The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1912-1921, 1918-07-13
WEST VIRGINIA ASPiRANTS SIGN
WITH STATE SECRETARY FOR
THE BIG RACES.
DEMOCRATS SEE A FAT YEAR
AHEAD, AND HAVE CANDIDATES
in ALL BUT TWO DISTRICTS.
CHARLESTON BUSINESS MAN
SAYS CONDITIONS ELEVATE DE-
CISlON ABOVE APPLICATION.
QBy LESLIE BAYLISS. J

ing finger has written, and having
writ, moved on: the finger of Mr..
Houston G. Young, Secretary of State
by grace of the Republican party and
of Virgil L. Highland, has written in
the book of the law the names of all
those who, loving their fellow men,
wish to capitalize that love by don
ming the robe of public office. 1t was
midnight of Saturday, July 9Th
theoretically, at least-when Mr..
Young wrote in his book the name
of the last West Virginian to seek
the bauble reputation elsewhere than
in the cannon's mouth. The lists are
c,osed; the race is on
Politics, senators and sirs, like for
tune, is a tickle jade, Politics, whose
candidates are masculine but whose
personification is feminine toys with
the ambitions of men with all the
abandon and uncertainty of an ocean
breeze whipping some vagrant sea
weed ashore on some far distant
strand 1t lifts men from obscurity and
poverty 10 high positions of prefer
nent and power; sometimes it dismiss
IS them i'm peace, as it did Benjamin
R. TiEman. Sometimes it drives them
from power with a stained escutch-
con, as it did Joseph B. Foraker, as
It did William Is. P. Breckenridge
Upon the exalted pedestals of his
tory 1T enshrined the names of Met
ternich, of Talleyrand, of Richelieu,
Of Pitt, Disraeli and Gladstone ana
Bacon, but Richelieu made his exit
under a clouded sky and Bacon was
too human. Politics holds it's sery-
ants to a strict accountability land
the master mind that would bend the
eapricious jade to be the servant of
his destiny must keep his faith with
her without taking her too seriously
Says. Woodrow Wilson: 'Jf you think
lifficult 10 be worth electing."
James G. Blaine, gifted of heart and
endowed with majestic mind, died
+, disappointed man. A maker of Pres
dents, himself he could not elevate
o the purple of supreme political pre-
eerment. The Old jade, her tactics ever
he same, took him up on a high
mountain and showed him the prom
ssed land Of The Potomac with the
White House nesting at its heart,
only to snatch the scene from him as
a mirage. ENkims made her do his
bidding because he understood her
Maynard disposition and he kept her
organized"
The West Virginia lists are com
Dlete, with but one slight exception.
Everyibody's money is in, and the sole
| luesG ion is: ''WIho hold the aces?"
Fat Year for Democrats.
The Democrats of West Virginia
evidently think this is to be one of
seven fat years for their party, and
by all the tokens with which the
gods shake the diceIbox of destiny
they are probably right; for in every
congressional district, except the
First and the Sixth, there is a contest
for the Democratic nomination Tor the
House of Representatives just as
there is for the United States Senate.
In fhe Second district that old Dem
ocratic war-horse, Ben H. Hiner, is
opposed for the nomination by Rob-
| ert IL. l.. ALLEN, of MOrgantown In
the Third Judge James w. Robinson,
of Clarksburg, has to lock horns with
Ernest Randolph, of Salem. In the
| Fourth Stuart H. Bowman, of Hunt
ngton, after having seen two or three
candidates Withdraw in his favor, en-
| counters some opposition in the can
| didacy of Harry P. Camden, of Park
ersburg; while down in the Fifth John
r. Pendleton, oil Princeton, found am
| eleventh-hour opponent in on w w
AldNeal, of Bluefeld
Most political observers here are
1 predicting the nomination and cleo
ton of Judge Robinson in the Third
and Of Stuart III. Bowman in the
Fourth. This is not confirmed as any
reflection upon the candidates. of Mr.
Randolph pr NY; Camden, both Of
whom are held in hisnl esteem among
the West Virginia delegation here
1Fhef closest interest attaches. to the
fight in fhe Fourth by reason of the
fact the election there viii be regard
ed as real test of the loyalty Of
West Virginians to their government
in this trying hour
| While we do not advocate any one