The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1911-09-26
Washington New S
Items Of Interest From Our Cor
respondent, George w.
Summers.

eyes Oh the DemOcratlc parry q
the nation are upon West Virgin
ia. Throughout the entire C, an
try West Virginia is looked III IN
rs pivotal State on whi> :,
may depend the election of the
next President of the I'm ed
States and the course of e
Democratic party in the State as
therefore of national importance.
State matters are all important;
who shall be nominated for Gov
ernor, for the other State Offices,
for Congressman at large and for
Senator is of the greatest inter-
est to the Democrats of the
State, but the question of wheth-
err the electoral vote of West Vir-
ginia shall be cast for the Dem
ocratic nominee for presidency
and possibly determine his cleo
ton is of greater Importance to
the people of the State and of
the country generally than the
question of the preferment of
any one man from West Virgin
ia, either for State or national
office.
West Virginia Democrats nat
uraIIy have their preferences for
the Senatorship. for the Cover
norship and for the other offices
which are to be filled at the next
election. They may feel that if
their choice is not nominated
they can not support the Dem
Ocratic ticket. 1t is an old time
Democratic principle to be in
dependent. But it is also an old
time Democratic principle to sup
port the nominees of the party,
whether they be the choice of
the individual voter or not, for
Democracy is the rule of the
majority. Where there are diff
ferences of opinion one can not
always be on the majority side.
But the good Democrat always
places party above self and ac-
cepts the decision of the MAORI
ty. when important matters are
ut stake. Differences of opinion
as to candidates are a good sign
in party matters. Through in
dependence of thought and ac-
tion comes the success of the
Democratic party. The Repub-
lican party believes in leadership
and bossism. The Democrat be-
lieves in no boss but his own
opinion and no control but that
of the majority.
West Virginia Democrats have
seldom been unanimous as to any
of their candidates. The are
free to act according to the die
tates of their own judgment,
without the dictation of bosses to
which the Republican party has
been under in West Virginia for
many years, with Scott and the
crowd he represents in the sad
die. But, the Democratic party
being a party of majority rule,
Democratic differences of opinion
should stop, and in fact do stop,
when the the nominations are
made.
In the coming campaign, above
all others. it is important that
Democrats should follow the old
rule and stick with the majority,
whether the majority represents
their ideas as to what is best for
the party or not. for the reason
that upon the Democrats of West
Virginia may depend the matter
of electing a Democratic Presi.
dent or turning the office over
again to President Taft, who has
opposed, even to the extent oil
vetoing them, all measures in.
tended to reduce the tariff du
ties and lessen the cost of living
1t is not matter with Wes-
Virginias as to whether Johr
Jones or Bill Smith shall go t
the Senate or be elected Cover
nor; it is question whether tn
rule Of President Taft shall b.
perpetuated, with his vetoes o
all measures looking to the wei
fare Of the common people, o
whether the State shall give it
electoral vote to the Democrat
candidate for the Presidency an
probably be the means Of hi
election.