The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-04-13
GEORGE |. NEHL
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VkUllOI - HkA6 Z!
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phase, however, Neal has become the
mainstay OF the machine, more on ac'
eaunt OF Watson's recognition OF hls
political sagaeity than Chilton's will
ingness 10 do him honor in that re-
spect. Chilton's memory and he, can
not forget that it was Meals vote
which kept him from being elected q
member OF the National COMMITTEE,
succeeding his ancient enemy NC;
Graw, al the Denver convention.
1T was Neal who engineered the Wat.
son primary scheme. In the frs place
when McSraw was bowling for prl'
mary but neglecting 10 state just what
kind he wanted, and how It should be
conducted, Neal suggested the after.
the.elecuon primary to Watson and
urged his endorsement Of the same,
pointing out, no doubt that there was
inc getting away tromta primary, 50
| great was the party clanfor for II
: EIe doubtless pointed out TO Clarence
/ too, how Clarence could win in such
primary whether there was an over
whelming demand for him Tor not
/ Watson was quick to see and appre
ciate The force of the argument, and
be came out in a 7publc letter accept
ing the primary go much desired by
cGraw7buL s'.ipulating that 1t should
be held after, aud not before, the gen
eral election, fer If the party lost al
the 9polls5there would be no need fol
any senatorial primary whntsoeVer
ON its face, that proposition was SC
treasonable that it met with very gen
eral party favor. McGraw seemed non
4 plussed and in his confusion, insteat
OF taking the other extreme as L
dates, he announced that he favored
holding the primary on the very day.
Of tile general election. or course
that didn't appeal to anybody very
much. 1t merely served to Strengthen
Watsons position, and enabled the
Baron Of Bltumlnous TO have his owl
| way the easier,
The rules and regulations govern
ing the post-election primary wer'
devised and written by Neal, ALTHOUGH
j George Wallace, Of Huntington, pre-
scented them to the committee ind \
lgiven the credit. But George had moth
| ing to do with them except to present
them and vote for their adoption. Tbt
rules are very skilfully devised an
upon their face seem fair The stroal
point OF appeal to the party is thq
the officers to conduct the primary Il
Teach. county are to be appointedsDy tht
county committee. And that is ias
about, as weak a point, for Watson
opposition as tits strong in its appeal
70 the party. For the fact that thf
| Machine absolutely controls a majori
| ty OF the committees now, and WI
control practically all Of them whet
! the new committees are chosen y
June. Z
The Machine is looking carefully tt
that business right now and is sure
of its ground and justIfably confident
So, it makes little difference, anyway
/, had the rules stipulated that the State
committee should man the polls, there
would have been an uproar, but per
hitting the committees TO exercise
that function prevents that and
amounts to the same thing-merely
shifting the shoe to the other foot.
4 Neal Is the high-card with the multi
millionaire from Baltimore and Fair
/ mont just now, and will continue to be
the captain on the bridge OF the oil
hulk Of Democracy as 1t sails the rough
and 1nfrlendly West Virginian seas
There are some wouldbe leaders who
are jealous Of him, and their Jealousy
is beginning to show itself. But thai
doesn't lea2e George Hes got holl
| OF the deck and will deal the cards
as he wants to and his principle idea
in shutting and dealing will be Il
teneat Watson first, Thompson ant
the State ticket second.
With the duties OF his new position
Neal has resigned as the leader Of thu
Harmon candidacy in West Virginia
| although he still announces that he
adheres to public communication he
issued two months back, in which he
| nnve reasons why he. was for Harmon