The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-04-18
Is a Question Now Occupy
ing the Attention of the
Republican Party.
(By Charles Brooks smlth.)


public is overlooking. Not so With
several prominent West Virginians
possessed Of high ambition.
1t is the proposition TO amend the
call for the Republican statewide
primary TO be held the fourth OF
next June SO as to include in it the
privilege OF letting the party recon-
mend to its legislative candidates
who it wants to have elected a mem
Der of the United States Senate, in
the event that the party gains con-
troi of the next legislature.
There is strong, persistent, but
quietly conducted movement on foot
TO have this done. Several memberJ
Of the state committee have public
~ expressed themselves favorable to
it. A party newspaper here and
there has endorsed it. One OF the
few probable candidates-the only
one who Is classed in the "ayowed"
column, so far as / am aware, is
outspoken for 1t, and is understood
to be back OF the pressure being
brought TO bear upon the members
of the committee to accede to the
petition which now seems certain to
be presented to the committee at its
next meeting which is to be held in
Huntington the same day as the state
delegate convention, May 16. Elk
Senator Davis Elkins is out-spoken
for the proposition and is working
to bring about its adoption.
Last month. it will be recalled.
other prospective candidates for the
senatorial toga we're sounded on the
question, and there was a widely
varying opinion. Ex-senator Scot.
and Ex-Governor Dawson favored it.
Ex-Governor White and EXON
gresham Hubbard intimated that il
was better for the party strength
at the polls on election day to keep
the senatorial matter submerged.
So far as outward appearances
count, these men, and whatever 9TH
ers there may be who are stung with
the same ambition and whose names
have been mentioned in connection
with the senatorship. have done lit
tie to advance their respective inter-
ests, with one exception, and he is
young Elkius He has been very
active, although not noisy or con-
spicuous, in building up a persona.
organization ever since he walked
out of the Senate chamber after his
three weeks service, and returned
to his native state. He has been on
the so ever since, his last pilgrim
age of consequence being a visit
into the staunch Republican counties
along the Chesapeake and Ohio andI
Norfolk and Western railroads. InI
the Second congressional district,
which was the stronghold of theI
elder Elkins, he had been at work
for months previously, and upon
that district the son, like the father,
places his strongest reliance in the
candidacy he has undertaken. ELL
kins, it now appears, is very much
In earnest, and is conducting cam
paiEn that can no longer be carried
on In the background. 1t is looming
up, and II it has not started thai
other prospectives into more active
interest in their own affairs, 1t ought
to.
For instance, who knows how the
state committee stands on the ques-
ton Of including the senatorial pref
erence in the June primary? Who
knows how the members of that
committee stand in reference to the
senatorial candidates, prospectiveI
and otherwise? AS ,Elkins has been
quietly pressing the inclusion Of that
matter into the primary, who can
tell how many or how few friends
he may have on the committee?
These are decidedly important
questions for all those worthy and
ambitious gentlemen. and if they do
not know the answers to them, i'll
would seem the part of political Wis
dom for them to try to find out.
That the party is divided on whether
any change should be made in the
primary call to include this matter.
there is no doubt, but which side has
the majority sentiment nobody
knows, because there has been no
test of strength However. there
may be and sooner than the public.
excited and interested over the
spectacular presidential contest, has
any idea OF,
Let us suppose that when the
committee meets and this question
is presented to it, and it should, on
the theory that there is popular
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