Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1916-02-26
GENERAL LILLY IS
STRONG WITH THE
STATES ATTACHES
ORGANIZATION AT CHARLESTON
LINES UP BEHIND HIM FOR
PRIMARY.
INDICATIONS ARE LILLY WILL
CARRY KANAWHA COUNTY eY
5000 MAJORITY.
MCDOWELL COUNTY COMMIT
TEES ACTION DEATH BLOW
TO THE OPPOSITION.
Especial to The Wnrld1

What the political observers say is
the master stroke of the primary cam.
paign for the Republican nomination
for governor was executed here Sat
Iurday when leaders of the Repnhll
can organization in Kanawha coun-
Ity gave assurance TO Attorney Gener-
nj Abe Lily that the local organiza-
tion would be united behind him in
the June primaries. It is said TO have
given the same assurance to former
Governor Albert y. White who with
his campaign manager. George T..
Work, was here until Sunday morn
ing.
The action OF the Kanawha organ
ization came like u thunderclap TO
Robinson supporters at the state cap.
itol. For several weeks strong eff
forts had been made to control the
county organization from the capitol.
land while Judge Robinson had sever.
al individual friends in the comfy or.
ganizatton laey were strongly out
numbered. The organization it was
said, had yielded to public sentiment
which is strongly pro-Lilly in Char
lesion and in the country districts Of
Kanawha county.
Capitol attaches admitted the vic.
tory of the Lilly men and ex.Congress-
man James A. Hughes. the campaign
manager of the attorney general. who
had been here for several days. went
home Saturday night after assuring
his friends that the Kanawha county
leaders were united in their support
of the Lilly candidacy.
Attorney General Abe Lilly who
left here Sunday for Brooke county
whore he spoke Monday declined to
say whether or not the organization
was united behind his candidacy.
Il do know" said lhe general, that
u have warm supporters among the
leaders in Kanawha county and /
have been assured by q hundred Re-
publicans that sentiment In every dis
trict in Kanawha county is plainly
behind my candidacy. My friends as.
sure me that this sentiment will be
given expression at the polls
For several weeks Il has been ap-
parent that sentiment was crystalliz-
ing al the Kanawha courthouse among
the organization leaders for General
Lilly. Sheriff Bonner H. Hill. County
.Copenhayer, OF the county court. re-
peatedly stated that among the Wis
itors at the courthouse from the coun-
try districts Lilly sentiment over
whelmingly predominated. Straw
votes taken in the courthouse CORR.
doris also indicated the popularity of
General Lilly with the Kanawha yot-
ers.
with the Kanawha organization
friendly 70 his gubernatorial candi-
dacy II means that General Lilly will
carry Kanawha county by nearly 5000
majority" said local politician. mo
matter what the individual preference
of the county leaders might have
been the recognized fact that the SEN
timent in Charleston and the country
districts now existing for General Lii
ly could not be overcome. Ii looks
to me that the campaign for the nom
nation for governor is about over, all
but few formalities connected with
the holding of primary"
The fact that the Kanawha leaders,
right in the shadow of the capitol
dome. have espoused the candidacy
of Attorney General Lilly for the
governorship, means the control OF
the Sixth Congressional district by
the 1irly followers. Raleigh and Fay
cite counties are practically solid be-
hind the candidacy of the Attorney
General.
Supporters OF General Lilly at Char
lesion were jubilant today They say
that the action taken in Kanawha
county will mean the entire list of
counties south of the Kanawha river
will give maorities to the Lilly can
didacy They also claim that sur
prises will be sprung in the counties
in the northern section OF the state
during the next few weeks.
Governor Hatfeld's visit to Mellow
ell county and his failure to dominate
the Republican county committee in
that county has given further encour-
agement 10 the Lilly supporters. The
governor threatened In his speech he
fore the committee to sic" the Re.
publican state committee on the Nc
Dowell committee to compel Chair.
man w. w. White to recognize
proxy which was given by member
of the committee WIN was MT nrasart