The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-06-26
MONTGOMERY WILL
Be GIVEN PLENTY
Of TINE 70 ACT
No Disposition to Hurry
Him Regarding His Con.
tests.
Especial Dispatch to West virginian.)

Especial Dispatch to West Virginlan.)
WASHINGTON, June 26.-Com-
pressing the echoes OF the recent con-
ference Of West Virginia Republican
party leaders who hurried here in re-
sponse to an S. o. S. from State Chair
man W. E. Baker to consider ways
and means Of unsnarllng the snarl in
which the last gubernatorial contest.
running true to form and repeated
precedent, has got itself into, the con-
crete essence seems 10 be TO give the
Hon. Samuel B. Montgomery all the
time and friendly encouragement he
may consider that he requires to
prove the charges Of ir1nds perpetrat-
ed TO defeat bimfn the. .couyt Of last
resort, tie meeAdfhe z9Ht until
he has exhausted his, legal rights and
privileges, thef majority OF 2,206
which Is net after The canrassing
boards got through, proclaims the
nominee to be Judge Ephraim +.
Morgan.
The attitude Of those who believe
that Morgan won the nomination as
honestly as nominations have been In
the habit of being won in West Vir-
ginia primaries, is that Mr.. Montgom-
cry having alleged frauds against
himself sufficient to have captured
the nomination, 1t is up to him to
prove his charges and, should he fail
In doing this to lineup and Loyalty sup
port the ticket, as he would expect all
Republicans to do should the litiga-
ton in the courts establish that he is
the duly and legally chosen nominee.
It is recognized and conceded by all
party leaders that Mr. Montgomery
has a delicate situation to handle, and
there is shown a disposition to allow
him ample time and opportunity to
handle II. By common consent 1t ap-
epars that hands Of Is to be the
policy for some little time to come,
then the West Virginia situation Is
certain to receive the most careful
attention from the leaders of the ma
tional party organization. They are
alert to the fact, as everybody else is,
that il this party trouble Is not
smoothed out, 1t is within the range
Of probability that West Virginia
might prove to be the California OF
this year and be solely responsible
for the defeat Of the Republican pres
idential ticket.
The impression gained BY those
who talked with Mr.. Montgomery
while he was here in attendance upon
| the conference was that he would not
turn his back on some kind OF COM
promise; that should developments
tend in that direction he might agree
to a new nominee. But it was also
the impression received from him
that he inclines to run for governor as
the candidate Of the Non-Partsan
League, which nomination he has re-
ceived and accepted, II Judge Morgan
runs on the Republican ticket. The
idea Of Mr.. Montgomery and his ad-
! visers seems to be that Harding cleo
| tors and the rest Of the Republican
State, Congressional and county can
didates be endorsed by the Non-Par-
tisan League and be placed on that
ticket with Montgomery. Already
there are two Republican candidates
on that ticket, namely, Commission
OF Agriculture James 4. Stewart and
State Treasurer W. S. Johnson. Mont
gomery's closest friends in the new
party movement are authority for the
statement that to bring about such an
| arrangement as this they will take all
the rest Of the Republican ticket for
their own, excepting Morgan, hook,
line and smker and task no ques-
ions" They ask only for Montgom-
cry and for nothing or nobody else.
The legality Of such a procedure
as this Is a question which has arisen
and over which opinion OF lawyers
whose experience with the election
laws Of the state has been extensive
differ widely. Mr.. Montgomery per
sonaly is Of the opinion that It can be
done; that the legal phases Of such Q
/ program were investigated and the
call for the convention Of the Non
Partisan League In West Virginia
made to conform Herewith. How
| over should 1t come TO that, the state
Court Of Appeals would undoubtedly
be called on to make the final arbitrar
ment Of this legal proposition In Its
fundamental and incidental phases.
That Is about the way the guber-
material controversy sands ct pres
ent with these two added particulars,
VIZ, Judge Morgan and his backers
are. onfronted with condition only
Continued on Page Four)