The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-08-21
DEMOCRATS WILL SPEND MON.
Ely OUT OF THEIR OWN Poe.
KETs TO KEEP UP SPLIT.
VICTOR MURDOCH DOES NOT
WANT TO KEEP PROGRESSIVE
LEADERS WHO ARE SERVING
Selfish PURPOSES.
THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT
AS AN INDEPENDENT ONE HAS
FAILED WHEN RUNNING
ALONE.
(By Charles Brooks Smith. J

WASHINGTON, d. c., Aug. 2l-
Dean Swearingen, the big Bull
Moose, ana tAe only prominent one
in and about Parkersburg pastures,
Of which that town has ever been
able to point out to the curious.
came to Washington in all haste to
hold conference with Congressman
Victor Murdoch, who. Is the Progress
Give party leader In the House, anG
rs such commands squad OF cigh-
teen disciples of the UPlift.
Their first conference was held
Monday and the second in Muir
docks office Tuesday Then Mr..
Swearingen beat 1t back to West
Virginia to make report to his su.
rcriors OF what happened.
The Progressive party's action In
the First West Virginia district was
the subject discussed at these con-
terences. Mr.. Swcaringen evidently
came to Washington laborfng under
the impression that step had been
taken in the First district to fuse
on a candidate, acceptable both to
the Republicans and the Progress
%iveS. and he came hithcr. to enter
| ris most earnest protest against any
#ach n transaction. Evidently, he
| believed that Murdoch might sane
lion such an alliance and he came
to forestall 1t.
Mr.. Swearingen does not reside in
the First district. He Is n member
Of the state committee of the Pro-
iressivc party, and was on of the
active. principal supporters of Will
liam Seymour Edwards in his candi-
dacy for the United States Senate
II is figured here that Mr.. Swcarin-
zen did not come here at his own
expense or on his own volition to
mix into an affair that does not di.
.ectly concern him, since he resides
and votes in the Fourth and not the
First district. The presumption
here is that he was sent as the rep
'esentative of certain men or inter.
csts who deem It better for what.
ever plans they have in mind tina;
the Republicans and the Progress
Hives in the First district hc kept
apart. Who these persons or in.
terests may be is altogether Il guess,
able quantity at this time. Dcvel
opmcnts along this line may be ex
pected later.
i Mr.. Swcaringcn's manner during
his visit was mysterious. and he Of
fered no explanation of his visit. HI
was reticence itself concerning It.
Considerable has been said II
West Virginia newspapers about thu
?ttitude of Victor Murdoch in re
gard to the First district situation
and considerable that has been sait
was merely gucSswork and space
killing. Long before the First dis
trtct special election developed, Muir
dock In an interview. declaring that
so far as tie was concerned tn,
Progressive party should 70 on as
separate and distinct organization
announced that It would have ;
candidate in every congressional
district at the November, 1914, cleo
| tons. Since then, there have beer
special congressional elections helt
IN which the Progressive party has
had candidates. The result of tn,
voting showed that as Il party the
Progressive party YVES ncgligabl,
quantity at most, and that its only
effectiveness was helping the Demo
cratic party elect its candidate. A.
= successful and desirable assistant
of Democracy's victories its eff
cheney could not be denied. Sine,
mat interview. too, has come tn,
more or less successful efforts of Re
Fublicans and so-called Progressivcs
IN various and widely scattered sec.
lions of'the country to harmonic,
and get together, and those close tt
Murdock aver that his ardor for 81
distinct and separate political en-.
tity' in the shape OF the Progressive
party has somewhat cooled, and 6
cloud of encouragement has cas-,
It's sable shadow athwart his for.
mer enthusiasm.
1t is claimed that he is willing I,
lend an attentive car now to talk
OF fusion in congressional districts
where local conditions would appear
to justify It without loss OF honor
and dignity. 1t is fact that he
has desired to know in the fullest
the situation in the First West Vir.
sinia district. and he has shown
himself especially anxious to ascer.
tain the character and the motives
OF the man who would desire Pro.
Eressiye candidate placed In thr
field: whether they are Inspired by
selfishness or whole-souled patriot.
ISM for their bleeding country and