The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-08-24
DEMOCRATIC NOMINEES To
( IGNORE WILSON ON STUMP
lin Their Speeches IN State So
Far As Ii is Possible
to Do.
CLASH AS TO POLICY
State Chairman LeWis'S Ideas
Do Not Suit Some of the
Leaders,
nyy Charles Brooks smlth.l

WASHINGTON, August "a. - The
politicians here from West Virginia
are Interested Just now in discussing
clash OF opinion between Democratic
state Chairman Charles G. Lewis and
certain Democratic leaders. some of
whom are candidates and have good
deal nj stake on what the outcome OF
the fuss will be.
The trouble has been caused by
Chairman Lewis demanding, and In
sisting upon his demand in an almost
uutocrntic way, that the personality OF
Woodrow Wilson shall be made the
dominant personal element in the can
vas Of his party in the state and that
national issues shall share an equal
prominence with state Issues. That is
the bone Of contention, and over 1t
high state " dudgcon has been arous-
ed. This Ia particularly true as 1t az
fccts certain candidates for state and
congressional offices on the Demo-
cratic ticket who had planned their
speeches and their campaign methods
generally quito along different lines
than those Insisted by Chairman Lew
is should be followed.
Disregard Lewis,
AS a matter of fact these candidates
and their managers, after listening 10
the advice of trusted friends. decided
that they would as far as possible and
practicable, ignore Wilson in their
speeches. and with few meaningless
gcncralities put national issues In the
background and strike out on state
issues with view to win Republican
support on the argument that the state
government was fast in The letters Of
selfish gang of political highblnderS,
whose retirement from power was a
thing as much to be desired by Re-
Dubllcans as by those who do not be-
long to that party They were not In
tending to hold responsible the rank
and le OF the Republicans, nor the
Republican party Itseli, for this
cxccrabc condition of affairs at
Charleston Not a bit Of It, On the
contrary, they were proposing to as
sumo liberal spirit toward the Re-
publican party as party and a fra
ternal attitude Of heart-tOuching go
licitatlon for all Republicans, except
ing, Of course. those who hold Office
and these we're to be characterized as
unworthy 10 wear the badge Of the
party to which they claim to belong.
Sort OF brothers all bait, spiced with
a spocious patriotism and garnlshed
with fake liberalism calculated to
appeal to that unthinkIng class Of 1it-
ney party men who love 10 be called
Independent" as the bee loves the
succulent honey.
But this was not the Lewis idea OF
It as has been shown, and therefore
the controversy. The state chairman,
whose reputation for political acument
and whose ability for successful party
management are yet to be demon
stated, is firmly OF the opinion that
Woodrow Wilson is the tigh-card per-
sonalty to play ZIP to Vest Virginia
voters, and that Woodrow Wilson'S adj
mlnistratIon Is the magnet to draw q
majority Of votes into the Democratic
column. Those who disagree with his
plans have been heard at 1t trying TO
convince Chairman Lewis that his posi-
ton is the wrong one, but they haven't
even made a dent in his Arm confidence
in the correctness Of his view nor even
,puncture the size Of a pin-head in
his self-esteem. A life time as the
unquestioned dictator Of large pri-
vate business has, his critics say,
habituated him in having his own way,
and they declare that attitude has no
place in successful party management.
Harsh Criticism.
Out Of the conflict has already
sprung up rather harsh criticism Of
Chairman Lewis in many quarters Of
the party He has been charged with
being unreasonably obstinate In his
views Of how the campaign should be
conducted, impatient of the advice ten
Continued on page 6.)