The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-04-07
Does lHIl..
SPEAK SCOI'SI
SEIlTlAAElTS.?. !.
Ex Coz. Argues.
Loudly Against
Primaries I

men in the State who is doing all he
can to send Senator Scott back to the
United States Senate, has come out
boldly against a primary election for
the senatorship. In a speech deliy-
cred at the Scott meeting held in the
Carroll Club auditorium in this city
on the evening Of March 81 the 1anl;
some former chief executive went on
record against primaries. His speech
created CONSERVATION in the ranks Of
the canny SCOTS, and Senator Grimes,
of Marshall county, who was one Of.
the speakers who followed Mr., White,
said he did not agree with him but
that he was heartily in favor Of q
primary election for United States
Senate. The Scott leaders here
cannot understand why Mr.. White
should have made such as"break"
here where the sentiment is so over.
whelmingly In favor of a primary for
the United States Senate and it Is
quite likely that no more invitations
will be extended him to speak at
Scott meetings. The speech Of the
ex-governor was taken down by ono
of the best court stenographers in.
West Virginia, and there can be no
denying it. The extracts referring to
the primary arc as follows:
1--WE got our licking down in Park.
ersburg two years ago, on our State
ticket. Wood county went Demo
cratic on the State ticket for the first
time, / guess, in the history Of the
State. Since then we haven't allow
ed anybody to come in there and dis.
turb our peace and harmony and we.
don't want any primary elections. on
United States Senator this year. We
will select our own delegates and we
will send them, and If they let us
alone we will send them to the Iegis.
lature.
81 might so on and | might say
something about primaries. | want
to say, in concluding, that whenever
VIZ have a primary law in the State Of
West virgtnia-a State law, so that
our primaries can be conducted and
governed by State laws, and the COM
missloners of election appointed by
the county courts and the expense Of
the election carried on under the aus
pices of the State, and of the county,
SO that a poor man has just as much
right and as much chance in a prl-
mary, to run for an Office, as rich
man, then / am in favor Of a State
wide primary for United States sena.
tor. If you have got to have a pri.
mary, and If you are going to have a
primary, on United States Senator,
for Gods sake have a Statewide one,
because 1t is a Statewide Office. But
l am opposed to primaries. You
have them in Ohio county, Don't
get mad about 1t. You had them up
here, and we smelt them clear down
at Parkersburg. And we have had
thom in Parkersburg and they smelt
to heaven, and you smelt them up
here. There is no law governing a
primary, You know that. am not
speaking now in any sense Of the
word to critlclse, but you can't have
elections and primary elections under
our present laws without being a
very expensive luxury and capable OF
the greatest possible abuses, and only
rich men can take part in a'game
that is Statewide Of that kind"
Suppose you will have a primary
here. You are accustomed to having
1t. That is right. We are going to
have a primary to nominate ticket
In Wood county. We hope we are
not going to have it for the United
States Senatorship. We don't want
all that mess piled on top OF the other
troubles we have, because 1t will
make a mess; it always does and al,
ways will. But If you are going to
have a primary, make 1t Statewide,
and then we will know who is to be
the United States Senator, But this
going at it by plece.meal, some coun.
ties doing 1t and some counties not
doing it, does not seem to me to be
wise. i am old fashioned. ! will
admit 1t. And may be mistaken in
my Judgment, but | don't think that
is the way to settle It. | think the
thing to do is for Ohio county to
nominate her quota Of delegates, and
this year when she gets the State
Senator in this district, you should
nominate some good man fof that Of.
iice and I don't care who he -. II
he Is on the Republican ticket and q
decent man i .wcnid help to eelpt him