may revive factionalism in the
majority party, although nothing Sc
rious is anticipated The fact is that
Governor Dawson is much better en-
trenched than two years ago The
elections of Hubbard and Sturgiss
testify to the radical spirit to which