Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-21
TRICK FOR WATSON
Demand for Primary Has Nc
GraW on Anxious Seat.
WOULD BLOCK DEADLOCK
West Virginia Senatorial Contest
Grows in Interest.
URGED FOR STATE TICKET
Democrats May Decide to Follow Re-
publicans in Abandoning the
Convention Plan.
WOULD BLOCK DEADLOCK
URGED FOR STATE TICKET
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
WHEELING. W. Va, January 2O.-Two
incidents of the week injected new ele-
| hents or interest into the political sit
uatlon In West Virginia. First in i'm
portance was the declaration of Senator
Y. W. Watson for state primary, to be
conducted by the democratic state COM
mttee following the November election,
for the purpose of deciding the popular
party choice for senator. The other in
c1dent was DR.. Hatfields announcement
that he intended to do some more feeling
around before formally announcing his
candidacy for the republican gubernato-
rial nomination.
The watson declaration was a shrewd
move 1t sets him up as a primary can
d1date and takes the steam away from
the charge that through his followers he
prevented the enactment of a state pri-
mary law at the special legislative ses-
SION last spring. Likewise it is a good
party move because it tends to a. har-
monious and united effort first to elect a
democratic legislature and postpone the
clashing ambitions of himself. John T.
Mc(iraW and any other senatorial aspi-
rant until beyond the election
Col. McGraw declined to commit him
self on the proposition, but promised to
make a statement when he had thor
oughly digestcd the Watson communica-
ton. which was directed to Democratic
state Chairman w. G. Bennett. McGraw
is determined to oppose Watson at every
| stage and already had his hooks out for
setting up favorable candidates for the
legislature
Significance of Plan.
The vital significance of Watson's
declaration is that it seeks to prevent
instructed or committed McGraw men.
with the possible danger of a legislative
deadlock and combination with the re-
publicans. If their fight can be sus-
pended until after election and a primary
choice made, the party would naturally
consider only the primary victory,
whereas Watson doubtless sees all kinds
of trouble ahead with the old method in
the McCiraw following. which will be
strong enough in some counties to put
through Il McGraw Endorsement. At any
rate, McGraw, who is some artist in the
publicity line. can keep the pot brewing
in advance of the election, even If he
should fail to get instructions, and fac
tional feeling could easily work the loss
of democratic legislative votes in many
counties.
There is a rlimor that Senator Chiffon
was one of those who advised Senator
Watson to ask for a decision at a post
election primary. However that may be,
it was a good play and it has done much
to give the short-term senator a status
he did not formerly enjoy. The state
committee is to be called shortly, when
There is a sentiment but less agitation
than the sentiment in the party would
seem to indicate, for a primary to
nominate the state ticket, in this step
following the pace set by the republic
cans.
One Better Than Republicans.
1t will not be surprising if McGraw
endeavors to have this sort Of primary,
and have it include also an Endorsement
for the Senate, which would be step
farther than taken by the republicans
McGraw controlled the state committee
for several years. and may yet have a
majority, although that is doubtful. Con-
troll of the new committee to be chosen
will be of more importance should sena-
torial primary, after the election, be de-
cided on. for the machinery would be of
immeasurable benefit, judging by the
conditions resulting from the majority of
primary contests in West Virginia.
Until the Watson pronunciamento the
opinion prevailed that the democrats
would be content with the old convention
system for naming their state ticket. and
on the senatorship. Many Of the leaders
hesitate at change. believing the party
can AFFORD to watch the republican ex-
pertinent. They think they can profit by
the disaffection that will follow should 1t
develop that the winning republican can
didates have been nominated by fraud,
and they have their eye on southern coal
counties in this respect. which have been
under suspicion for years.
DR.. Hatfield, the republican machine
choice for governor, will soon Journey to
the upper end of the state to ascertain
sentiment. II favorable to his way OF
reckoning he. will stick; otherwise, not.
At present he is by far the leading
choice among the practical politicians.
and as the situation stands will be NOM
mated over C. w. Dillon and c. w.
Swisher, but the Mcdowell county doc
tor realizes that a nomination is not the
election equivalent it was in West Vir-
ginia in former years and he wants to
test out the rank and file as we'll as the
fellows higher up.
Urged to Enter Race.
John T. Cooper Of Wood county, who
won prominence in the legislature some
few years ago as the author of the
Cooper primary BILL which was model
ed along western ideas, has a little
gubernatorial bee. The scattered re-
publican progressives have been urging
him to take the fed. declaring that none
of the three candidates. Hatfield. Dillon
| or Swisher, is a progressive. Dillon in
directly reached out for the progressive
| element when he declared West Virginia
| was for Roosevelt instead of Taft. But
Dillon may have wanted to put his two
competitors on the defensive, since they
are Taft men.
Cooper had the satisfaction of having
| the last republican state convention in
dorse his bill and the disappointment. OF
seeing his partymen in the legislature
reject it at two succeeding sessions DIR.
| Hatfield was the most strenuous oppo-
nent of the measure. Because Of the
| failure to agree on primary bill, West
| Virginia has no primary law on the
! statute books and there is no recourse
| for fraud or other Irregularities. which
| is why there is now bowling enthusiasm
| for the primary to be pulled off by the
| republicans next June. and prospective
| ly later by the democrats.>
| The republicans will convene at Hunt
ington May 16 to name their judicial tick
ct and delegates to the national conven-
ton, at which Taft will likely be in
structed for. The date is the earliest