Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-10-21
SAME OLD SLATE
BY SAME OLD GANG
Scott and Elkins Escape Danger of
State Wide Primary-Swisher
to Win in June.
to Win in June.
tHy George w. summers.)

IL. ", OCtf II 4
National Committeeman for West Yir-
ginia-Nathan B. Scott, of Washing
ten, ID. c." This is a part of the re
publican ticket which will not be sub
niitted to the republican primary cleo
ton on June fourth Mr. Scott, fer-
merly senator from West Virginia and
new national committeeman from that
state. went from his home in Wash
iagton to attend the harmony meet
ing" at Charleston, and while he is
said to have become disguised with
TIE farcical proceeding by which i
was intended to deceive the public in
70 thinking the old machine had let
go its hold ca the party machinery,
he made no announcement that would
indicate that he intends to resign his
place as national committeeman Or
that he will decline to accept the same
place again. In fact he remained in
Charleston until just before the final
action was taken in regard to the pri
mary election, when, apparently salts
fed as to what would be done after
his departure he left for his home and
business in Washington. And what
he evidently expected his committee
to do was done-the selection of a.
national committeeman was not in
cluded in the program fer primary
election.
After his experience in the Ohio
county primary last year when it Is
said to have cost him upwards CT $50,
600 to defeat William p Hubbard in
what was then his home county, be-
fore he moved to Washington, Mr..
Scott evidently wanted no more to do
with the primary election system,
Possibly he felt that even with ma
chine-made primary and his own COM
mittee in absolute charge of it he
would not stand any chance of get
ting his old place back again If the
people were given the opportunity to
express Their preference. Anyway, it
is a notable fact that while the pri-
mary election system was adopted for
the other fellows. the national ccm-
mitteeman saw to it that his Office was
not included in the system and that
the slightest opportunity will not be
afforded the people to interfere with
the committee of his own machine
selecting again their cid leader for
national committeeman and official
dispenser of the federal patronage I'M
Ger a republican President.
There is not the slightest doubt
among those who know the former
Senator in Washington that he aspires
to a reelection to membership in the
national committee, on which he will
have completed twenty-four years of
continuous service when the present
committee gives way to its successor
next year. He began his service on
the republican national committee in
1888 and has been a member of the
committee ever since 1t is we'll
known that he has had almost as
much pride in his committee member
ship as he had in the senatorship, and
that although deprived OF the latter
he is still eager to retain his member
ship on the national committee. And
in view of the popular disappr2val of
his continued leadership, as express
ed at the polls last November, ii is
no. strange that Mr.. Sect was afraid
to trust his candidacy for position on
the committee to the primary election
--machine-made and machine conduct
ed IS it will be-but left a loop hole
in the primary plans so that there
could be n interference with the ma
chine when it comes to put him back
in his old position and leave in his
hands the distribution of all patron
age which the federal government
will have to give out. provided the
next President is a republican The
machine is expected to handle the pri-
mary election sufficiently well tel
bring about the nomination Of the rest
OF the ticket but On this place Mr.
Scott apparently was not willing toI
take any chances and to insure the
proper Distribution of the federal Of
fees he was excepted from the pri-
mary election program.
Some six or eight months AGO at
tention was called to the slate appar-
entity being supported by the machine
Tor The campaign Of next year. Davis
Eikins for senator; C. w swisher for
governor, and n. B. Scott for national
committeeman was the slate, as il ap-
peared then to the writer, and appar
entity at no time has there been an
change in it. There have been new
slates-seme said to have been made
in the White House, and some by
Others with various axes to grind-bu'
at no time has there been any indica-