The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-08-01

In his speech before the National
J Progressive party state convention
here Tuesday William Seymour Ed
wards, who succeeded United States
Senator Nathan Bay Scott as Republi-
: can Committeeman from West Virgin
Ia, said: -.>,,.. !. Il; !eNaRI1AN
''I do not fear to speak what think.
L, do not fear to act as I think and
therefore when / declare to you that
the only regular nominee and candi-
date OF the Republicans of West Vir-
ginia for the great position of Presi-
dent of the United States is and can
be no other than 4neodore Roose-
velt.' -
Col Edwards declared that he was
in favor of the endorsement OF DR..
H. D. Hatfield, the regular Republi-
can nominee for governor, and all
other Republican candidates, nominat-
ed In the statewide primary on June
4. This declaration by Col. Edwards
was received with loud applause and
showed that the sentiment of the del
egates was decidedly in favor of this
action.
Col. Edwards spoke in part as fol-
lows:
""On Or about the 18th day of Feb
ruary,> 1912, the Republican State
Committee of West Virginia issued a
call for State Convention to be held
In the city Of Huntington, upon the
10th day of May, 1912. This call de-
clared the convention to be convened
for the purpose of electing six dele
gates-at-large and six alternates-at-
large to the National Republican con-
Of the succeeding, month of June, in
Chicago, Ill, three Presidential cleo
tors and two Judges of the Supreme
Court of Appeals, who should all be
voted for in the November election
-foifeW!ng. ~l4.4.,s>, 49,, '.... .. -
-'''The callIwas regular and in due
form. In one particular it was pecu-
liar and cedented-to-wit: 1t
required the Republican voters of the
State to meet together in mass con-
\ vention In every magisterial district
in the State and in and from those
county mass conventions to send del
egates direct to the State convention
at Hum ington. The call ignored
county and Congressional district
lines; it required the Republican vot-
ers Of the entire tate to assemble
In nearly four hundred county district
mass conventions and themselves then
and there choose delegates who should
go UP direct to the final State con-
vention. The call was almost revo-
lutionary in it's provisions wherein it
attempted to assure a State conven-
tion composed Of delegates fresh and
direct from the people and who
should, consequently, be able to re-
Hect and express with the highest
exactness the sentiment and prefer
ence Of the Republican voters of the
State. To all intents and purposes,
the call provided method which
should be as conclusive in determin-
Ing the will Of the Republican voters
of the State as would have been a
statewide primary.
Free Expression Given.
1T is known that throughout the
State, in these many county district
mass conventions, the Republican vo-
ters met together in greatest harmony
and gave free and direct expression
of their sentiment regarding the az
ton of the several Congressional dis
trict and State. conventions, subse-
quently to be held. These county dis
trict mass conventions Of the Repub'
lcan voters revealed two things
first, that the voters stood almost
solidly for the nomination Of Theodore
Roosevelt as candidate for President
Of the United States, and second, that
they were against all men and meas
ures, savoring Of opposition to whai
are universally known as the Roose
welt Progressive Policies.'
when the several Congressiona
district conventions met upon the 15tf
day of May, and chose each their elec
tors and their delegates and alter
mates to the National Republican con
vCntion at Chicago, they, with ex
traordinary unanimity, instructet
their delegates and alternates to sup
port the candidacy of Theodore Roose
welt; and furthermore, either elected
delegates. and alternates favorable t
the selection Of William Seymour Ed
wards as member Of the Republican