The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-06-28

ertIv for lack Of winds TO I'll them up
BIT and give him limited speed. II was
no criterion of the candldatori"l
strength OF Sam Montgomery that ne
did not figure in the test OF straw ana
atmosphere. He hadn't proclaimed ms
intentions when the straws were naSS'u
around. Though some straws Dor" tho
honrcd and respected name Of l'r"f.
| Shawkcy. it cannot b" SAID that Al" mas
vet qualified as woocr of the winds.
| Notwithstanding that he is suspected OF
| having it in mind 10 take inns mus
serious step. In the background "t 'ne
picture were Fred Blue and waiter mar
lanan and Judge Eph Morgan. II IS not
| that they were intentionally ovcrl""hcu'
so much as 1t is believed that the scar
| city OF straw was responsible Tor lhe
| non-appCaranCc Of their names III !he
! tally sheet. Admittedly. something
| would likely honncn 10 S. straws IN any
kind Of gale or whcr" even g'h'!e Willis
were blowing in cross currents.
For these reasons the West Nirglnias
here do not attach the importance to
this straw vote they might had INC re-
| sults been more numerous and more
definitely Indicative of good sun
wind blowing strongly straight at par
| ticular human objective. Thcy 40 MOI
mean. however. to condemn the efficacy
| or the charm nor the value of the straw
! vote as n respected institution ol poiIu-
! cal prognOSt iCation. Not at all. IhcS
are we'll aware thata determined opSu-
macy in the mental attitude OF even one
individual in tho circle of scancc Will
interfere with the free communion OF
the control with tho medium and of the
first-namcd party with the rrcSsinE'
eager spirits clamoring to nave thclr
say The best Of charms may at times
fail to work. but that doesn't condemn IL
TO everlasting failure. All Condltl"hS
must hr Just right. cXQuisltely a''uh'u
and in harmony TO the milllonc'h part
Of an inch. In this matter or the flrst
straw vote OF the season taken IN West
Virginia tho scarcity Of straw ana IN"
dearth OF winds were. they point out,
enough 10 put the gypsy curse on INC
initial undertaking. They confidently
tell YOU that they arc sure to got more
definite and profitable information the
next time, or the straw vote I" be taken
after the next time and even on after
that time.
Now, West Virginia politicians arc no
different than tho politicians from all
the other states and territories and m
sular POSSESSIONS in thcir respect ana
vcncration for the ancient American IN
stitution We have been cSsaying on, TO
VIII, the most HtI'Ih DIV "''''" '''-'
When news Of one comes in from one
section of tho country or another. they
all crowd around the bulletin boards ana
make n lot Of chatter and lot Of NINA
bets. This happened again just ycSt"r-
day, when news arrived Of tho straw
vote efforts OF the Los Angeles Express.
not a parcels post carrying concern. but
news paper.
The results showed General Wood as
the first choice Of Republican COVER
nors, editors and state chairmen. inc
Express sent out 522 letters asking
party leaders throughout the country to
state their first. second and third
choices for tho republican presidential
nomination. Two hundred and sixty
one replies had been received up to date
OF the first announcement OF tho pro
gross Of tho POLL. The returns showed
more votes for General Wood for first
choice than for Taft. Hughes. Lowd"n
and Harding. the next four. combined.
The Express says that the "Ntraordi-
nary feature about Tn" vote for General
Wood is that is shows h" is N" prefer
cncc of leaders in every section Of the
| country. .
Some who participated in the poll
gave General Wood as their first choice
and said there was no second or thIrd 80
far as they were concerned. The RX-
|
| press also says Il surprisingly large
number OF republican editors indicAlrd
| thci0cunviction that III" nominee Should
be a strong advocate Of the league OF
| nations.
Senator Edge Of New Jersey. received
| 4 vote in his state. complimentary
votes were accorded Nicholas Murray
| Butler. Senators Lodge. Knox. In Fol-
l.,tc and Watson and General f"rshing
IN several states: Senator Borah was
first choice Of ;: Governor Allen OF -:
Senator Cummins Of and Senator
Johnson Of 2.
One Kentucky editor wrote that he
would rather vote for Elihu Root than
anv other living man.
While this latest presidential straw
vote 10 be reported on has att:actco
much attention and caused much COM
mcnt on the part of the politicians, they
arc like the West N''ginians TOWARD
the straw vote taken in their state. th"Y
look 70 the straw votes to be taken later
on 10 contain moro conclusive not 10 say
convincing, elements.
To sum up: this much the pubic
NAV feel sure and certain of--th" straw
vote man is abroad in the land. and the
campaign of 1920 has stepped across the
doorjamb into its earliest and most m
ifantilc. struggling prelimnarl"s---S so
mote II be.