Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-12-01
The Republican state Committee and the
Reformers


The action of the Republican State
Committee, at its parkersburg meet
ing, last week, leaves the Wheeling
Intellieencer and certain "Reformo
element of the party in the State. in a
Iudicrous, were it not pathetic, posi-
ton.
When the special session of the leg
islature assembled the Intelligencer,
and those cooperating with it, heaped
abuse ON the Democrats for not pass
ing Stale wide and compulsory pri-
mary election law Matched by the
very men in the Republican party
W hich the Intelligencer had been de-
nouncihg and which was design
ed TO allow the Estate Republican
Machine to steal the nomination, not
only of the Republican ticket, but the
Democratic as well. So long and loud
did the IntellIgencer and its followers
rail about the primary law that they
finally created widespread senti-
ment in the Republican party in favor
of calling a primary election to nomi-
pate the next Republican State ticket
as matter of choice and not Of com.
puIsion, as would have been the case
with the proposed primary law in eff
feet. The State Com tnittee yielding to
this apparent demand in its own party
held a"harmony meeting" at Charles
ton, where the primary plan was dis
cussed. A subcommittee was appoint
ed to work out plans and rules for the
primary and the committee met in
Parkersb1rg last week to hear that re.
port.
Despite the clamor of the Ipteli-
gencer and its satellites for a State
wide primary, 1t suddenly discovered
what most people already knew, that
such primary meant to allow three
or four counties in the Southern por-
ton of the State, with their overwhelm-
ng negro population, to nominate
the entire ticket. 30 the Int lligencer
TOOK fright and began to clamor for
"District primaries" that is for State
Convention to nominate the State tick.
ct, but for the delegates to be selected
at primaries held in each M lgiste rial
district. But the State Committee
which is the very heart and brain of
the Republican State machine, said,
"You wanted State primary and we
Will give it to you" And it did. Which
means that the old gang has the ticket
picked for next year, from the head to
the tail, and that the ticket it has sci
ected will get votes enough in Fayette,
Mcdowell, Kanawha, Mercer, Mlngo
and few other counties to nominate
it, no matter what the Republicans in
the rest of the counties may do or
whom they may want. Mark the pre-
diction: That primary will be a daisy
and there will be some Simpson-Stsble
majorities in it, too.
Having thus arranged things so as
to nominate the men 1t wants on the
ticket in 1912, the Federal and State
Officers then proceeded to keep their
promise 10 resign. But what else do
you think they did? Named their sue
cessors. Wasn't that resigning with
vengeance? They are out, Oh yes! But
they will vote by proxy. Virgil High
land takes Sherman Denham's place.
A change with a vengeance. Sweeney
Fleming succeeds his uncle, Howard.
or course Sweeney will not be control
led by his big Uncle, the postmaster
at Fairmont
For pure fake reform this primary
plan and these designations of the Of
ficsholders on the Republican State
Committee have anything "beaten to
a frszzle" that we car think of for the
moment. And when that primary
comes off there is going to be some
weeping, wailing and gnashing of
teeth. Review.