The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-04-25


ard Sutherland was called upon by the
press representatives &c affirm or de-
ny whether he was nursing along a
de&gn Or plan to become candi.
date for the presidential nom nation
Of his party. First. there came out OF
Wheeling news stem stating that he
WAS en- route to that city to make a
speech on the published covenant OF
the League Of Nations and he would
avail himself OF that opportunity to
announce his candidacy for president.
On the face of il, 1t was confessedly
untrue. It. IS not done that way There
Is standardized custom long estab-
lished governing the launching OF the
presidential candidates..
This report was decidedly embar-
assing to Senator Sutherland, and he
emphatically denied having any such
intention. 1t was not necessary to be
done for informato n of his friends but
outside Of that circle the unfounded
statement OF the Wheeling press cor
respondent certainly needed the au-
thorHative quietus put upon 1t 1t
served to spread the impression that
West Virglnia's Senior Senator is the
veriest tyro and amateur polLt clan.
West virginians know that such an
Impression is far from the truth as a
falsehood can be.
That report squelcned, came now a
press item dated New Castle, Pa, tell
ing Of the preliminary steps being TAX
en- 10 the incorporation OF the Suther-
nrOnni1nfsOn Wh0gQ
purpose it is to boost and boom the
distinguished West Virginian for the
presidential nomination. Immediately
the news hounds got on the scent and
took the trail of the Senator, and again
the same question was put up to him.
Again another denial: 81 appreciate
the compliment OF the suggestion" he
said, "but am in no sense an asnr'
ant for the nomination. or course, no
one has ever refused the nomination
when rendered to him and IL the par
ty saw 1T to nominate me doubtless
would accept. However, haTbor no
Illusions ror delusions in regard to
the matter and am no party to the
move nauglrated in New Castle, Pa.
The New Castle president making
enterprise was, indeed, surprise TO
Senator Sutherland and everybody
else. Were such thing to be sprung
in Missouri say, it would not be. That
Is Senator Sutherland's native state.
There he grew to boyhood, went to
school and the University, earning his
way working between times n the har
vest fields, following the harvest north
as 1t progressed, and paying no rail-
roaG fare as he Travelled. He could not
sea mis- sweat-etained wages go that
way. Among Missouri Republican lead
ers lie has many friends. not few
here in Washington with whom he is
intimate Missouri as source OF pres
idential boom for him would not be so
surprising. New Castle, Pa, however,
in that role Is.
A few months ago when presidential
politics started to perk up here and
there in party papers throughout the
country 5rreared suggestions OF Sem
at; Sutherland as likely vice-pres,-
Dental timber That was mentioned
at some length in this correspondence
a., being talked of seriously by West
virginia Republicans in the Capital.
The s,radfast adherence OF West Vir-
g;::a to the Republican national nom.
irees though twenty five years Of Sue
cess sud stress; its important loca-
ton in tie geography of national pol
itics. btinf a pivotal or buffer Stale
upon Which the most marked section
a, division lines converged; Senator
Su.hrriand's popular prestige in West
Virginia as member of Congress and
as II Republican leader; his fitness for
tho honor and his availability "a a
candidate were some OF the strong
points brought out by the discussion CT
him in connection with the second
place on the ticket.
In view of this trend in the conf
ment. the presidential boom came to-
tally unexpected to those who had
talked Of and dilated on the other. i
doomed up with apparent spontaneity
Nobody can explain it, Senator Suth-
erland most assuredly can not He
has never for a minute taken t. ser
iolsly, nor does he now. UndoGbted-
" he appreciates the compliments i'm
piled, and doubtless hopes that he de-
serves them. There isn't man alive
WHO WOulQuI I. DuL OeudlOI OuIIGl'
land most Of all is not one to 60
chasing rainbows. He has, as he eX-
pressed it in his latest statement on
the subject, mo illusions or decisions"
concerning t., and is mo party" to the
ambitions undertaking. He is compla
cent and patient in the presence of the
presidential scenery. vista or prospect
to which friends and admirers have
called his attention. Nor in the sense
Of Vauvemargues' clever epigram, pa
thence Is the art of hoping" either.
"Why is the Sutherland boom? Be-
cause, among the whole bunch of Re
publican Senators he is the only one
who has not been an extremist on
either the progressive or so-called re-
dictionary side Of the party, and has
not been mixed up extensively in fac
tionalism " explained veteran party
man of prominence today to an inter
eSted group of listeners at the Capitol.
The subject of Presidential politics
IS conspicuously to the fore in Wash
ington right now. 1t was boosted a
batch of points when Senator Jim Wat
son of Indiana. shook off the allure
ments of the spell. and betook himself
out OF the LIST of prospective or tenta-
IL a