Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1912-06-20
Washington Letter
Continued from first page.


adjournment Of either House.
West Virginians in Washington have
been especially interested in the attitude
Of the Roosevelt people in Chicago. An
nouncement was made several days ago by
William Finn of Pennsylvania, concur
red in by Governor. Glasscock of West
Virginia, that the Conventions in Penn
syvania, West Virginia and other states,
which have sent delegates favorable to
Roosevelt, would be reconvened in the
event of the denomination of Mr.. Taft
and the candidates for electors in those
states would BIZ instructed in the event OF
their election to cast their votes Tor The
odore Roosevelt for President. This ex-
plains why the state conventions of West
Virginia, Pennsylvania and other states,
which selected delegates to the Chicago
Convention were adjourned to meet again
at the call of the chairman of the corven-
ton. 1t seems to have been anticipated
that Taft will be nominated and that
Roosevelt would head another ticket.
Having control of the state conventions
if was deemed advisable that the conven-
ton should be reconvened If necessary in
order to give the Republican vote of the
state to Roosevelt rather than to Taft.
Another statement coming from the
Roosevelt people at Chicago has greatly
interested the West Virginians here, for
they haye declared that unless the Re-
publican candidates for congressman pro-
claim their allegiance to Roosevelt new
candidates, who are friends of Roosevelt
will be nominated for Congress in every
district in the state. This place the var
lous Republican candidates, for congress
men including George A. Laughlin, W.
u. Conley, S. b. Avis, H. Ill. MOSS, Jr.,
James A. Hughes and Howord Suther-
land in position where they must de-
clare their allegiance 10 Roosevelt or
their opposition to hin. In the event
that they refuse to declare for Roosevelt.
the statement from Chicago Is that COL
testing candidates will be nominated. IL
answer eacL of these candidates will
make to the question asked by the Roose-
welt supporters.
Tired OF supplying the majorities foI
Republican candidates in the northern
part of the state, Mcdowell and MinAo
counties and other counties in the Black
Belt Of West Virginia, have determined
that inasmuch as furnish the majorities
they are entitled to name the candidates
and at the Republican primary election
held recedtly they have done SO. Every
candidate on the Republican state ticket
except Stuart Reed, who was renominat
ed for Secretary of State, is from the
southern part of the state and the nomi-
nation of each of these candidates was
dictated by the southern counties. Nc
Dowell, Mingo and Mercer counties cast
more than / of the entire vote cast at the |
Republican primary election. With Fay
cite, Kanawah, and Cabell added the six
counties casts more than J of the entire
vote OF the state the remaining 4g
counties casting considerably less than
half OF the votes in the Republican pri-
mary election. This means that tn.
nomination of each candidate on the Re
publican ticket was dictated by Mcdowell,
MiDgo and other counties in the Black
Belt of West Virginia and that the meA
for whom the Republicans of the state
are asked to vote were selected by the
negro majorities of the counties in the
counties in the southern part of the state
Senator Watson has introduced in re-
duced form his tariff amendment propos-
ing to authorize the President to suspend
tariff duty for period not exceeding six
months whenever the price of an article
affected by the tariff is abnormally in
creased by normal or artificial means
During the last six months the price OF
potatoes has been abnormally high, ow-
ing to shortage in the crop and many
thousands OF bushels of potatoes have
been imported. Had Senator Watson's
amendment been enacted in time the
duty on potatoes might have been sus-
pended durinfg the last six months and
kept down the cost of this necessary arti-
Gle of food. His amendment was offered
before, but was withdrawn in order that
the Senate Finance Committee might
have an opportunity to investigate its
provisions and pass upon it. He has in
troduced it again as an amendment to the
chemical schedule and will urge the Sem
ate to adopt it,
Although many weeks have passed
since the House Committee on Election
Number decided. the recommen iation.
which it would make in the Wiley-
Hughes contested case, to report has yet
been prepared by the committee. 1t is
koA1 ,EA - II