The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-01-04

. - ~ r I7-75# r Z
WASHINGTON. D. c.. Jan. 4.-Unlsss
some way Is figured out to pick the dele
gates trim West Virginia TO the next
| Republican National Convention before
! hand and have the handpicked ounen
ratified at the primary on the sixth day
OF nextHJ June. the state S4sn't going 70
play much, !, II any, In the nomination OF
he candidate Of. the G. o. P. The con-
yentto, al chicaFo gets under Why June
:. the next. day following the West Eir-
\ 'REowEto, az thinEs SOFAS to get a finger
| IN this biz political ple-cutttng IN the
\ Windy City has the politicians up In the
air. SOTO speak and guessing. Many ana
various; kinds the Suggestions offered;
| The one most generally advanced up TN
now II somethins to the eheet tnat we
4 will all get together IN advance ana
agree on list of:deIegates. and BY agree
ment in advanceSsee TO it-that that list
! Is the only one voted on at the primary.
| Very good-says every man jack out
cnn 1t be done?''
| And right here. looking at you, IS
| the hinge on which the. matter swings.
Can it be done? The truth compeis us 70
\ reportathat many party men OF proven
experience and sane judgment do not
think iyEcan be done largely'fo the rea-
onsthat the way Repub)i lean politics has
started off In West Virginia. and the man;
and conflicting axes to beE ground so
apparent to the naked eye at this time.
fails to Justify the sllope OF any happy
family or general Sbpotherhood arrange
| ment based on a movement held to the
ground with no stronger guide ropes than
this simple proposal, TO wit: I'VE all get
together and agree in adSanse."
Discussing this proposition today. a
West virgtnian OF prominence and no u
| luslons as to human nature declared that
II West Virginia was to have deleBa-
| ton that would get to Chicago before
| tho big show was over, or II the party
expected to figure in the afarorite-son
prelimnarles, a:scheme would have to
be evolved which was more feasible ana
practicable than any he had yet heard OF.
'"otherwise." he said west Virginia will
not get to the party until after all the
refreshments are eaten up.
II don't think that would make any
great difference to the average Rcpubli-
can voter" he continued. but It sure
would make very great difference to
| tho party leaders. They have been hgur-
Ing for some time on helping their indi-
vidual plans for the future By helping
some presidential candidate. and they
are no more agreed on tie candidate 10
help than they are agreed at this time
\ on how TO go about selecting a delegation.
| Each OF what may be designated as big
leaders has picked u presidential farorite
OF his own, placed Ills bet, as 1t were.
in this blind pool OF national politics.
and is going to do what he can to win
\ his bet. The winner or winners have
pleasant dreams Of finding the welcome
| mat turned face upwards when he or they
l'call at the White House in the next adj
rmInIstration. which they feel surer is
| SoIng to be Republican administration
han they feel that they have drawn
Tho lucky number from the blind pool.
a''When the national committee set the.
date bf the convention"o on the day follow
\ Ing the West Virginia primary 1t was r
blow to these ambitious Presidcnt-makcrs.
Yes stree, 1t was some blow. 1t knocked
]. all the plans that had been talked over
I with first this one and that one OF the
special representatives Of ''favorlte sons
Il who had visited the field to talk plans
4 with them. There was to be some stirring
preliminaries, and series OF engage
ments which would make the battle OF
/ the Marine or the second Ypres look like n
desultory exchange of shots In the OUT
lying trench line. 1t was chance for
leaders to lead and those WHO won TO
get a foothold in the real big game. And
\ then the national committee knocked the
props out from under.
The question now Is how to undo this
damage. and this is question that the
chaps who are trying TO figure them
i selves into the real and worth while circle
OF national Republican politics would like
somebody to find an answer for them.
have been doing my best, and think
can come across with Jsolution that
will solute and sooth. II anybody has any
4 better, they are welcome to spring It and
no Jealous feelings on my part. But they
shouldn't delay. II We are going to have
any exciting prcliminarles over the dele
/ gates, and thereby give the men who
have ambitions to be realt hand In
tho big Game chance, we will have to
get busy at once. aa
MY plan Is to hold convention, to BIZ
called regularly by the state committee,
this convention TO nominate our candI-
dates for tile Supreme Court, pnss set
of resolutions partdking somewhat OF the
nature OF a party platform, and to norni-
nate sixteen delegates to the national con-
vention, which nominees are to be sug-
| gested or recommended to. the, party at the
| primary an deserving of its unanimous
vote. This convention should be held early
| In May. That would give time for
| spirited contest to be waged by anybody
who, deslrious OF attending the convention
as delegate, to bring his candidacy be-
fore the state convention In the best and
most favorable light. This convention
would be open to all comers. with square
deal for ALL Intact, the more the merrier,
and will help to mako 1t n, convention
that will do the party in the state moro
good in the campaign that Is to follow
than anything else that Is likely to hap
pen, II such scheme as this isn't adopt
co. ~ -!