Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-08-02
NAMED BY WILSON

Hope % elect Thslr caro- dats--
Race Promises to be WARN one.
WASHINGTON. Jglv rs John WI.
jam Davis, Of Clarhb urg. ~. va. rep
reseatative for the arss West virgin.
"A congressional district was nomi-
mated Saturday afternoon by Psesi.
dent Wilson TO be solicitor general of
the United States
The Senate Judiciary Committee
today approved The nomination Of Rep
.resentatite Davis to soneitor General
Mr. Davis was the choice os Attor
ney General McRaynalds from long
list Of prominent lawyers to hn the
important ten thousand dollar post
He Will BE second ranking legal OF
ieer Of the country and the govern.
menes representative before the su.
nreme Court Of the United States. I'm
der the statute the solicitor general
IS the only official Of the Department
Of Justice who must be a lawyer. not
excepting the Attorney General
Was Professor Of Law
Mr. Davis, who is forty years old
has had prominent legal career Tie
is serving his second term IN cong
ress, having entered that body II
1911, and is a member Of the House
judiciary committee. He was former
ly assistant professor Of law at the
Washington and Lee University
member Of the house OF delegates Of
West Virginia. where he was chair
man OF the judiciary committee; pres
ident Of the West Virginia Bar Assoc
citation and a member Of the West
Virginia commission on uniform state
Jaws.
The position has been vacant since
the resignation of John Marshall Bull
lit of Louisville, KY. several months
ago. James A, Fowler, assistant to
the Attorney General has acted as
solicitor general during the interim.
AireaQy AFTER DAVIS SeaI,
"There is going to be a lively scram-
bic for the seat in congress to be va
Gated by the promotion OF Representa-
tive John w. Davis to the solicitor
generalship," remarked Henry Hig
gibson, Of Wheeling, "Mr Davis has
mot resigned, but l understand he will
accept the place in the Department Of
Justice, and a special election, OF
course, viii be called to fill the va
cancy. Already candidates are lining
up. The First District Of West Vir-
ginia is one of the closest districts Of
the state, Mr.. Davis has carried II
/ twice, the last time bySa narrow mar
gin. Had the Republicans not been
divided Davis would have been beat
en- The contest for his seat there
fore, will give the first real indication
of how the Progressive movement is
keeping Zip since the November cleo
ton 1t looks as if there viii be three
candidates in the field, and If this is
so the Democratic nominee will I'M
loubtedly win. 1t is generally under
stood that George A. Laughlin, who
made the race against Davis last year,
is being groomed for the Progressive
nomination. Laughlin was the Re
publican nominee in 1912, but after
the election announced himself as a
bun mooser and attended the confer
ence OF the new party in Chicago, It
has been intimated that Laughlin will
not go into the fight unless the Re
publicans should indorse him in re-
turn for the Progressive Endorsement
which was given him when he was the
Republican nominee.
There are numerous aspirants for
the Democratic nomination. Perhaps
the most prominent Democrat men
ton is Louis Bennett Of Weston 1
There are others who would not OBJ !
ject to serving in the House, In all,
! should say there are fifteen men IN
the First District, of all parties. who
would like 10 sacrifice themselves for
the sake OF their party l rather
think the Democratic nominee who
ever he may be, viii win, and fancy
that the Republican will beat out the
Progressive candidate"
Watching West Virginia.
Congressional campaign leaders in
Washington regard as the most i'm
portant by-election to be held this fall
the contest in the First West Virgin
Ia district TO elect a successor to Rep
resentatlve John w Davis, Of Clarks-
burg, who has been named solicitor
general OF the United States. There
win be two other Congressional fights
lone in the Third Maryland to elect
( a successor 10 the late George KONG