The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1910-04-14
Scores Opp ponent
WHO, HE, SAYS. PRETEND TO IHA-
! FOR THE PEOPLE HAVING A
= VOICE IN THE NOMINATION.,
BUT SECRETLY OPPOSE PRI-
MARY ELEOTIONS. I'll.
Senator's Opposition
Largely responsible for failure of
statewide primary bill to pass, is
belief entertained by the congress-
man, who would wear his tOgu.

Si1ei Shteft&hHeu-Dy~ the congress-
man, who would wear hts toga.
Wheeling, w. Va, April,8 8 1910
70 the Republican Voters Of West
Virginia:-
In announcing my candidacy for
United States Senator, I said:
"a PRIMARY held in county will
give every voter equal right and
power, and a primary held through
out a senatorial district will do the
like, and will also prevent the smoth-
ering Of Republican votes in the
smaller counties OF -Ghe' district in
selecting nominee. That method
OF selecting legislative candidates
will strengthen the purpose and duty
or all Republicans to vote for those
candidates aL the general. election
Existing laws regulate such primar-
les, and punish any bribery and
fraud which may be committed" =
That language seems reasonably
plain. Yet some friends OF Senator
Scott affect an inability to under
stand it. One OF his newspapers says
Mr.. Hubbard has not asked for a
statewide primary;ihe has not asked
specifically for county or senator
ial-" primary in any county or dis
tr1ct." That newspaper supported the
socalled HaIheld PRIMARY bill, which
In terms forbade a primary for any
office aboYs a county Office, and in
charity Me~Nmay suppose that paper
does not know what. a primary is. :
.a. At every meeting Of g. county OF
district committees, ny fffends have
urged: the holding Of q primary. and
usually they have found the friends
OF Senator Scott there actively op-
posing primary. Whenever | have
learned OF the meeting of a commit
tee | have arratged thet a reques,
fer such primG.'y be made, and a vote
taken upon all who NAV become
candidates for United States Senator.
have Written' hundreds Of letters to
members Of committees asking the
same thing; and I have sent no one
to say that J did not want what |
had asked for.
| have uot contented myself with
words. The first district wide prim-
ary held in the state was held at my
instance, in the First Congressional
District, in 1908.
Senator Scott is quoted as having
said he was in favor Of a primary.
At the same time he was saying so
his secretary and Legislative agent,
John l.. Steele, was busy inducing
members Of the Legislature to vote
against it. Thas shas been charged
in an open letter by Speaker Strck~
ling, naming Senator d. B. Smith as
a witness. Mr. Steele has not denied
the statement, and cannot deny it.
AS far as I know, no friend Of Sena-
tor SCOTS has actively endeavored to
get primary anywhere, and as far
as | know no friend Of mine has
opposed a. primary anywhere. Find
ing that my suggestion Of a primary
-- mct- -general-faY0r.- some more Of,
Senator Scots friends have lately
said on paper that they are in favor
Of it, but very recently others Of his
friends induced the Wood County
Committee to decline to give the
voters a chance to express themsel-
YES as to candidates for the United
States Senate. My friends then
sought to have primary called in
the Third Senatorial District, which
included Wood County, and they
succeeded against the opposition Of
Senator Seott's friend. Governor
White.
III Upshur. Tucker. and other
counties they have BEEN at the same
sort Of work, but the current is
r"''+''"o too strong for them and
perhaps Hereafter they will float
WIN 1t.
1t is not important what Senator
Scott has said about primary. What
has he or any Of his friends over
done to get one?
| want the Republican voters Of
the state to have chance to express
their choice for United States Sena-
tor. Why shold Senator Scott hesi-
tate at this, or content himself with
such meaningless expressions, as that
lie is in favor Of any kind of 81
primary wherever the committee
wants it, while his friends diligently
oppose any kind Of primary?
There IS no law for q statewide
primary, and that is so largely be-
cause Of Senator Scott's real oDpo-
sition to it as manifested by his sec
retary's conduct.
The kind of primary / advocate
has the sanction Of the law. 1t is