The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-03-16
SENATOR WATSON


but this irea was abandoned. and the
machine. drunk with power. decided
to put the blocks to them right, as
one member said. And that was what
was done. State Chairman Benefits
name was on the committee to draft
a plan for the Watson after-the-elect-
ion primary. II placed him In an en-
~barrassing position. The usual
given tho chairman to appoint COM
mittees was taken away from him.
and he was placed in the position OF
either having to vote for himself as
four OF the men on the committee did
or seem TO be in the attitude OF re-
senting the affront and ~discourtsy OF.
Tered by him by the machines care
fully prepared and ironed out reso-
luton. He refused to serve. His
name on the committee would have
served TO often put matters. and
make the deal look less raw.
The second committee, the one 10
finance the Senatorial preference pri-
mary. is as tight a machine commit
tee az 1t would be possible to select.
The machine went clar outside OF the
committee membership TO get a rep
resentative from the Parkersburg dis.
trict. Joe Murphy is the Parkersburg
member OF the committee. Murphy is
against the machine. the only one on
the committee who voted against the
steam-roller. Murphy was ignored
and G. ID. Dotson. not a member OF
the committee. was appointed on the
subcommittee. The name OF c. G.
Martin was. 81 is said by reliable au.
thority. on the resolution which e..
w. Osenton read, but instead of read.
ing Martins name, he read out Dot.
sons. IL Martin agreed TO serve at
the last minute. he was evidently set
down as too decent for the diabolfcal
deeds that are planned. and his name
was dropped from the list.
Deck Well Marked.
The deck was certainly well
marked at that meeting. and the mar
who would 20 up against the cards as
they have been stacked Is more eligi.
BILE TO enter an insane asylum than he
is qualified TO hold an Office. II there
is ever any primary held TO decide
whether Watson shall hold on or
somebody else shall succeed him. Il
will be conducted by clerks. commits.
sioners and ~challengers who are ap
pointed by the machine. No other
faction. nor no other aspirant excep,
Watson. will have representation in
the polling places. The result will be
n crooked primary. which will be car
ried by Watson. IL is doubtful II any
body will contest with Watson. be
cause nobody else would have the
faintest chance OF winning over him
The whole tenor OF that resolution
is TO keep the opposition 20 Watson
from making a fight over the nom;r
atoms for the Legislature-to lull the
anti-machinists into inactivity along
hat line with the promise OF a pri
mary. In the meantime. the machine
is not idle because OF its promise OF a
primary. II Is going right ahead pick
ing nut fits candidates for the House
OF Delegates and senate. Primary OF
no primary II will be found TO have
the votes N the people OF West Vir-
ginia should suffer another lapse of
Intelligence as they did In 1910 md
elect a Democratic Legislature. A
Democratic Legislature can mean but
| one thing. so far as the senatorship
r. concerned. and hat Is the re-elect-
Ion OF Clearance Watson for n period
OF six years. II will mean the last ray
! OF hope gone for these Democrats
who are fighting to throw of the
onerous and CALLING yoke hat Wat
son and Chiffon have h~arnessed on e
the neck OF the party.
In all the history OF politics IN this
state. there never was anything hal
so brutal. AZ the work done by this
Watson steamroller in this city near
iy three weeks ago. II set the highesI
limit: ~ holds the record.