The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-09-16
BECAUSE OF RESULT or HIGH.
HANDED STEAM ROLLER
TACTICS.
Names Of Handian and o'erien VIII
Appear Alone on Primary Ballot
Others Frozen Out.

II is a safe prediction that hundreds
OF Democratic voters in Ohio county
will be greatly disappointed when they
are handed a ballot preparatory TO
voting for a candidate for Congress
from the First Congressional district
at the Democratic primary to-day. And
II In also as equally safe TO predict that
hundreds OF them will be fighting mad
when they fully realize that the ballot
will contain but two names, those OF
Ohio county candidates. instead OF the
names of all Congressional aspirants,
as IL was generally believed 1t would.
They will then fully understand
what is meant by machine politics.
boss rule and steam roller tactics.
The Information win be firsthand. and
won't there be howl. though, when II
becomes generally known that this II
n result of the resolution railroaded
through the Democratic county execu-
tive committee last week by J. Ber-
nard Hondlan. The resolution has be-
come a part OF local Democratic his
tory, but IL might be interesting TO re-
peat the history since It's adoption.
The resolution provided for a pr-
mary in Ohio county by the PAUL.
preferential primary plan. BY Its pro-
visions the candidate receiving the
highest number OF votes. even *
he lacked a majority. was permitted
to name the full delegation from Ohio
county to the nominating convention
at New Martinsville. Because at
that time Col. Hsndlan was the only
candidate from Ohio county, and the
other candidates were from other
counties in the district. u was claimed
that the resolution was too favorable
to him. Despite the strong opposi-
ton OF the other candidates and the
large percentage of Democratic voters
present at the meeting, the resolu-
ton was railroaded through the COM
mittee by a vote of five to four.
So great was the outside opposition
20 the resolution that a meeting OF
the committee was called for the next
night for the purpose OF resembling its
former action. They failed TO do
this, however. as the steam roller was
still on the job.
Following the second meeting. Hon.
J. !. =. O'Brien. of this city, an
nounced his candidacy. opposing Mr..
HandlaR. He and his friends claimed
that his candidacy was meant as u
protest TO the steam roller tactics.
but Il was generally believed that II
was aimed more 10 defeat Handlan
Are Disguised.
So dis gusted with conditions IN
Ohio county were the outside canci-
dates that they left here in disgust.
Col. Nicely returning 10 Fairmont.
Judge Bennett to Weston. and Curtis
and Palmer to Brooke county. II
Al HasNW
however. and in such a manner that
IL was known TO only a few. that
all candidates desiring TO have their
names placed on the ticket must mott
fy the county committee not later
than last Friday. OF course, Hand
Ian and O'Brien were the only ones
10 comply with this request.
II was generally believed that all
candidates would have their names
on the ballots. but this belief was
shattered when II was announced
committee that Handlan and O'Brien
were the only favored candidates.
The news spread about town rapidly.
and caused CONSERVATION among
Democrats ON all sides. Dozens de-
clared that they would not vote at
the primary today. The friends ~
Louis Bennett were especially wroth
over the news
That's going 20 make mo vote with
the Republican party" said life
long Democrat last night upon being
Informed that he could have hts
choice. Handlan or O'Brien. II won 2
vote III stay away from the polls. %
same here. too" were the express
sions galore last night
Another safe prediction Is that the
Democratic vote today will be extra
ordinarily light