The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-05-11
PROSECUTOR ROW.
TAKES FIRST PLACE.
IN PUBLIC Mind.
Democratic Leaders Seem
Not Able to Get To-
gether.
IS CAUSING ANXIETY
May Yet Be a Compromise
in Contest Between
Martin and Slack.

The backs of the elephants was not
the only place where there was opliti-
cal talk in the city yesterday. Politics
generally was an oft recurring theme
Of conversation and local politics got
a pretty thorough airing at all the.
usual meeting placse Of men.
The outstanding feature Of the 10
cal political talk is that the Democrat
ic contest over the nomination for
prosecuting attorney has taken the
place of the row over the county
clerkship in popular interest. A great
lot of rumors of the most interesting
kind regarding this contest are lying
about and the dyed in the wool DEM
ocrats confess they are Just as mucn
at sea over it as the Veriest outsider.
1t has been known from the start
that Boss Powell and the members OF
his political cabinet have been at odds
over this situation. Then for q Wnlle
there was a report that tney nau
, agreed upon one of the three canGl-
dates, particulars lacking as to Wnlcn.
Nh wa comparison Of notes on the
circsu day gossip leads to the assump-
ton that they are as far apart as ever,
but feeling pretty badly about the Sit
uation and anxious to come TO some
kind of compromise.
Just after the primary tickets were
made up one shrewd political oD-
server remarked that Musgrave was
the Standard Oil aspirant, Rose the
man favored by the court house ring,
while Miller was running on his own,
but in possession Of moral claim on
the nomination by virtue of promises
made to him four years ago ana tne
tiancial and other support that ne
gave to Haggerty at that time.
A wee kor SO ago 1t was reported
, that Tusca Morris and his friends had
told Powell plainly that there was not
the clightest hope Of electtng his man
at the general election, and that after
an examination Of tn facts as tney
were presented ne admlied tnis.
When the Miller folks heard this, &C
cording to one story current yester-
day. they fent up into the air with o
rapidity and push that threatened to
take away some of Major Shroeder's
altitude records. But they finally
came down and are preparing to
make a deal with Musgraye the min
ute they are sure the Democratic
bosses had united upon Rose, who is
considered an outlander by the close
friends of both Miller and Musgrave.
The lack Of harmony upon the part
of the Democratic higher-ups may be
deliberately cerated for some purpose
that is not yet apparent, but If that is
the case they have been guilty OF de-
fective strategy, for the inability to
agree among them has strengthened
the feeling of the Miller folks that
they really have a claim on the nom
nation and they are making pretty
strong efforts to push their claim
with Musgrave, who Is making per-
sonal canvas of the county, ana ac-
cording to the tales that are being
brought in from the outlying towns G Is
proving a wonder along that line. The
Rose Campaign, on the other hand,
seems to be rather quiet one and
for the present at least depends more
upon the royal favor of Tusca than
upon Iay other one thing.
Tnat the whole political situation
in the Democratic party, of which this
triangular contest is but one feature,
is anything but satisfactory to Demo
Gratis who % not care very much Tor
the partisan squabbles but are solicit
Gus for success at the polls in Novem-
ber is evident from the talk of the ne
cessity to smooth out the various
fights for nomination. One OF the
tale sthat was circulated yesterday,
it VISA barrel va whisper, but 1t may be
roar before the end ofabe week, ran
t othe effect that neffort Is to be
made to settle the contest between
Arthur aMrtin and Ed Slack for the
county clerkship nomination. SLACK
has been raising cain, politically
speaking, and there is ground for the
belief that most of the Democratic
leaders would prefer him to Mortin,
but they are In no position to get
along without the latter during the
coming general campaign. And there
you are One of them has gone 80
far that choking him OH summary
is out of the question, and the other
Is almost indispensable. Ordinarily the
remedy for such condition would be
to throw down the bars and let 'em
fight It out, but She leaders are afraid
to do that without taking guarantees
from both sides, and as matters now
stand neither side is willing to make
commitments of any kind. 1t Is Q
decidedly tcklish situation and It 1s
going OF take all the diplomatic tact
Tusca and Mr.. Charlie can command
to handle it. And in the end they
may fail
that Is contributing to make the DEM
(Contnned on page four)
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