The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-07-09
I[NASH|NGT|N
NEWS GOSSIP

a.
wAsHlNcNToNN. D c. July
THE more ar less deadly parallel
& bang brought 70 bear BY Wses
gVlrSInisns In this city On the
stafe;s Two delegations 70 The TWO
.nstIonal conventions. lnteiestins
Sonnarisons are being made, the
POINTS Of similarity brought out,
sId the dlvergences noted. Oa 'f9
Whole. ii wlll'haye to be admitted
dat he Democrats at San Frarcls-
% are being praised as a steadiast
nd loyal lot, while no susl etl.
oey Il heard on the Loyalty anu
steadfastness Of the delegation
4 whole that attended the Reput
Bcsn national convention. voted
once solidly for Senator HOWARD
Sutherland, and then began 70 drop
avs; from him in ones and twos
John ". Davis and Senator srtn
iesland entered their respective
ennyert,ors with one DIGESTION
i6 yttes from their own State.
Fac, received more than that num-
her on the first ballot. Davis W.
he choice Of the leaders Of :
.uartv organization without qIes-
don Sutherland was not. But
Sutherland had waged a fight for
ne support Of his State IN a prirl-
ary Of Els party, and won put over
the heaviest kinds Of odds by a
Biz neiority. His opponent wss
q national candidate and figure.
Ia come into West Virginia '
q Eious from many primarie' 2
was backed by almost unliDi
finances and an organization
powerful and as efficient as any
man ever had behild him, for o
nomination in the history o!
American politics. Sutherland had
neither party leaders, money, or
q powerful and efficient organize
ton. His opponent has wrnL
through the State making speeches
for four days. He visited every
section Of the State. Sutherland
didn't go into the State until q
week before the primary and he
didn't make a half dozer speech
es. Yet Sutherland got - votes.
al right, and won over General
Wood BY upwards Of 10000. II has
been pronounced. and rightly 80.
fhe greatest achievement, and most
popular victory. that any candidate
In the history. Of West Virginia
politics ever accomplished.
Z. Both Davis and Sutherland had
Fthe same chance at the ncmir''
lion when the conventions GOT IN
der way. They didn't have an euuai
j. chance, however. after the initial
ballot. Davis did. but Sutherland
idn.t. Diregarding instructions.
md taking an easy view Of moral
obligations, the Chicago delegation
was never unanimously for Suther-
land after the first ballot. They
dGqgied his chance before his eyes
for q flash, then withdrew it.
Notwithstanding, Sutherland's
name was one Of the last three to
Be seriously considered by the
leaders seeking to break the dead
lock between Wood and IAwden.
The other two were Harding and
Hdghes. The fact that his delera-
ton was not behind him was one
1t the important factors that elm
mated Sutherland's name final!
trnn consideration.
What might have happened had
the delegation at Chicago stuck
to Sutherland and given him the
long-shot chance that he asked for.
and which was what the San Fran
cisco delegation did for Davis. no.
BODY knows and nobody can tell.
II the San Francisco bunch had
sossed Davis rs the Cf;caro ortf'
did Sutherland. then Davis would
not have figured as he did figure
atall times as a strong rTpb2hi'ifv
along the dark horse. no- : II
press OF the country as he did fig
s1re. and his State and his loyal del
iegation figured with him in both.
The Davis delegation went TO the
convention figuring that they had
nne chance in many, as Sutherland
had figured 1t. But they went into
lhe Democratic convention deter
mined to work out that chance to
The finish and so they did. They
get their lips tight With dete.mi-
nation to play the game" with
the best Of them. cut a figure in
the convention that would let the
convention and the country know
that they were right there With pep
\ and punch and a fight, and they
made good on al! their plans, not:
Ftthstanding that they backed ?
pser. They vert down with flag
ytng with more votes on the 1870
allot than they had on the first,
Ind somewhere in between reach
Ting the maximum OF a hall vote
over G.. There was nothing ANA
flourish about their work. 1t was
OF a high professional order aSd,
instead Of regrets. they are coming
home chesty with pride that they
did their very best. that they stuck
to their man and that they are GER
ain to receive a hearty and aFproy-
ing welcome home by the party
;nen they Travelled to the Pacific
Coast to represent.
There is nothing in the iorego-
Ing paragraph which can be applied
to the Chicago delegation. There
was much talk before they went
on the trip that they would "cut
figure" that the Windy City
would know that tbev we're there"
bat there was no talk that they