The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-05-24


private conversation. There is still
the hope that this soft pedal policy in
regard to changing the form and sub
stance OF government into govern
ment BY a class, didn't elude the
mads Of the. great conservative pa
trol:c, equal 10 ali and special priv
jleges % none class IN their moments
OF reflection. ~.
This issue was raised for the first
time in West Virginia in this cam
paign By the entrance OF union labor
as q political organization ad by the
cadidacy Of Samuel B. Montgomery
as the iayori:e Of that element, which
attracted olaer associations FAR more
dangerous. The Socialist party NOV
ed ever into the Montgomery camp
bag and breeches, and lis NEST active
ans influential workers have been
managers, assistant managers, leu
teats, -lieuteants and field men
for the Montgomery campaign from
the tine 1t started. One Of the most
prominent Of these isSalter B. Hi,
ion, OF Wnee.in:. He has announced
that hs will enter the primary as a
Republican so as to vote tcr Mont
gomery. The Socialists, very largely,
are expected to follow his tip and
profess conversion to the Republican
n.rtv ternnorariiy fOr His purpose. :
They are to be Republicans for a day
al least. H. Is reasonable TO suppose
that the members OF the nine Com
munlsts camps in West V'rg.nia.
which the Department Of Justice re-
Gently stated existed there. nave
made the same arrangements, but as
I.heir r,eetsngs are secret there is no
means o. knowing thai.
That the cadidacy OF Their favoFite
is !oadca down and embarrassed BY
cettatr t.5ueats-noJ the so''d,
Amer,cas element Of organized ia
bo:-NIS;someyy's rianaseis adaGt
by oplrlly attempting TO reverse The
automatic truth Of Ions aceca."Tce
mai a man IS knoSn By his assocla-
tcs in poIiticG All in every other ave,
nue. OF life. This, the sa:%, ISL
irrc IN Montgomery Cass. \ lot oil
The lunatic fringe ahd mo5t daasG-
aus and criminal :atiCa!9 haze COM
uairyitea into ,h'5 camp, arr Their
candidate should not be held rcspons-
ible Tor this fact. II is these exc
mcnts that have d0ne organized labc!'
s,pce the war, almost irteparab'e
damage. and they couldn't proven
them whooping II up for Mon;so2i- +,
ery II they would mate the attempt !
Thev are helpless 10 prevent It, Is
their e!evcnih-hour sympathetic APP
peal.
The danger, as the politicians here
view ii. is thai the conservative Vote
will be so evenly split W between
Morgan and Grosscup that Montgo1!-
try mIgai Tase in under tae wire
winner. They don't expect 1t, but
they do fear 1t might happen. Mont
gome-y Y the best speaker and the
shrewdest politician OF the three, they
admit. and II rcsoErceful and as
cunning as fox. He HIS what his
two opponents have not-perSoHality
plus. those who cpp0sc him DO say
CT him that no man in the state IS
better equipped to led the array OF
conflicting and discordant elements
that are amalsamated behind his
candidacy than Montgomery. AS
side issue 10 his show. the Plum
Planners OF coyernEent7ownershi7-
of-railroads agitaters, haze congress
sionai canddat running in inc Sec
ond and Fourth districts. For tac
same ineXpiica5le reason me SAINT.
soft-pedal policy has been io!ioWeu
by their opponents,
The same issue, it is pointed out,
exists in the Democratic contest ior
governor. Adam Littlcpasc is inc
Sam Montgomery in that party and
Koontz is the counterpart CT Morgan.
GroSscup. He is the conservative and
has the backing Of the party orSani-
cation unitedly. and the party organ
,zation predicts his omlnation with !
confidence. One Of the things thai
they count on helping them nominate
Koonzt is the desertion Of a large
number OF mea of The MONTGOMERY
Llttlepage school Of political econ!
omy. who have heretSore been listed
as Democrats, to the Republican party
for the day Of the primary, at any rate
10 vote for Montgomery. The Demo
cratic primary has all but been lost
sight OF on account Of the more inter-
estinS situation in the Republican
party, whose ca1ces for success next
November, il either Gpsscup or Nor
gan wins. is regarded by the Demo-
Gratis as 10 to I. Should Montgomery
be the nominee, and koontz. the
Democratic rooster in West Virgin.
"a will suddenly shake of its grave
damp and become a very lively
scranpy bird. But should Montgom-
cry and Littlepage both be nominat-
ed-well,, state politicians here just
wont discuss that: its too unthink-
ohIv ebockinv and decreasing fnr