Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1916-05-20
SENATOR Chiffon
/. HINTS AT FRAUD N
SECOND District
SENIOR SENATOR EXPLAINS ru-
c. o. p. VICTORY WON LAST
TUESDAY.
DISTRICT NORMALLY REPyRu
CAN. BY 1000 GIVES BoWFRe
LITTLE OVER 400.
DISTRICTS HISToHE REVIEWED
FOLLOWING AN ATTACK BY
SENATOR KENYON.

Senator Chiffon, of West Virgfsi,
in short speech in the senate Fri
day, explained the recent Republican
victory in the Second West Virrfri,
congressional district. He declared
that the district-the old William T.
Wilson district-was normally Remh
lican and that at the last three e1rr
tons the late w. G. Brown. a Dfma
crat, was elected on account Of his
personal popularity. The statemen.
froorn Senator Chiffon was promDta3
by Senator Kenyon, of Iowa, VIII,
warned the Democrat clat the elcc.
ton indicated the handwrit ng on he
wall for the November presidential
contest
In 1902 the Republicans carried
the district by 1,341," said Senator
Chiffon. "In 1904 the majority was
much in excess of 1000. In 1906 the
democratic candidate received 1G.-
752 votes and the Republican cand..
date 20,3S9, a majority of 1852.
$500 Republican In 1903.
'In 1908 the Republican candidate
received a clear majority of 1861. In
1910 the Democratic party nominated
most remarkable man, w. G. Brown
He carried the district by 1884. but
everyone understood that it was a
victory for Brown and not for the
Democratic party. The largest Requb
lican county in the district, Preston
is usually good for a Republican ma
jority of between 1000 and $500 Mr.
Brown who was related to so many
people there, and, personally, so pop.
ular that he carried the county by
substantial majority In 1912 that
district gave Mr.. Roosevelt, 1894
votes and Mr.. Taft 10,420 votes, max.
ing combined opposition vote Of
1854 to 21,955 given Mr.. Wilson or
a Republican majority of 1899 Not,
withstanding that, Mr.. Brown was
elected to congress by 200 majouty.
"In that same year Governor Il4t.
field ran considerably behind his
ticket, but carried that district by p.
463. In 1914 Mr.. Brown had a plural
ity of 1861 votes and the Progress.
sive vote was 1896, leaving Mr..
Brown with a majority of only 65
Bowers Gain In Own County.
"In the election which has just
been held Mr.. Woods, the Democratic
candidate for congress, was beaten
in Preston county by only LOO votes,
and so there was in the district a
substantial Democratic gain in all
the counties except probably two, One
OF them was Berkeley, where Mr..
Bowers, the Republican candidate,
lives, and / have no doubt in the
world that when the house comes to
investigate the question it will find
ample reasons why that county hap
pened to slump.
"In other words, it can be easily
shown that the official vote of the
two counties in that district was not
fair expression of the sentiments
o. the voters, and that unfair means
were used to exc out the meagre ma
jority of about 400, which is now be-
ing paraded as sign of Democratic
slump. The truth is that even il 1t
were fairly obtained the returns from
the Second West Virginia district
show a falling off in the Republican
majorities-a district normally RepuO-
lican by 1000, went Republican by
about 400"