The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-11-07

did deliver couple of speeches in
the Neal district. but he will not be
able to claim that they did any good.
II the grain of satisfaction for the
Senator is to be found in the Fifth,
it is split grain at best
The Democratic party was carry
ing too much weight in the shape of
sclf-lmpoScd leadership repugnant
not only to the faction OF McGraw,
hut to tie best and most independent
clement. 1t was largely that which
crippled the race of Thomas +. Hodg-
cs ana foreordained his defeat.
Hodges was a case Of another good
man gone wrong when he played into
The hands Of the bosses. Ii lost him
thousands of votes which his remark
able canvass and splendid oratory
could not win over. The manner OF
lis nomination. his submissivencss in
that transaction, were too plainly
vivid to be hidden from the voting
lublic. Personally, they had moth
ing against the distinguished peda-
.ogue. but politically they had n=S:.
He had knuckled under in obliging
Servttudc to corrupt bosses. He was
their man. especially ChiIton's was
the way they looked at it. and they
sc voted. With that detection in his
cwn party, coupled with the great
popularity of Howard Sutherland,
Hodges fought an uphill fight from
first to last. and couldn't overcome
The wcighty handicap hung upon him
and so eagerly accepted by him. APP
1ropos of Hodges. he now disappears
las a gubernatorial possibility two
|. ears hence, for which Major Nicely
and Junior Brown, both OF whom
snre aspirants in that direction. aare
Sreceiving the congratulations of tAeEr
loyal devotGcs.
OF all the heavy burdens which
Weighted the Democratic party down
limited space grudingly given makes
complete enumeration and particular
ization out. fthc question. The Ma
chimes appointments, especially those
lily Senator Chiffon. contributed a
full share to the result. His unfor-
tunate gold mine Investments" and
the attendant disclosure, taken in
connection with the subsequent sem
sational BeaIl charges against him
az being senatorial bond and pat
onage broker, were no doubt per-
sonaly embarrassing. Certainly.
they had their vitiatng effect on
the volatility and numerical strength
cr the party at the polls. AS to the
method OF the distribution of this
patronage-that was much discussed
topic among Democrats this cam
paign. Charges we're frequent and
numerous here, there and every
where that the piums went not So
often to the faithful for loyal and
valuable party service as to those
whose endowment of worldly goods
gave them welcome among the Shy
lockian money-changers and who
showed a Willingness 10 lay a reci-
Nrocal fist on the back of a piece Of
paper. might add to conclude this
particular topic that these Demo-
cratic charges bear on the face OF
them the presage of further research
and investigation along this line.
Another cause for Democratic rev.
olution - another weight hung on
the scale of Democratic politics.
of Importance to the state {. large,
Ialthough directly bearing on theI
counties in the Fourth. district. was
1.-THE leadership of Sam Hays. collec-
tor of internal revenue. During my
stay In ParkersburS. that was the
dominant note OF the Democrats
there. Hays was in charge III Wood
and all surrounding counties. His
political record is well known IN that
region, and from my impartial invcs-
ItIgation Of the atrocities" he is
charged with committing, 1 readily
assume that II does not commend it,
self to goodly portion Of the unter-
rIfied in any favorable light. AMI
mostly against him was rife in all
the counties His leadership was re-
scented. They openly revolted against
it. Even his own licutcnants COM
planned of ungenerous treatment
both during the campaign ana since
the election. His appointment of six
members of his own family-five of
them OF blood kin and the sixth via
matrImony, was n sizzling live wire
in and about Parkersburg. There
were many good men and serviceable
Democrats who were thrust aside that
the fafnishcd family OF Hayes might
satiate their appetite at the hay
rick. Mr.. Hays brace otdopendables
In the management of the Machine's
affairs in his territory were no less
favored of the Democratic yeomanry. II
Harry Perkins and Com potson, how