The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-07-25
FROM OUR NATIONAL CAPITAL
Everything Looks Charming For
Democracy Throughout the
Nation
Geo. w. Summers.

Geo. w. Summers.
/ West Virginians in Washington
are greatly pleased with the State
Democratic ticket nominated by the
| Huntington convention last week
In strong contrast to the Republi-
can conventions of this and other
years, the Huntington Convention
was entirely Embossed and the nom
nations were made by the delegates
themselves representing the people
who sent them to the convention
without dictation from any person
or persons. No effort was made at
any time to control the convention as
Republican conventions have often
been controlled and it was a pure
case of the people ruling and making
their own nominations. The pro-
gressiVe idea is that the people
shall rule and in that respect the
Huntington convention was the most
progressive ever held by any party
in West Virginia. The people ruled
and made their own nominations and
the convention declared for the pro-
gressive principles for which Dem
ocracy stands and always has stood
The result of the State convention is
that the party is thoroughly united
and ready to work in harmony with
spirit of confidence that the whole
State ticket will be elected and
that Woodrow Wilson will carry
West Virginia by large majority
In the November election.
The friends of President Taft in
West Virginia are in most pecu-
liar situation. Mr.. Taft was nomi-
mated for President upon the regu-
lar Republican ticket and his name
will appear at the head of that tick
ct, in the November election. But.
the people do not vote for the candi-
date for President. They vote for
electors who when elected vote di-
rectly for President In West Vir-
ginia the candidates for electors on
the regular Republican ticket are
friends of Col. Roosevelt, were nom
mated ina Roosevelt convention and
If elected will vote in the electoral
college for Roosevelt for President
This means that every vote cast for
the regular Republican ticket head
ed by Taft is vote for Roosevelt
and not vote for Taft There seems
to be no way by which the Taft
people can get Taft electors on their
ticket and there seems no POSSIBLE
ity of getting single electoral vote
out of the State for Taft in any way.
There is nothing to bind the candi-
dates for electors to vote for any
person for President except their
moral obligation and ii the Taft
candidates for electors should also
be nominated by the Roosevelt peo-
pie for electors anu if they should
be elected there would not even be
moral obligation upon them to
vote for Taft. Apparently the only
way in which a vote can be cast
against Roosevelt is by casting it
for Wilson or one of the minor can.
didates. With no Taft electors NOM
mated the voters must choose be-.
tween Wilson and Roosevelt or vote
for one of the minor candidates or
refuse to vote at all.
The illness of Senator Chiffon,
which has kept him at home since
the Baltimore convention, is de-
plored not only by West Virginians,
but by his colleges in the Senate
and others. Senator Chiffon has
received letter of sympathy from
Woodrow Wilson, Democratic nomi-
nee for President, in which Cover
nor Wilson says he Is much dis
tressed to hear of the Senator's ill
ness and hopes he will soon be able.
to resume his duties in the Senate
The word comes from Charleston
to the effect that Senator Chiffon is
improving and will be able to return
to Washington soon.
Now that the campaign for Repub-
lican nominations is over the con-.
irmation of several persons whose
nominations for postmasters in West
Virginia have been held up at the
request of the Republican state COM
mittee may be expected. The first
of the appointments which were
held up at the request of the state
committee has been confirmed, the
objection of the committee having
been withdrawn This appointment
was Claude Shinn Randall to be
postmaster at Shinnston, who will
now assume the duties of postmas-
ter, since the primary campaign has
ended.
The rivers and larbors bill which
passed the House and was amended
by the Senate has been agreed to
by both Houses and will become a
law ais soon as it is signed by the
President. The bill carried with it
every item for West Virginia pro-
vided for in the House bill and also
authorizes survey of the great
Kanawha River with a view to in
creasing it from six foot depth to
nine feet, so as to conform to the
present depth of the Ohio River.
Through the attention of the West
Virginia Senators and Congressman
provision is made in this bill for
work of some kind on practically
every river in West Virginia which
by any. possibility could be made
navigable.
Senator Watson was the only
n, ar,ho, ~ 4bo Woa+ y;nc;,,;o ,.I.