West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-05-18
THE COMING PRIMARY
Part one)

who Is not candidate. that more than
likely he is talking to the particular
friend of more than one candidate,
and If the voter does not want to be
literally quoted as to his opinion,
mum" is the word.
AS we said last week, the old family
Journal has particular candidate in
the person of the editor, Brother
Whetsell; Brother Jackson OF the
News. Is leading the Lilly forces I'm
this county. and the Preston Repub-
lican is still printing canned editor
ials from somewhere up north, and
none fits the local situation. This
leaves the only Democratic newspaper
in the county without fear or favor
and in n position to size the whole
matter up and give the positions OF the
leading candidates as we see them, to
the public.
In the Democratic camp. Senator
Chiffon is unopposed for the nomina-
ton to succeed himself for United
States Senator, and as the large ma
jority OF Preston Democrats are fav-
oring John ]. Cornwell for the Demo-
cratic nomination for Governor, there
seems to be little left to be said.
There are four candidates for the
nomination for the United States SEN
atorship on the Republican ticket.
Hite is supposed to have the backing
of the Robinson followers for this po-
sition and it is also openly known that
Cousin Abe Lilly and Ex-Governor
White are playing partners In this
game of draw" However, in Pres
ton there appears to be no definite al
lignment, many of the Robinson fol-
lowers supporting White only and ap-
parently forgetting that Hite is in the
race. 1t is also reported that Hite is
getting peevish over this apparent ne
glect of his candidacy by the Robin
son people and is going to make them
mark time from now until the pri-
mary so far as White is concerned.
AS the matter stands now, White will
carry Preston county by large ma
Jority unless the Hite people get busy
and do a lot of missionary work,
which only means one thing, spend a
lot of money. Congressman-at-la large
Howard Sutherland has always been a
favorite with Preston county Republi-
cans, but apparently number OF the
brethren have got weaned away from
the Randolph statesman, and our pre-
diction is that Sutherland will not get
writer's cramp figuring up his vote i'm
Preston county June 9Th. While Sen
ator Ben Rosenbloom has never ap-
peared in the county to our knowledge
he has numerous supporters here, for
two reasons, one is that Ben is very
much opposed to the present prohibi-
ton laws OF the state, and the other
Is open hostility to one Henry Drury
Hatfield, who happens to be Governor
of the little Mountain State at present.
Rosenbloom, as we see 1t, will not be
big vote getter in this county, but
will get more votes than any of his
opponents concede him for the above
reasons.
The one big issue in Preston with
all the voters, is Hatfieldism, and all
that it stands for in the way of high
taxation, graft, useless Office holders
and ward heller politics. For some
reason the majority of the people of
Preston county have become accus-
toned to the ways of the Mcdowell
county doctor, and they only mention
him in words not fit to speak in meet
in. 1t is charged by numerous Pres
ton Republicans that Hatfield has con-
Quoted his Office in an extravaganza
manner, that he has appointed numer-
Gus men, some of them in Preston
county, to lucrative positions with a
liberal expense account, for which
they render the state no service, but
employ their time to build up a ma
chine for Hatfield and his friends. II
Is also alleged that this is the reason
that Hatfield is not Offering himself as
candidate for United States Senator
but is backing Hite and other candi-
dates with the hope and expectation
OF having their support when the time
comes to elect a successor to the ven
cradle Senator Golf At any rate we
do know that several candidates in
this county are trying to stir up pre-
judice against their opponents by call
ing them the Hatfield candidate" and
we predict that If they get the voters
convinced that any man is running as
part of the Hatfield machine, his vote
will be disappointing in the Buck
wheat belt. One more thing that may
have some effect on the vote OF the
candidates for higher Offices, is the
loyalty Of their supporters here II
has been stated that liberal campaign
funds have been and will be poured
into Preston county for the support oil
the leaders, It has been also stated
that a part II not all Of these funds
will be used by their custodians. not
for the man that made the contribu.
tions, but for local county and dis.
irict candidates favored by the loca'
men with the money. n this is true
the candidate for Senator and Cover.
nor that falls into honest hands viii
make a better showing than he would
be entitled TO IL this condition Of ar.
fairs did not exist.
a numbr OF candidates for other
state Offices have been On the county
shaking hands and the bushes. ap.
parently all being pressed for a state
ment as TO where they stood on Hat.
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