The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-12-03
Rumor Has it Col. C. w.
Wants Another Chance
in Politics
NEELY ALSO READY
Two Fairmonters NJ a y
Fight it Out for Affec-
tions Of Demmies
BY CHARLES BROOKS SMITH.
Especial to The West VIrginianl

Especial to The west Hlrglnlanl
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 3.
The gossip Of the West Virgin
ians In the Capital this week was
enlivened by two unanticipated
and therefore surprising contrtbu-
tons one coming in by the way Of
the Congressional Limited from
New York. Either one OF them or
both are important II true. We
feel no inward urge to vouch for
them. We are merely content In
the line of duty to pass them on
for what they may be worth, and
let 1t go at that. Their claim for
q place in these chronicles is that
they figured in the gossip OF the
week.
No. THE one which blew in
from Gotham-was to the effect
that former United States Senat"~
and former Colonel in the Worlds
War C. W. Watson, Is consider.
ing in n serious and business like
way, asking tho Democratic paryt
In West Virginia to again nomtn.
ate him as its candidate for the
senate next year.
No. Pit arrived with the CRIME
and dust of the Marion county coal
fields upon its fair rnhysioghomyT
was to the effect that former Rep
resentative In congress and for
mer major in the Spanish-Amer-
lean war, NJ. Mansfield Nicely. as
pires to be the nominee OF tho
lDomcratic party in West Virginia
for United States Senator, and(a)
Henry s. Lively, erstwhile cam
Ipaign manager Of Major Neelv and
the latter's law partner, possesses
an expanding and wide-awake nm
Ibition to be tho Democratic nom.
lnee for Representative in Cong
gress from the First district.
All three, 1t Is hardly necessary
10 state so well have their
Accomplishments in the past ad-
Ivertised them, are residents Of
IFairmont, than whom that city has
no male trio prominenter.
This is the duo OF unsupported
rumors which frightened up the
gossip OF tho week. supplying a
novelty for the mentally specula.
tive gentry which It was plainly
apparent that they welcomed to
relieve S.he post Thanksgiving
ldullness in circles where the latest
and newest gossip OF West Virginia
politics, whether 1t be partly true
or absurdly unture, is as the
breath Of life to the nostrils.
The conversational trimmings,
invented probably, to adorn these
Interesting rumors, we're some
thing to the effect that these
Democratic leaders. after survey.
Ing the situation and feeling the
pulse, developed the opinion that
next year will be a better year to
run for office in West Virginia as
minority party candidate. than
1924, it being an "off year" cam
paIgn and not q presidential and
gubernatorial ono. Partisan ties,
lii is assumed, do not bind so
tightly In the biennial arguments
between the two major parties. A
candidate you might say especially
o minority party candidate should
get better run for his money.
Col. Watson 80 ran the chatter,
having gotten two year taste Of
senate membership. and having
valIantly tried full six year taste
Of the high honor, and ms valiantly
failed, has never lost his appetite
/ for it. It is HIS one ambttion-to
be elected from West Virginia for
a full term in tho upper branch Of
the congress. 1t has never ceased
10 bloom, 1t is said, modestly, like
The timid violet by tho roadside,
and now beginning to show signs
Of striving for tho maturity of full
flower.
A practical business man,
though Col. Watson, so goes the
gossip; has looked at the PROPOSE
ton with cool and calculating
scrutiny, and has about arrived at
the conclusion that II he is ever to
realize his ambition to sit In the
United States Senate again, he
must make the attempt next year.
He is getting too far along In
years to, wait until 1926, and does
not consider 1924 nor any presI.
dVntial campaign year as a propI-
tIous for a Democratic senatorial
candidate in West Virginia, There
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