Evening star., 1922-08-27
PRIMARY SYSTEM
NOT DIRECT ISSUE
Neither Party in West Vir-
ginia Committed For or
Against Abolition.
LIKELY TO BOB UP LATER
Nominations in Congressional Dis
tricts Finally Announced-Close
Votes Shown in Many Cases.
Special Dispa tch to The Star.

OCEdGlC StdIS
spectively at Huntington and Charles
ton on August l5-discussion OF the
direct primary law has more earnest
Iy engaged the attention Of the news
papers than the merits of the judicial
chosen on those occasions.
While neither party in convention
itself by platform pledge
for or against the primary, that fs-
sue figured prominently at both meet
ings. and Is certain TO be just as con-
spicuous at the biennial session OF the
legislature next winter.
The democrats expected the repub-
licans to reaffirm the neglected plank
against the primary. adopted at the
Wheeling convention two years ago,
and If that had eventuated. tho mi
nority party purposed to attach pri-
mary advocacy to its Wilsonian plat
form. Failure of the G. o. P. TO meet
this expectation leaves the opposition
party minus a burning" issue.
Former Gov. H. D. Hatfield. who
presided and made the keynote speech
at the Huntington convention. spoke
vigorously for abolition OF the pri-
mary. and in all of the preliminarles
this spirit of antagonism was mani
fest, to the extent at least Of radical
modification of the existing law:
On the other hand. Mrs. William
Gay Brown. defeated candidate for
States senator. and keynote speaker
at the Charleston meeting. stanchly
defended the primary and demanded
its retention. Two davs after the
convention the Charleston Gazette.
controlled by former United states
Senator W. E. Chiffon and an
democracy of West Virginia, came
out editorially in opposition to the
expressed by Mrs. Brown
in defense Of the primary.
II editorial opinions now appear
ing in the press truly reflect public
the passing of the buck"
ture will result either in the repeal
of the present law or. more probably.
in very material modification.
If the primary law is modified. the
plan probably will be to hold pri-
maries at each precinct in the state.
when the voters Of that precinct
could elect men and women from
their own precinct to represent them
at a county convention at which the
county ticket would be nominated.
This county convention would select
delegates to the judicial. congress
sional. senatorial and state conven-
tions-practically the method en-
PASJ GU AOi
Waiting ON Returns.
The secretary OF states ONCE has
been waiting on Putnam county for
complete primary returns on congress-
men. The vote for Representative
woodward, who was renominated in
the fourth district, has been missing
through some clerical error. The
dean Of the West Virginia delegation
In the House is not dependent on
Putnam's showing. however. The
him 12.1so votes to s,sos for 8. T j
Deegan of Huntington. and 1854 for
Senator Edgar r. Stats of Parkers-
burg. George w. johnson Of Park
ersourg. former counsel to the pub
lie service commission, the demo-
cratic nominee in the fourth district
received 1859 votes to 5.537 for for
mer State Senator John D. Sweeney
Of Williamstown and 1.643 for ii.
William Roberts Of Huntington
Robert L. Ramsey of Brooke county
changed his mind about having a re-
count Of democratic ballots in Ohio
county for congressman in the first dis
trict. The board of commissioners of
recount. but neither Ramsey nor his at
torney appeared and the contest was
dismissed. Raymond Kenny Of Graf
ton, ex-army aviator, wins the nomina-
ton by twenty-five votes over Ramsey
and much larger pluralities over E. Nj
tentative Ben L. Rosenbloom was re-
nominated by the republicans Of the
first district by a vote of II, ,e51 to 9.835
for James D. Pariott. the nearest con-
tender. DR.. D. B. Ealy, the third can
didate. got 1.s45 votes.
official returns of the primary cleo
ton on August l gave former Mayor
c. NJ. Seibert of Martinsbure the
democratic nomination for Congress
in the second district over r. &. L
Allen, president of the Morgantown
Chamber of Commerce. Corrected re-
turns tabulated this week award the
7.O8S votes to 7.043 for Seibert. Other
results for Congress stand as first an
nounced.
1t is noteworthy that in the sixth
district the two parties
were only $50 votes apart in their
The democrats cast 21,702
votes and the republicans 21,s52. Rep
mated by a vote Of 1924, or a ma
jority of 1896 over his two opponents.
NJ. F. Matheny and Miss Hattie Stein.
]. Alfred Taylor of Fayetteville won
the democratic nomination nearly as
decisively. He also had two com
Curtis of Beckley
and DR.. c.. F. McClintic of Williams
burg.
Socialists Platform PIanks.
The abolition of the United States
Senate is pledged by a platform con-
at a recent state and dis.
trict meeting Of socialists held at
for "a constitutional amend
ment prohibiting the Supreme Court
from declaring as unconstitutional
laws passed by the representatives Of
the people,; also for "the recognition
of soviet Russia and the resumption
of trade with that country with
other declarations on state issues
J. c. Chase Of Ridgley was nomi-
mated for Congress in the second. dis
trict: Sam H. Goodwin Of Elkins, was
selected to run for state senator from
The thirteenth district, and Loman
aartsaw of Beverly for house Of dele
gates from Randolph county; DR.. M. s.
Holt of Weston was nominated for
governor and other selections for
L convention held some time ago in
his city.
The corrupt practices act of West
Virginia requires candidates at pri.
nary or general elections to file q
second statement Of receipts and cx-
with the secretary Of state
not later than thirty days after such
but up to yesterday only one
If the seven candidates for the United
States Senate had complied with this
provision. Matthew M. Neely, the
senatorial nominee, re-
ported mo contributions and q dis
oursement of $996.36.
OF the congressman renominated,
who have fled. woodward expended
I656.S2; Goodykoonts, who had no OBJ.
position In the nth district, 1901. so;
Echols, $1s3.80: Rosenbloom, $31l.2O.
Raymond Kenny. democratic nominee
n the nrst district. certified to an out
lay Of $620.S6, and q contribution
rom w. 8. Stone Of $500. r. e. L. AL
en, democrat, second district, spent