Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-06-01
EYES NOW ON THIS STATE
STATEWIDE PRIMARY TUESDAY
PROMISES TO BE LIVELY
Three Republicans Up for Governor
and Nearly All Other State Offices
Have Two Candidates

Rave TWO Candidates
Washington, May 81. Next Tues
day, June 4. West Virginia WIN have
its first direct Statewide primary
election for the selection OF candi-
dates for State Offices.
In accordance with the regulations
of the Republican State Executive
Committee. the party will select by a
direct Statewide primary the Repub-
lican candidates for Governor. Score
tary of State, Superintendent of Free
Schools, Commissioner Of Agriculture,
Attorney General, Auditor, State
Treasurer and Concentrating
The declaration of the Republican
State Executive Committee is so
sweeping relative to tie choosing of
the States officeholders by the direct
primary method that even members
of the next Republican Executive Com
mittee will be chosen by direct vote
Of the rank and file of the rarity.
All Republican Congressional nom.
inees and all candidates for member
ship in the State Senate and House
of Delegates will be selected by the
direct vote of the people.
Hot Three-cornered Fight On
A vigorous three-cornered fight for
the Governorship has been waged in
every county in the state, with DR..
II. ID. Hatfield, of Eckman. Mcdowell
county, President of the State Senate;
Charles Wesley Swisher, of Charles
ton, and former State Tax Commits
sioner Charles w. Dillon of Fayette
county. the principals.
These candidates have spoken in
practically every county in the State.
Dillon who was Tax Commissioner I'M
der the Dawson ADMINISTRATION, is sup
posed to have the backing of Governor
Glasscock and former Governor Daw-
son and the majority of the members
OF the Roosevelt organization in West
Virginia. Swisher's claims to the of
fee are that 1t is due him, inasmuch
as after he had been made the nomin-
ee of the regular Republican conven-
ton four years ago. he withdrew in
favor of compromise candidate, the
present Governor, William e. Glass
cock, of Morgantown.
EIkins Promised It, They Say
The friends of Mr. Swisher. who
was formerly Secretary of State, say
he was promised the nomination for
1912 by the late Senator Stephen b.
Elkins, conditional upon his withdraw
al in 1908 in the interest of harmony.
Many friends OF the late Senator Elk
ms as well as his political associates
are supporting Mr.. Swisher for this
reason.
DR.. Hatfield is making the race on
his record as president of the State
Senate. He is comparatively a new
figure in West Virginia politics. He is
dyed-in-the-wool insurgent and was
only elected to the presidency of the
Senate by coalition of eight progress
sive Democrats with seven Insurgent
Republicans. He is identified with
neither Taft nor Roosevelt factions,
although at heart he is regarded as
a Roosevelt man.
His friends are advocating him for
the Governorship on the ground that
he has never been identified with cor
porations. having practiced his pro-
fession in Mcdowell county the great
er portion of his life. He has a State
wide reputation as a surgeon and also
as an orator.
Two For Secretary of State
There are two aspirants for Secre-
tary of State NJ II King, of Elkins,
is opposing the incumbent, Stuart F.
Reed, The campaign for this Office
has been particularly spectacular, and
the result is expected TO be close. The
race for the SUPERINTENDENT of State
schools is between the Incumbent M.
p. Shawgey, and C. r. Murray. princi-
pal of the Williamson schools The
two educators have waged hot cam
paign.
Auditor ]. S. Darst is unopposed for
For the recently ere
ated office of Commissioner of Agri.
culture II. +. Williams, of Greenbrier
county, appears to be the most active
He is opposed by Rev. Ar
chibald Moore. Sf Wood county, who
combines scientific farming with the
Methodist Episcopal ministry, being
pastor of one of the leading churches |
in Parkersburg.
A. A. Lily, of Raleigh county, is I'M
opposed for the Attorney -Generalship.
He was defeated four years ago for
The Republican nomination for Cong
ress by Representative James A.
Hughes. State Treasurer f. L. Long
IS opposed for denomination by c. F.
of Parkersburg. and the
race between the two aspirants is re-
sarded as too close TO permit of pre-
lictions as TO the outcome
For ongressman-at-large State
Senator Howard Sutherland, of Elk
MS is opposing Charles F. Teter, of
'hilippi. Both candidates live in the