The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-05-01
BOWERS sure
TDaW|NI|N'THE
SEC0NDID|SI.
National Leaders Of Both
Parties Interested in
Campaign.
CONTEST IS SPIRITED
And 1t Is Being Fought Out
Entirely Upon National
Lines.

WASHINGTON, D. c, May IL
That George n. Bowers, OF Martins.
burg, will be elected to congress from
tie second district at the special cleo
tion 10 be held Tuesday OF next week,
Is belief that has become strong
with Republican nationa! and state
leaders here. II is based on late and
very encouraging reports from each
county in the district.
These reports are to tile effect that
the voters OF the district are aroused
to the national significance OF the out.
come OF this brief, though spirited
campaign. and that those OF Republ-
can Affiliations, at least, are willing to
rise above petty personal matters to
the broad plain OF party patriotism,
and help 10 win victory for the party
which will be heralded in the morning
press OF the country May 10 as blow
augury of Republican victory In the
augury OF Republican victory in the
nation next November.
That the Democratic national ad.
ministration is playing every card in
its hand TO hold the Second district
for the effect victory for its party
would have nationally is patent from
the number and size Of the oratorical
guns they have sent to the front.
Speaker Clark, Solicitor General Da-
Wis, and Secretary OF Labor Wilson are
some OF the big spellbinders who have
been sent into the district. The Re-
publican National Congressional Com
mittec has sent in the biggest and best
It has at its disposal at this time. 1t
is national fight, all right, as was
predicted in these dispatches 1t would
be at the outset. These closing days
OF the fight eareI Ihiimmers:
The pivot on (which the contest
swings is amply covered In the slogan
the Democrats have adopted: "A
Vote for Woodsis Vote for Wilson"
The Republicans. promptly accepted
the challenge. That is what the tight
is-and what 1t means. Woods and
Bowers are merely the personal in
struments used in this battle. 1t Is II
fight or dear life on the part Of the
Wilson administration to get vindi-
cation at the hands of district which
UP till 1910 was yeritable Gibraltar
OF Republican strength. The Repub-
lican leaders are determined that such
a verdict shall not be rendered II they
can prevent It, and they believe that
they can. Their appeal to every Re.
publican to stand true 10 the colors
this time. from all reports received
here seems to be bringing the right
answers from the rank and file.
An interesting act in connection
with the contest, they say, is the reort
OF large defections from the Demo.
cratic ranks, due partly to disapproval
on the part of many independent.think.
ing voters Q the national administra.
tion and partly due to discomfort with
the personality OF candidate Woods.
MIR. Woods Is not regarded by his
party's leaders as personally very
strong and popular candidate, and
hence the necessity OF tagging him on:
to President Wilson with the slogen
quoted above in the hope that It might
help some, or might, leastways, put
a stopcock on any growing disafiec.
tion on his own account.
Although not public speaker as CIV.
erybody knows, but successful busi-
mess mar o lifelong training, George
Bowers is considerable OF mixer"
mans man as it were, and has pros.
ecuted ar aggressive personal cam
paign with diligence and ability from
the day of His nomination. He has
covered the district very closely in the
brief time he had at his disposal. He
has had the help Of many strong lead
ers In the district, and the reports
now are that the Republicans are 60
ing to get to the polls and are going
to vote the district back into the Re.
publican column May 8. To counteract
his personal popularity, and his abil.
ity to meet the voters individually, the
opposition has made some vicious and
unfounded personal attacks upon Mr..
Bowers which, the Republican leaders
declares are worked over stuff" from
two years ago, which was used against
him. They say 1t has had no effect on
the voters, who understand and the
underlying motives and the partisan
animus. On the contrary they assert
that such unfounded assaults have on.
~ tended to arouse the Republican vo.
tiers OF the district to an understanding
OF the deportation OF the Wilson odmin.
istration in its effort to save itself from
a singing rebuke in the Second dis.
trIct, which will prove deadening
blow to 1t and to the morale" OF the
Democratic party nationally.
There is no getting around 1t, the
fight In the Second district is no local
political side show. 1t is the real
the big-thing. 1tis a battle royal be.
tween the two great national parties
or victory which will be heralded
Throughout the land as national in its
Importance and Significance.