Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1918-07-09
To The Democrats Of West virginia.

D.
seems to US that there is nothing more
important to the Democratic party
than the nomination Of senators and
congressman who support the Presi-
dent, not only n his capacity as Com
mander in Chief of the Army and
Navy of the United States, but also in
his capacity as President of the Unit
ed States. We feel sure that the
Democratic party wants to do its full
duty and give to the people the op-
portunity to vote solely upon the Presi-
dents splendid record and its guaran-
tee for the future. 1t does not want
to swap horses in the middle of the
stream, and cannot afford to inject into
the present situation any new issues
or risk it's present cheerful prospects
of success by taking any chances of
being misunderstood. Wilson, his
policies and his record ought to be the
issue. Of the 100000 democrats in
the state all are united upon putting
the strength of the party and the pow
er of every individual in it behind
every effort to bring success to our
Army. We, however, owe the Presi-
dent the added duty of giving him can
didates for the Senate and for Con-
gress who support, with all their
hearts, the measures which were en-
acted under his leadership and which
are now stealing business, satisfying
labor and encouraging the farmer.
We must remember that, in the cleo
ton of 1916, we gained over 10000
votes this state on account of Viii
sons record such as the Clayton Bill,
the eight hour law, the arbitration pol
icy, the Federal Reserve Act, and his
espousal of the Shipping Bill, whose
defeat prior to the war we now see has
so delayed our preparations as to
cause US to look back upon that defeat
by a republican filibuster and those.
whom the President designated as "the
wilful eight" as calamity, bringing
out in bold relief the, foresight and
courage of the President.
There is an element of fairness and
party propriety to be considered in the
| fact that Senator Watson is now on
| the National Committee and his close
| friend is State Chairman. Conceding
to both these gentlemen the best of
motives, we appeal to them to consid-
er how it will look, and the POSSIBLE
| ties Of assault which it invites from
| the enemy, to center in the Same city
and county and in the same business
and political interests the three impor-
tant honors of United States Senator
National Committeeman and State
| Chairman, with the two most impor-
| tant held by one person. In the sim
| cerest kindness and seeking only har
mony and good will, we suggest to
Senator Watson that he is also a
| Lieutenant Colonel in the Ordinance
Department, or bushes section of the
| Army. This is a most serious consid
GRAFTON, because our opponents will
charge him with going into the Army
for political purposes. We may right
now absolve him from any such inter-
tion, but we are going into campaign
in which the republicans in despera-
ton will seek all sorts of expedients
for lodging the issue which it is our
purpose to drive home, to-wit: Wilson
and his wonderful record.
| 1t is needles for us to attempt to
conceal these facts now, and it would
be most unwise to fail to consider SER
iously, because we must know that In
| the coming campaign the charges will
be rung upon them with full force that
the facts and sophistry will admit.
/
| that Lieutenant Colonel Watson can
war. We must admit before the people
that either he has an arrangement with
War Department by which he can re-
sign if he should be elected, "a thing
which the War Department would re-
sent) or else we deliberately and
knowingly nominate for the Senate a
man who, under the law, cannot serve.
We have had six years of senator
who will not serve; shall we nominate
a man who cannot serve?
In Senator Chiffon we have man
whose fidelity and loyalty to the Pres
ident is admitted by his opponents
has been acknowledged gratefully by
the President and by his administra-
ton and t will be a tower of strength
to the party this year, when the candi-
dates must be the platform, because
this year there is no provision of law
for holding a convention to promulgate
platform. On all of the great meas
ures for which the President has been
responsible, Chiffon was with him
heart and soul, and there has never
been criticism inside of the party of
his consistent, answering devotion to
the principles which in this campaign
will be pillow of cloud by day and
pillow of fire by night. His cour-
agous fight to secure for this state
the $15,000,0 100000 which the govern
ment owes it, crowned with the sue
cess of having it approved by both
the Judiciary Committee of the House
and of the Senate, and passed by the
Senate-will, at this time draw to him
every citizen who feels a patriotic in
terest in the state. Are we not deep
ly interested in the question which
means at the goal the placing of $751;
100000 in our state treasury, after
it has been fought by one man to
the point of being approved by the
Senate of which that man was men,
Der and also approved by the Judic-
!, larry Committee of the House through
the efforts of our democratic congress
man?
Whom can we select who can finish
this work as can Senator Chiffon?
Again, Senator Watson, with COM
mendable frankness, tells US that he
cannot go into the campaign, but if
nominated will stay at his post until
the fourth of next March, when his
term shall begin. Let US in that same
spirit OF franknesS and sincere kind
ness which should prevade all demo-
cratic discussion at this time, consider
what this might mean to the party.
We must present our case to the
people. The republicans will not al
low US to make pussy-foot campaign
this fall. Our candidate must go to
the voters and present the reasons
why the American people should rally
around Wilson and give him a Senator
from West Virginia who will support
him truly and Loyalty. Of all times
we now need a candidate who can meet
the arguments of the opposition and
who can present every phase of the
national situation. We do not want
any new questions, with labor or bust
ness, to detract attention from the
supreme one: Shall we win the war
with Woodrow Wilson and stand NV