The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-02-06
SUTHERLAND BOOM
IS SERIOUS AFFAIR
However Sutherland Him
self Has Not Yet spok-
en- About 1t.

WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. Gin
the Senate today, Senator Elkins I'm
troduced two special pension bills.
as follows: for Joseph Stephens. of
Wolf Summit, providing for $72
month; and for James T. Piggctt, OF
PaIkersburg, the same amount.
Senator Sutherlands office-J. +.
Gardner. Of Keyser. has taken a posi-
ton at the Census Bureau; a check
for increased compensation from July
Z, 1919 to Dec. 81, 1919, amounting
to S4S3.S9, has gone forward to HON.
'er H. Folden. soldier at Point Pleas
ant; E. E. Cummings, OF st, Adams.
restored to the civil service register
and his name certified for vacancy
at the Navy Yard here; Gilbert 4.
Blake, rural carrier on route 8 at
Hinton. transferred to route !, same
Office; application for a pension filed
a. the Pension Bureau for Flora N.
Goodwin, of Pennington.
Among the West Virginia visitors
in Washington today are John Raine
and l.. B. Smith, Jr., OF Rhinevflle;
William G. Wilson, of ElLins; A. D.
Mead. of huntington; and Stephen
B. Elkins, Jr.. head office executive
of the Elkins' business interests In
New York city.
West Tirginians who have old wal
claims hanging over from the civil
war, and there are a good many of
them, are being informed, when writ
ing to the members Of the delegation,
that there is no branch of the gov
ernThent that now has Jurisdiction
over such claims. The United States
!! Court of Claims, in this city, had for
many years, but several years ago
Congress took this Jurisdiction away
from it, and conferred it nowhere
else with the intention of ending the
war claim business (Ciyfl VAR per-
manently, the theory of Congress be.
ing that all Just claims had been set
tied and had had their day in court.
Harry NJ. Daughtery. manager of the
presidential fortunes of Senator War.
rem G.. Harding, denies that any de-
cision had been made to enter Sena-
tor Hardfng's name in next Mays pri-
mary in West Virginia, and said that
no such decision would be made so
long as Senator Sutherland remained
in the field as either an avowed or
tentative candidate Whether his is
to be the general policy of the Harding
people in all states tabulated as ga
vorite sons" states, was not stated
by Mr.. Daughtery.
There were good grounds for the
recent publication that the Harding
campalgners were looking into the le-
gal aspects and requirements of the
primary in West Virginia with a view
TO entering~the name of their favor
lite, for such, indeed, was the fact.
But whatever was the motive for their
| interested examination of the statute
in question, It can be accepted as al
so fact that, so far as West Vir-
ginia is concerned, the Harding peo-
pie are going to stay out Of the pris
mary If Senator Sutherland goes in.
From certain men prominently iden-
tilted in reomoting the candidacy lof
Senator Sutherland it is learned that
sentiment among party leaders has.
within the last week or ten days,
manifested itself in most noticeable
way, favorable to sending a delega-
! tion to Chicago favorable to Senator
Sutherland at the outset, free to act
as they please for-the- best interests
of the party In the country at large,
and to the best interest of the party in
west Virginia in particular, when Sen
ator Sutherland should release them,
in the event that it Is seen that he
is not in the running. There isn't
any question Of Senator Sutherland
agreeing to such plan as this, which,
In all save one particular, amounts to
practically sending an uninstructed
delegation. Such program as this,
they say that party leaders have be-
gun to see. would insure a continue
ton of party harmony, unity OF &C
ton upon the part OF the delegation,
and put the delegation in shape to
do business" at the convention as
the best interests of the party should
dictate.
This alleged manifestation of senti-
ment among party leaders favorable
to Senator Sutherland, is, his friends
say, gratifying but reflective of the
sentiment of the party that exists in
the rank and file. The wishes Of the
latter are impressing themselves upon
the men higher up, is the assertion.
They call attention to the fact that
the only thorough investigation of the
situation in West Virginia that has
been made, was made by the Suther-
land Club, of Wheeling, which made
statewide poll that resulted in dem.
onstrating that the rank and file of
the party were willing and anxious toI
get behind the Sutherland for Pres
ident movement. He was overwhelm-