The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-04-11
Watson-C Chiffon Bunch is in
Absolute Control of DEM
ocrats in the State.
SLATE is MADE UP
Louis Bennett is to Be Pla,
Gated with His Broth
er's Nomination.
Charles Brooks smith.)

4 Aar~4' OuVIt april 1V-Wltu
the last aattening out Of John +.
McGraw at the meeting Of the Dem
cratic state committee here, when
the rules and regulations were
adopted which will govern the Wat
son post-election senatorial pri.
mary, it certainly looks as IL the
Watson-chilton machine has put the
deadening silence on all opposition
within the organization and is nov
sure to make what nominations ii
wants to make, and select the dele
cation to the Baltimore convention
| 1t wants to select, without any fear
of sufficiently strong opposition to
cause either alarm or laborious e.
fort. 1t looks very much as II II
has a fairly clear course and fairly
plain sailing.
Nearly three months before the
date of the party's state convention
1t is easy enough to tell who will
head the state ticket. He is william
H. thompson, OF Huntington. What
OPPOSITION he had has faded away
since the two senator's cut the
Gordian knot and declared that they
would tag him with theft colors
and let him make the race. This is
why the boom of Louis Bennett
bursted, and the field was cleared or
candidates. Woods, of Barbour, was
not in It at any time, and Colonel
Wylie Beall said he would put his
gubernatorial ambition in the tar
balls for four years. and in the mean,
time play the game with the ma
chine. grabbing up a few honors
here and there, the first grab being
one of the six at largo delegates to
the Baltimore convention.
There had been a strong seAti-
mment forming for Bennett, and
there was time whom he could have
stepped in and probably headed on
the machine, although classed as
pretty much of McGraw man Hon
estly seeking TO cool the burning
hurts of the Taylor county man, the
machine asked him to suggest a can
didate for governor who would be
agreeable to him, and 1t was limited
that the suggestion OF Benefits
name would be satisfactory. But
McGraw did not comply with the re-
qpest, and Bennett, instead of get
ting in and taking chance which
looked good to him. delayed. The
result was that the Huntington can
didate strung together a fairly
strong personal following, especially
in the southern counties, and
brought strong influence to bear ON
the two senatorial bosses, ana after
they had given both McGraw and
Bennett plenty OF time and they
came to no decision, the machine.
peved over the delay, touched
Thompson upon the shoulder ana
said: You're It"
As soon as that was done Thomp-
sons candidacy took lunge for
ward. and 1t has been lunglng ever
since. There Is not a candidate
against him and the only chance
that there may be one seems to rest
with McGraw. What he may do, he
alone knows. Should he decide to
run candidate Of his own choosing,
he VIII run amuck Of a large dim
Guilty, to-wit; whore to end a strong,
popular man who would agree 10
taake pot shot at the machines
candidate at this late date. No
such man occurs to mind Just now.
and the indications are pretty strong
that should McGraw want a eandi-
date. he could not End one that
suited him who would agree to buck
such strong game.
Thompson is we'll known in tho
lower part Of the state, where he has
resided all his life. and where he has
practiced law in all the courts for
many years. In that section his
candidacy, of course. is the strong
est. Upstate Is where 1t Is the
weakest. and there he is giving his
attention. His managers-or rather
manager-,as George l. Neal is the
potential force behind him-how-
ever. count on his oratorlcal talents
and his pleasant and agreeable
personality to win over a cordial
support of him in the northern tier
Of counties. We is set down as =
good mixer" and that is expected
to help him out a lot, and to over
shadow much NJ tba saaItrg .c,tnsS