Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-01-10
WILL NOT ELECT
SENATOR At THIS
SESSION, IT'S SAID
SLIPPERY Bill' Dawson Has
New Scheme.
WANTS A PRIMARY
JUST A LITTLE LATER

BY Having Several Republican Can
ddates In the Field Dawson Believ-
es a Progressive Can Win Out and
That Lightning May Strike Him
This is His Plan to Defeat the Re-
publicans and May Win.
WASHINGTON, d. c.. Jan. A
report has reached Washington to the
effect that no effort will be made to
elect a United States Senator at the
presen session of he West Virginia
Legislature, but that a primay election
will be called for an early date and
that special session of the legisla-
ture will be convened by the Governor
after the result of the primary cleo
ton has been made known for the
purpose of electing the nominee of the
primary to the senatorship. This
plan is regarded as the invention of
W. NJ o. Dawson whose plan it is
said to divide the Republican vote
among many candidates and to have
the Progressives, who already out
number the Republicans in the state
by about $4,000, vote for either W. S.
Edwards or himself BY this method
along it is said Mr.. Dawson believes
that he can defeat Davis Elllins and
elect a Progressive to the Senate.
A primary election for senator was
first suggested and advocated by Da-
Wis Elkins. He expressed himself last
spring as perfectly willing to take
chances with any other candidates
for the senatorship in the primary
election which was to nominate can
didates for State office. He formally
requested the State committee to in
clude the senatorship in the call for
the primary election but the influence
of those who are now calling them
selves Progressiyes was too strong
and the committee decided not to in
clude the senatorship in the call for
the primary. Those who are now
claiming that Davis Elkins IS not a
Progressive and that they them sell
YES are the only genuine article in
the way of Progressiveism are the
ones who defeated the primary cleo
ton plan when it was first suggested.
They are now said TO be in favor of
a primary election because they think
they see how their cause may be bene-
fitted by it and how they can use it
hn nf W
suggested ii.
1t is understood that Mr. Dawson
and those who are with him in favor
of the primary election as against a
caucus believe that the numerous can
didates from the northern part of
West Virginia together with Isaac T.
Mann from the southern part would
divide the Republican vote dozen
ways. On the other hand there are
at present but two candidates from
the Progressive party-William S. Ed
wards and William P. Hubbard. The
Progressive vote, as shown by the re-
cent election exceeds the Republican
vote by about $4,000 Should the
Progressive vote be divided between
between the two candidates and the
much smaller Republican vote be di-
vided among a dozen candidates, it is
believed that each of the Progressive
candidates would have a larger vote
than any one of the Republican can
idates. This is what Mr. Dawson is
counting on 1T is stated, to help him
get a Progressive into the United
States Senate believing it to be i'm
possible 10 do this in any other way
If carried out, Mr. Dawson's plan
would begin by having the Progress
ives in the legislature refuse to go
into the caucus with the Republicans
with only one senator until after a
primary election could be held and a
special session of the legislature con-
vened afterwards.
There is still another way left in
which to select a candidate for sena-
tor which was provided for by Mr..
Dawson and his friends at the time
of the late Republican State Conven-
ton held at Huntington on May 16 of
last year That convention was adj
iourned to meet at the call of the
chairman, who is w. NJ o. Dawson.
Should Mr.. Dawson be of the opinion
that he could still control the conven-
ton of which he is still chairman, he
might reconyene it for the purpose
of nominating a candidate for the Sen
ate. Friends of Davis Elkins, how
ever, claim that the conditions have
so changed since that convention
was held that although Mr.. Dawson
controlled it last year Mr. Elkins
would be in full control of it this year
and would receive the nomination if
made by the convention.
Refusal of the Progressive members
of the legislature to enter a caucus
for the selection of candidate for
senator would be regarded by many
as the first step in Mr.. Dawson's pro
IL ton, in ar