The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-10-06
DEMOCRATS WILL
make BIG DRIVE
IN WEST VIRGINIA.
ThinI1Non-P Partisan Move
ment VIII Wipe Out
Republican Party

Especial to The West VirginIanl
WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct. g.
The managers of the Democratic
national campaign class West Vir-
ginia as a doubtful state In which
they have a good chance to win.
Whatever the Republican leaders
may think about It to the contrary,
the Democratic managers are un-
Questionably honest and sincere in
their belief. And so they are
starting a movement Of their heavi-
est artillery into that state, which
will develop on an elaborate scale
In the final two weeks Of the cam
paign. That Is their plan as an
nounced acre today by one who Is
in close touch with the prepara'
uuns.
From the information available
from the same source reason for
the Democratic hope OF carrying
West Virginia for Cox Is based on
the three-cornered fight between
Morgan, Koontz and Montgomery,
the latter the candidate OF a party
League, but which, It Is well un-
derstood in West Virginia, is the
Socialist party OF that state with
a new nom de plume 1t is the view
Of the national Democratic CAM
paign managers, that Montgomery
having bolted the Republican party
after his defeat IN the primary OF
that party, Will have tendency TO
tear down the normal Republican
majority on the national ticket and
make a split which might enable
the Cox and Roosevelt ticket to
wedge tllrouf Hug gheB, they 2sSIl
with similar factional split among
the West Virginia Republicans in
1916, barely skinned through with
a meager 200.
Anyway, they purpose to under
take to "pull 1t on" and are going
to make West Virginia one OF their
principal backgrounds. They have
already announced that they are
going to send Gov. Cox into the
southern part of the state for one
day, and, II possible, will make II
too. The West Virginia leaders
are urging them to extend his Visit
to two days. But II 1t can only pc
one, it will be spent In the south
ern part of West Virginia where
there is a strike among the coal
miners and general industrial
unrest and chaos. 1t Is this. ele'
IQSHLI tue IGpub4iSAoS AS'S ~ o
ed. that Cox is playing up to.
The Cox managers count on
Montgomery and his following be-
ing a direct help to the Democratic
national ticket. They point out
that the men who are running
MONTGOMERY, erstwhile directors OF
the Socialist party, are out and out
Cox men, and while the claim has
been made by Montgomery that he
| fayors the election OF Senator
Harding, none of the speeches he
has SO far delivered indicates IT.
II Is the report here that Mont,
romery has continuously refratneo
from mentioning the name Of the
Republican presidential candidate
at all. Whether this is due 70 his
own feelings or those OF the man
running him Is q question.
II the Democrats arc preparing
to stage a great battle In west
Virginia, the Republican campaign
ers are not idle. They are going
to do the same thing. So West
Virginia, in the closing weeks OF
the campaign, is certain TO be
stirred politically as It hasn't been
in a national campaign since the
Bryan and Mckinley contest oi
1886.
Republicans are confident OF
Harding carrying the state with .
sweep, Their confidence is based
on a great sentiment flowing to
ward the Republican ticket whlcn
they assert is plainly apparent to
then. They admit the loss OF q
large per cent. Of the radical vot'
ers, but declare that In every pre-
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