The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-04-07
VlIILL MARION

h1Iuly
Continued From Page one.
the delegatesi 10 the Congressional
and Senatorial conventfons7 1tFwouldj
save the voters 50 much trouble
Then again. selecting delegates 10
a county convention. or holding a
primary for the whole county ticket
being SO troublesome to the voters.
why did the committee not also per-
NIT the candidate for governor TO
name delegates to county. conyen.
ton? No one will say. thnt as a mat
ter OF rightful authority, the commit:
fee could not do this. Just as well as
1t could authorize the candidate for
governor to appoint the delegates to
the State convention. 4.
This article is not intended as an
attack upon the committee. But rath-
or to potnt out the danger OF rei.su-
ing this course. "A I mere statement
of the proposition. and what it in
wolves. makes 1t clear: that no party.
can long survive such methods OF
nominating candidates. One Of the
chief. IL not the only ground. upon
which "A candidate may expect the
suffrage Of the voter is, that the voter
had some voice. or at least the OPP
!rortnnity and privilege of taking part
In the convention or primary. which
nominated him. II the voter be not
permitted to take. part in the selec-
ton OF the, candidate, he could hnrily
be expected to be very enthusiastic
in his election. 4!
| The members Of the committee
may not have taken sufficient time to
consider the effect OF such step.
1t may have been suggested to them
ION the spur OF the moment:" and
acted upon without knowing that they
were departing from the time honored
custom of letting the voters select
their own delegates. Or. 1t may have
been done in their anxiety to give the
people the candidate whom the COM
mittee believed BEST for them.
However. this may be. and however
important 1t may be to have good
man for governor. it Is OF vastly more
Importance. that he be nominated by
delegates selected by the voters them
/ selves. Though they govern poorly.
1t is found better that the people gov:
ern themselves.
Attention is here called to this for
the further reason that time renal ms
to correct this mistake before It be.
comes precedent or results In a
failure OF Marion county to be repre-
scented in the State convention. n
this be permitted to pass unchalleng.
ed, the committees hereafter may fol.
low this example and may extend
their, Jurisdiction and conclude to ap.
point the delegates to- all the conven.
lions. and possibly to undertake. to
nominate the candidates without even
the formality of appointing delegates.
There Is possibly some food for
thought on the part of Mr.. swisher's
! friends In the fact that Messrs.
Scherr and Hearne declined to go
upon the ticket under this arrange
ment. It is known that both contem-
plated entering the primary in this
county. 1t Is also known that Mr..
Scherr and his managers held meet
ing In Fairmont and considered the
matter carefully. Among the mana
gers for MIR. Scherr are some good
lawyers and others familiar with the
rules of the party. May they not
have come to the conclusion that the
selection OF delegates In the manner
provided would be Illegal: that 1t was.
Mt least. doubtful II such delegates
would be lawfully entitled tc a seat In
the convention; and that II their can
,lidate should carry the county 1t
might result In waste OF time anil
money? And may not the reason
for Mr., swisher''s having no opposition
in this county lay In the fact TINT a
conclusion was reached to permit Mr..
swisher to appoint the delegates and
to contest the seating OF the lelega-
ton Mt the convention?
This article is not written In the
interest Of or against any candidate
for governor or other office; but in
the interest Of the Republican party
of the State and particularly of Ma
rion county. which party can only
hope to remain in the zascendencyz by
preserving to the individual voter the
right to participate in Its ,delibera.
ttons. The permanent success and
welfare of the Grand Old Party Will
be more slibserred by the selection
of even n dad candidate BY THE
VOTERS in legal and the usual way.
than by the selectionto of a GOOD man