West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-04-27

ranks and especially the "enthusias-
tic" and harmonious" time had at the
Congressional convention held at Ber-
Kelley Springs Saturday, April 18th.
when former Fish Commissioner Geo
NJ Bowers was nominated as the Re-
publican candidate for Congress at the
special election to fill the unexpired
term of Hon. VIM. G. Brown.
The Argus was in possession of tho
facts and was fully advised OF the
harmony" of the Berkeley Springs
convention. and also knew that the
Journal supported Bowers I'm 1914.
The Argus had also been advised that
this same Journal had been CLOSELY
identified with the aspirations and
campaign OF our fellow townsman.
sam b. Montgomery, for the nomina-
ton to succeed Mr.. Brown. So The
Argus drought it would give the Jour
nal an opportunity to denounce the
alleged Crookedness OF the Berkeley
Springs fasco and thus square itself
with the rank and file OF the Repubu-
can party in Preston county. But
when the Journal calls this adventure
into highway robbery harmony" The
Argus fells constrained to take the
people of Preston county into it's CON
hdence and show them the tactics
adopted by Bowers and his cohorts to
TAKE the Berkeley Springs conven-
ton without regard to the wishes of
the people, the delegates or the sense
of fair play that should be shown to
other candidates.
To begin the story we call attention
to the following:
First: The precedent for the pres
ent special election is found in the
campaign of 1905, when ]. S. Lakin
and Thos b. Davis were candidates to
fill the unexpired term of Judge A. C.
Dayton, resigned.
Second; In 1905, the Congressional
committee of the Republican party
met 60 days before the special cleo
ton and ordered the COUNTY COM
MITTEE of the respective counties in
the Second district to provide ways
and means of electing delegates to the
nominating convention and the Coun-
ty committee of Preston county. of
which the editor of the Journal was
then secretary, called a county con
vention at Terra Alta, at which con
vention Mr.. Lakin selected his own
delegates
Third: Sam Montgomery was the
only candidate in 1916 from Preston
county for the nomination to fill the
unexpired term, just as Mr. Lakln was
in 1905
Fourth: George NJ. Bowers in 1914
selected the present Congressional
committee, except as changed since
the Berkeley Springs convention.
Fifth: Hon. +. Z. Parrack, the chair
man Of the Republican committee for
Preston county, called a meeting Of
the county committee which met in
Kingwood April l, 1916.
Sixth: At this meeting of the Coun-
ty committee a convention was called
to be held at Newburg, April 8, 1916
to elect delegates to represent Pres
ton county at the Congressional con
vention and other business that might
come before the convention, and notice
Of the same was published in the
Journal
Seventh: Edgar b. Stewart, chair
man Of the Republican Congressional
committee, announced that the com
mittee would name a candidate when
it met April 9Th at Keyser, thus ignor-
ing the voters entirely And it is ru-
mored that Bowers promised to have
his committee name Senator Forman
as the candidate.
Eighth: Brother Jackson of the
Preston News, and other Republicans.
served notice on the Congressional
committee that the Second district
would not stand for raw deals and
such machine methods as proposed by
Bowers chairman, Mr.. Stewart.
Ninth: When the Congressional
committee met at Keyser, they ignor-
ed the action taken by Chairman Par
rack and the Republican committee Of
Preston county, and instructed the
Preston county committee TO call dis
trict conventions, April 18th, to elect
delegates from their respective dis
tricts to the Congressional convention
April 18th, at Berkeley Springs.
NoW G. Tho A rome fg Ca ,.-r-.r q. .