The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-11-22

ascertain the causes for the failure 10
win, discuss how to remove them. and
talk generally OF reorganization. That
Is what is going on in the national
organization OF the Republican party,
. and that constitutes the subject
which visiting Republicans from
West Virginia exchange ideas on with
other Republicans OF the state who
make their headquarters in this city
most Of the time. There Is lots Of
talk OF party reorganization In West
Virginia, but whether anything will
come OF It remains to be seen. 1t Is
taken as a good sign, however. that
the party leaders are looking to the
future, instead of wasting time repin.
ing over past occurrences.
The suggestion is very frequently
made and approved without single
dissent that the Republican party in
West Virginia should not permit the
splendid organization which was built
up during the campaign largely
through the experienced and expert
work of National Committeeman Nir-
gil L. Highland and James S. Lakin.
to lapse and disintegrate. 1t Is al
most universally conceded that 1t was
the thorough and business like cam
Daign organization effected under the
auspices OF the Republican State
Committee. which was responsible for
saving from wreck in the high tide Of
Democratic sentiment which was
beating against the Republican ticket
in the state for weeks, what was saw
ed. Politicians who were closely in
touch with the campaign organization
a Clarksburg are agreed that the big.
gest part of the Republican ticket
was saved from defeat within the last
two weeks of the campaign. and that
for five weeks preceding the commit
tee fought against swift current Of
adverse public sentiment, and in
those five weeks had the election been
held any day the Republican ticket in
its entirety would have been whipped
to a FRAGILE at the polls. It was only
In the final two weeks Of the desper-
ate contest that the Republican vot-
ers began to straighten up and rally
set in which lined up enough votes to
save to the party all its candidates
except Judge Robinson, and Fleming
and Colby, congressional nominees.
Just what caused that switch in the
tide OF voters sentiment isn't known
and never will be. 1t is one Of those
strElge phenomena Of political cam.
paigns which halts the tide of public
sentiment from flowing toward one
party and reverses 1t to flow in di-
rectly opposite direction. 1t is one. OF
the things which can not be explain
ed, but which may be set aside by
charging it up to psychology. 1t most
49,, !, L., rt,;c
q fortnight before the 18th inst.
The Democratic national organiza-
ton is looking forward to the 1918
campaigns as we'll as the 1920 one
evidently. 1t has ordered that all
subsidiary organizations in the states
be kept alive. and that the leaders
remain in close touch with their or
CARNATIONS working with the future
campaigns in view. 1t is probably
the wise action of that party's nation
al leaders which has prompted West
Virginia Republicans to advocate
keeping up the organization of their
party, which was whipped into ship
shape condition at Clarksburg in the
final weeks OF the recent campaign.
They are aware OF the fact, when
espousing this plan, that the party's
organization was in no shape at all
when time came to start the last CAM
paign. 1t was shot full Of holes, and
1t had to be built almost from the
ground up. The burden of this task
fell upon National Committeeman
Highland, and when it proved entire
ly too big job for one man to do, he
called in James S. Lakin. Highland
and Lakin had teamed together in
the 1912 campaign. Each is an expert
organizer and campaign manager,
and each has high regard for the
others abilities. Only those closely
in touch with the campaign as it was
directed from Clarksburg can so
clearly understand as to do these two
men justice, how much the party
owes them for likely saving it from q
wholesale defeat.
The Republicans here figure that
there are two men who will have ex-
ceptional opportunities to assume a
nominal leadership Of the party in
the state in. the next few years. One
is National Committeeman Highland
and the other is Senator-elect Suther-
land. Working alone or together. the
chance Is theirs to build up strong
NUlCIl Will
the party course successfully in the fu.
ture by primarily restoring confidence
of the rank and file in the justice,
honesty and ability of its leadership.
1t is hoped here that these two men
Will prove equal to the task which
many Republican leaders believe that
they should assume. Personally they
have the confidence of large num-
Der OF influential and active leaders
who are willing and anxious to join
with men OF their own ideas, repair
the damage which has been done to
the party and build up the party or
ganization for the future.
Among the latter. when the project
Is discussed. always and invariably
comes to the front as one of the first
names mentioned that of Col. Will
liam F. Hite, OF Huntington. Colonel
Hites course in the last campaign al
ways brings praise of his loyalty and
his craftsmanship. The fact that he
wasn't nominated for United States
Senator, though he didn't miss the
coveted honor far and made a most
remarkable race, didn't ruffle his
feelings any. He took his defeat in