The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-07-28
Politics Hinge About Opening
Of Money Bags
Campaign Of 1910 Said To Be
OF Sinister Influence
CERTAIN FACTIONS NOW coNFL
DENT OF NAMING SENATOR
PRIMARIES OF WIDE INTER.
EST.

| heno, NeV., July ZI-The Nevada
primaries, which are to be held one
week from next Tuesday, will be the
signal for the real opening of the bit.
terest political campaign in the his
tory of the Sagebrush state. For
months the Republicans have been
mastering their forces and other
preparing for the great drive that is
to have as its chief object the ousting
OF Key Pittman from the United
States senate and the seating OF
Republican in his place. Back Of the
| fight is one of the strangest and most
fascinating political stories ever con-
ceived.
When Senator George s. Nixon, Re-
publican, partner of George Wing
field, millionaire mine owner and
banker of Nevada, died in 1912, the
then governor of Nevada, Tasker L.
Oddie, offered the toga to Wingfield,
who, for some reason known only to
himself, refused it. w. A. Massey of
Reno, former supreme justice of the
state, was appointed to fill the va
cancy which, under the law, would be
| filled at the presidential election in
I 1912.
Massey became the Republican can
didate to succeed himself and Key
Pittman, who had been defeated by
Senator Nixon in the campaign of
1910, became the Democratic candi-
date.
There waged a bitter political cam
paign. Pittman is said to have spent
a vast sum of money which he had
but a few months before acquired
through the phenomenal rise in
Tonopah-Merger stock, of which he
held something like $4,000 shares.
He purchased daily newspaper in
Tonopah, his home city, acquired an
other in Ely, and is said to have CIV
| en- financial assistance to others in
various parts of the state.
Pittnlan's publicity was one of the
marvels of the campaign. Senator
Massey, with limited means, made a
personal canvass throughout the
state. Behind him were the Wingfield
interests, powerful and wealthy, and
it was limited that before the cam
paign was concluded the money bags
would be opened.
Then a strange thing is said to
have occurred. Suddenly there ap-
peared in Reno and other parts of
Nevada a swarm of Burns detectives
1t was publicly given out that these
detectives had been shadowing the
Massey politicians and at the first
sign of money being spread by any of
the interests behind Massey's cam
paign arrests would follow.
J According to general rumor at the
time it was Pittman's money that
paid for the detectives. When the
votes were counted few days later
Pittman was elected by SO votes, a
narrow majority, but sufficient to put
him in the United States senate.
Two years ago when Senator New
lands term of office expired he was
opposed by Sem Pratt of Carson, Re-
publican, former United States dis
trict attorney and owner of Carson
newspaper. There ensued another
hard-fought campaign and when the
smoke of battle rolled away Sena-
tor Newlands had been returned to
office by bare majority of 40 votes,
one-half Pittman's majority of SO.
The narrow majorities of Pittman
and Newlands form but one of the
factors upon which are based the Re-
publican hope for success this year.
Under the amendment to the consti-
tuition adopted in 1914, women have
been given the rights of the ballot in
Nevada. 1t is estimated that some
$4,000 of them will exercise the privi-
lege next November and the Republi-
cans are claiming the most OF their
votes. The Dmocrats refused to
recognize this new voting element in
naming their delegates to st. Louis,
but the Republicans named as one of
the alternates Mrs. T. F. Moran, wife
of candidate for the state supreme
court.
Some of the most influential inter-
ests in Nevada are expected to line
up against the Democrats in this COM
ing election. The sheep interests,
which are very large, are opposed as
usual to the Democratic tariff policy.
The same is believed to be true as
regards the sugar beet interests.
There is a considerable area in Ne
vada devoted to the sugar beet, with
large sugar factory on the United
States reclamation project at Fallon.
The industry was hard hit by the I'm
derwood- Simmons tariff The factory
closed down and many of the farmers