The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-04-19

Senator Howard Sutherland aHAoIa-
s5s hiH candidacy Tor The FreslbsHuy,
snd Cav. CosnWeii, Col. c, w, Wat
son, State Chairman Glen shaver anu
lesser leaders OF the West Vtfginia
UgEoctacy come to town 10 get their
heads together 10 launch dark
horse presidential boom for John W.
Davis, Ambassador to the Court OF
Saint James, All of this happened
here within week, and 1t is no won.
der that State politicians coloniEed
In tue Nattop's Capital are unwontedly
excited. They can't remember that
heir State ever had two presidential
candidates in the two parties in one
year, Which Is not at all surprising.
Il never happened before. Isn't II
enough to cause them TO talk and COS.
Z sip their heads off? 1t is.
No matter what has been said, moi
what may be said hereafter, about
5enator SutheFland's candidacy being
In the interest OF this or that candi.
Z date or fancied factional scheme, the
rth of II has dawned on a good many
wise and sspient (they coptess it)
West Virginia politicians here and at
home that the Sutherland candidacy Is
q bono fide, honest to goodness, cross
my-heart one, and IL Il is TO pick any
chestputs out OF the Republican party
tires In West Virginia or at Chicago
the picking will be done for one H.
sutherland, and not for any OF the.
misunderstanding candidates. Ger.
tain II 10 that 1t will not be done for
Leonard Wood. The Sutherland an.
nouncement makes that specificy
clear. It takes crack at Wood. Suth.
erland's second choice is not the Gen.
sral. You can bet your last shrink.
Ing and shrunk dollar on that.
Thbse party leaders whose coldness
toward the Sutherland boom at the
outset kept the Senator from making
bosom confidants of them, are natuT.
ally stu suspicious. at is too deep
Tor us, they say as IL in one voice,
which Is an admission OF ignorance
seldom confessed by them in life
lime OF party activity, plot and Coun-
terpiot, Those Of them who went
ahead and lined themselves up more
or less Figidiy with the Wood candi-
dacy, find themselves in the first
bushes OF an embarrassment that is
destined to become, more so unless
they can find way to cut themselves
loose from the Wood contract, or the
Generals managers withdraws his
candidacy from West Virginia, leay.
Ing them whole heart and fancy free.
A prediction quite frequently made
here is that is probably what will be
done In Woods case In West Virginia /
Il It Is fulfilled, OF course, West Viz.
gtnia's favorite son will have no op-
position whatsoever for the delega-
ton, for II has long ago been authors
tatively announced that. Lowden and
Harding would not enter. 1t is a IL
to bet that Johnson will not, either
u, however, Wood sticks, 1t is pro-
phected that there will be wholesale
dropptng out OF his lineup OF party
Leaders who signed up with him for
the season. They will not be able to
bring themselves to the attitude of
opposing the home candidate. Those
who may not desert will be careless
OF taking desperate chances, and will,
at best, 1t is thought, constitute a
NOT particularly abundant minority.
The Sutherland people claim that they
have the rank and file Of the party
voters lined up heartily with them
and, therefore, they argue, quite ma.
turaliy, that there will be lining up