The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-09-12
Every Voters Attention Will
Be Called to the Two LORI
imer.zed Senators.
BIG ROW ON IN CAMP
Wstsonites Are Knifng Some
ct the Candidates for Sake
Of Carrying Legislature.
by Charles Brooks Smith.

Democratic state committee has got
ten about two weeks start on the
Republican state committee. They
have their headquarters opened here
and in running order. They have
been long enough in operation to de-
ve.op row which viii be told OF
later on; to receive personal visit
from Boss Watson, head of the far
famed Watson Chiffon machine; to
map out an itinerary for the Watson
candidate Tor governor, VIII CHI takes
him up to the middle of October;
and to invent some sort of an an
swer to the petition for an investi-
CATION of the bribery charges which
were presented tothe Senate in the
closing days but no invention of the
kind has been made SO far as the
public is aware.
As to this petition and the cor
ruptlon of the legislative session OF
1911, the whole sorry story of brib-
cry and corruption, as narrated by
Democratic delegates and senators
upon the floor and in affidavit all of
which is an official record-all this
Is bound to figure very prominently
in the campaign between the two
parties in West Virginia this year.
1t requires no special knowledge to
state It as a fact that the campa,g n
managers for the Republican party,
and the candidates of that party,
and Its spe.lbinders will drive that
issue from the start. and will leave
nothing undone to refreshen the
memories of the voters as to all thu
details in case of the election OF
Watson and Chiffon to the Senate.
1t is regarded as the plan of the
Democratic managers, the two SEN
ators themselves. for that matter. to
treat that matter with silence and
try to boost national issues to the
front. This inference is drawn from
the fact that neither the two sena-
tors nor their headquarters have
chirped since the bribery story has
been revived by the filing of the pc
tition with the Senate. State Chair
man Walker has not issued state
ment of denial nor attempted any
defense or explanation. The ac-
cused senators have not had a word
to say. nor have the Democratic
newspapers. for that matter. Yet
here is a matter that must be met
in some way, for it is going to be
the real issue of this campaign. 1t
is the best card in the Republican
deck and the captains OF that party
believe that it. within itself, may be
relied upon to take all the tricks.
However, they are ready to meet
the enemy in open field on every ma
tional or state issue. All of these
have been fought over many times
before. The protective tariff issue
is one that the Republican party has
always welcomed. There is no other
national issue but what the party's
record is sound on, and has been sus-
tanned by the voters in previous
campaigns. The same may be said
of state issues. The state govern
ment has prospered and progressed
Under various Republican admins
trations for sixteen years. There
has never been any scandal connect
ed with any of these adminstra-
tlons. This the Democratic party
cannot claim for itself. either hefore
the Republican party came into
power in 1896, or after its legisla-
tive victory in 1910. In that cam
paign many Republican voters. DIS
sat SIZED with conditions within
their own party, were led by the
glowing promises of the Democrats
to join with them and vote their
party into-power. The Republicans
were urged by the siren singers OF
Democracy to have "a house clean
Ing" and to give us (the Demo-
crats) chance" The plea was eff
fective. Enough. Republicans Joined
with the Democrats to elect four
Democratic congressman and a Dem
ocratic legislature that had an over
whelming majority. Then BIOS
somed forth the Watson-C Chiffon
machine and every voter in West
Virginia knows what happened or
ought to, but If he doesn't he will
before next November. The most
corrupt legislature that this state
ever had was this one. 1t is not
likely that any state anywhere ever
was dIsgraced by such a gang oil
boodlers. 1t was so outrageous
that few honest Democrats. with
courage. formally and officially
voiced the charges against 1t. thus
saving the Republicans from the ne
naaattv of parForrotuos thnA Had in