The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-03-14

The Political Situation as Discussed
at the Capital.
George IVA. Summers.

The supporters of President ait
and former President Roosevelt for
the nomination this year have all
ready begun calling names and ac-
cusing each other of various kinds
Of crookedness and corrupt politics.
Senator Dixon who is managing the
Roosevelt campaign, wrote to Con-
gresham Mckinley, representing
President Taft, and demanded that
puresidential preference primaries
be held throughout the country. At
the time he wrote large number
of delegates pledged to President
Taft had been selected, and conven-
tions had been called in numerous
states. McKinley's reply was that he
did not like to change the rules of
the game while the game was in
progress. Senator Dixon came back
with a statement that he wanted to
eliminate marked cards and loaded
dice He added, Mr.. Roosevelt and
his supporters will not tolerate the
tricks and receptions and fraud
which are inseparable from the kind
Of politics your Characterization inn
plies. You seriously cannot expect
the voters to tolerate condition of
this kind; to vote supinely to elect a
man who has been forced upon them
by boss-controlled office-holding
machine" Senator Dixon surely did
not have West Virginia in mind
when he made this statement, for
there never was a more powerful
boss in West Virginia politics than
w. NJ. o. Dawson, the leader of the
Dawson campaign in that state 1t is
true the Roosevelt boom in West
Virginia is not managed by an Of
ficeholding machine. SO far as the
federal Offices are concerned But it
is 'boss-controlled and is an office
holding machine so far as the state
administration can make it. The
Taft campaign in West Virginia is
also boss-controlled and managed by
an officeholding machine. Senator
Dixon is right in saying it cannot be
expected that the voters will tolerate
condition of this kind but SO far
assWest Virginia is concerned he is
wrong in assuming that the Roose-
welt campaign is less free from
bossism and the influence of an Of
ficeholding machine than is the Taft
campaign.
Not only is the selection of post
Office sites being brought into ma
tional politics, ais reported last week,
but the appointment of presidential
postmasters has also been made
factor in the campaign. Some time
ago the President sent to the Senate
the nomination of the Rev. Mr.. Tiger
to succeed postmaster Metcalf at
Williamstown, who was, removed.
Mr.. Metcalf requested that the con-
firmation of his successor be delayed
until he could ascertain the cause Of
his removal. 1t was reported that
j his activity in behalf Of Col. Roosevelt
was the cause of his removal Now
it is reported that he is not to be
removed, the supposition beng that
he has climbed into the Taft band
wagon. Some ten days ago Mr.. Ran
dali was appointed postmaster at
Shinnston, but his confirmation has
been delayed at the request of a.
prominent Republican Of West Vir-
ginia, who is supporting President
Taft 1t is believed in this case
also that the postmastership is being
used as club to force Republicans
into the support of President Taft.
Expressions of prominent Demo-
Gratis in Washington from all sections
of the country and letters which come
from persons in various states all in
dicate the general belief among the
Democrats Of the country that the
tariff must be the principal issue in
the coming national campaign. The
efforts of men like Col. Roosevelt to
stir up great cloud of dust for the
purpose of beclouding the principal
issue will have little effect it is be-
lieyed in the way of changing nation
al issues. The people Of the United
States are not SO much Interested in
the recall of Judges or of judicial
opinions as they are in reduced
cost of living. Col. Roosevelt pran-
ces over the country fiournshing the
big stick and threatening all kinds
of dire disasters to all the trusts ex-
cept the steel trust, the harvester
trust and such other trusts as con-
tribute to his campaign. But, while
he is doing this the Democrats in
Congress- are cutting two cents a
pound from the price Of sugar and
lowering the price of most of the
necessities Of life through reduc-
ton of the tariff duties, and at the
same time providing for a tax upon
net incomes Of more than 5000 al
year.
Senator Watson has undertaken to
bring the price of potatoes within
the reach of the common people. Be-
lieving that the present high price of
potatoes is due to the fact that the
crop of this country has been cor
nered he has offered an amendment
to the bill reducing the tariff on
steel providing that potatoes from
foreign countries may be admitted to
the United States free of duty for
six months. He says the farmer
will not be injured for he has no
potatoes in stock and the tariff will
be restored before the next crop ma
lures.
Preliminary surveys looking to the
locking and damning Of five West