Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1918-07-30


Thursday published the following let
ter to Senator Chiffon from President
Wilson:
The White House, Warrington, D. c..
June n, 1918.
My dear Senator:--
need hardly tell you with what
genuine interest / read your letter of
June %. You were indeed a true
friend and generous supporter
throughout your term in the Senate
and | want to express most warmly
my sense of gratitude for your friend
ship and support.
Your letter made me think very
hard upon the question whether there
was any avenue open to me through
which | could express my personal in
terest in your candidacy. but / am
blocked by circumstances which / am
sure you VIII not need to have ex-
pounded to you. Again and again this
question has presented itself to me
and always have been checked by the
consciousness that Intervention of any
sort on my part, even so much as the
appearance of an effort to pick and
prefer candidate, would produce the
most embarrassing impression and be
met by justifable resentment on the
part of the constituency concerned,
which would do more harm to my
friend than my preference would dc
good. 1t is in this blind alley that ]
find myself and | am sure you will
appreciate the situation with your
usual intuition.
Cordially and sincerely yours,
(Signed) WOODROW WILSON.
Hon. W. E. Chiffon,
| Charleston, w. Va.
Editorially the Journal says:
We call the attention of our readers
to the letter of President Wilson prin-
ted in this column. The utterances
| of the President, always pointed an(
interesting, are peculiarly so at the
present stage of the primary contes
for United States Senator. 1t is M
secret that the Watson managers made
much of the John w. Davis endorse
ment. While the latter expressly
stated that he spoke for himself anc
and not for the administration, it car
be easily deduced from the Watson
literature and newspaper comments
that the hope is INDUCED and the sug
gestion emphasized, that Davis prob
ably spoke for the administration
The "talkers," that is the Unitet
States officials now playing politics
with Watson and the "boys" who have
been "whooping it up" for the Fair
mont millionaire, We're not so cautious
but boldly jumped from suggestion tc
assertion that Davis endorsement is
the real candy from the White House
They little realized that they were
playing into Chilton's hand. The lat
ter is too close to the President anC
direct in method to permit this "sug
gestion" to walk around untagged O.
unchallenged. At the psychological
moment, when his opponents had made
the Presidents wish a matter of SUI
Ipreme interest and had committed
themselves to the proposition that the
administrations leaning would be con
trolling with the democrats, he wen
to headquarters boldly and frankly, a.
he did on the stump, and said that i
the administration wants another h,
would retire.
His platform declaration that 9Th
President knows that he can Withdraw
me (Chilton) whenever he desires" t
do so was characteristic of his fealt,
to the President and his boldness il
campaigning; and while his friend
thought he was taking long chances
it seems that the Senator had mis-
placed his faith. For the President t,
utter the following about any candi
date is most significant:
"YOU WE'RE INDEED A TRUE
FRIEND AND A GENEROUS SUP
PORTER THROUGHOUT YOUI
TERM IN THE SENATE AND
WANT TO EPRESS MOST WARM
| Y MY SENSE OF GRATITUDE
FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP AMI
That makes it impossible to argu
and suggest any further that tn,
Davis letter can be construed into any
thing affecting anybody's vote o
choice except that of Mr.. Davis and j
is only just to the latter to say that h
made it clare that he did not speak TO
the administration.
The Presidents letter voices a sin
cere wish to express my personal in
terest in your (Chilton's) candidacy.
There is no suggestion" about that
He has personal interest in Sena
tor Chilton's candidacy, but ne doe
not presume to dictate to the voter,
nor to "pick" democratic candidate,
less that cause would do more harm tt
"my- friend" (Chilton) than my pref
erence" (for Chilton) would do good
1t seems too clear for discussion
that the Watson campaign has slipped
a cog and has opened "an avenue" fol
the truth to enter where guesses anC
suggestions were rolicking.
If, as the Watson managers have by
their actions, asserted, the President
views should be controlling, Senator
Chiffon is already the democrati,
nominee.
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