The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-10-15
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WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. d.
At last, it is reported here, that some
Of the Republican leaders out in West
Virginia, reputed for many years toI
be wise, sapient penetrating, astuteI
and foreseeing, and few more things
( like that-all of which and much more
Of the same they have never embar-
tassingly denied-at last 1t is report
ed in Washington that they have been
overlooking a good bet, 1t is the
presidential boom of Senator Howard
Sutherland
These gentlemen have never taken
The presidential talk in regard TO Sen
ator Sutherland seriously. The fact
that mighty few Of them favored his
candidacy for the Senate, which he
won so handsomely despite them, may
account for Ne fact that they have
failed to apprise the Sutherland pres.
idential boom at its true and actual
value. The truth Is that what boom
the West Virginian has is composed
of ninety.nine parts Of outside-of-the-
State sentiment. The balance may be
charged up to a few friends OF the
Senator's in West Virginia who have
ben esmart enough to see that the
presidential lightning is going to play
in the next Republican national con-
vention as 1t hasn't played in a ma
tional convention since 1888 when 1t
finally on the eighth ballot, struck
Benjamin Harrison, of Indiana. On
the first ballot he was low man, hav-
ins, about as many votes to his credit
as Senator Sutherland would have II
he should enter next years conven'
ton with the combined vote Of Wess
Virginia <nd MisEuri, the latter his
native State. :
The fact is that the talk of Sena-
ter Sutherland for the presidential
nomination has come from the outside
and his boom has grown and flourish
ed outside of West Virginia in such
a healthful fashion that news of that
fact is seeping into West Virginia
and starting into circulation. 1t is
beginning to attract serious attention
there now, and some Of the party lead
ers are beginning to wonder If they
have been overlooking something. The
idea is beginning to get them thai
! they have.
The talk of Senator Sutherland lot
;president was development from a
suggestion first made in this, cores
t,ondence months ago that West Viz
giiiia was offered another opportnui'
ty TO put a presidential nomi,
nee on the Republican ticket IN 1870
in the person OF Senator Sutherland.
The West Virginia Democrats were
successful in doing the same thing III
1904. and it was argued that the Re
oublicans' chances of doing 1t in 1929
were as plentiful, if not more so, than
hose which attended the nomination
Of Henry Gassaway Davis in the pre-
liminary stages.
Senator Sutherland has done moth
Ing to help along his boom nor said
nothing to discourage it. 1t wasn't
nm to him to accord it recognition and
he 'Iet It ride" While doubtless ap
oreciating the favorable comment his
name was receiving, his intimate
friends were aware that he did not
expect it to last long; that it would
probably soon be ended. But nothing
like that has happened. There has
been more and more talk about him,
kQ6Te Is d ldNOl eLUAC SSlIilhSAAb 40 1000
here and there throughout the coun'
Ery. The early polls that have been
aiken by daily and weekly newspapers
prove It. He has received votes in
nearly all of them. He has received
encouraging letters from all parts Of
the country, written voluntarily, and
by men personally unknown to him
declaring that they favor him above
ali others mentioned. The statement
that he can get the solid delegation
rom Missouri, his native state, II he
wants it, is accepted here in Wash
Ington as correct. That, WITH West
Virginia's solid vote, and the scatter,
ing delegates bound to be picked up
here and there, would enahe Senator
Sutherland to enter the convention
with a neuclus that would BE freighted