The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-05-03
INENCAnDI.D|.I|A|:|
FOR SENATE IN
new YORK CITY
Huntington Mattress Manu-
facturer to Stop in Fair
mont on Way Home
gy CHARLES BROOKS SMITH

BY CHARLES BROOKS SMITH
WASHINGTON. D. c.. May g.
| Charles Frederick Edwards. the
Huntington mattress manufacturer,
! whose probable candidacy for the
Republican nomination for United
! States Senate in West Virginia has
! supolied the first real novelty and
surprise 10 the politicians and the
/ public in that state, is now in New
York, where he went to meet mis-
wife and children. His last day in
! the capital was busy one. He,
! saw and talked with large num-
i Der of West Virginians connected
with the affairs of the G. o. P. in.
West Virginia.
! He announced as lie departed
;ter a few hours spent there, and
would return home by way Of
! Wheeling, Fairmont, ClarksbuTs
! and Parkersburg. He plans to ar
rive in Huntington Saturday morn
/ ing, where he will go into confer
! ence at once with party leaders.
and his decision to become a cam
didatc or to stay out of the contest;
will be made.
The Republican executive COM
! mittee Of Cabeu County has been
called to meet Saturday afternoon
Should Mr.. Edwards decide to
stand as q candidate for the sena-i
torial nomination, it is understood
here that the local committee VIII
i formally launch his candidacy with
/ a timely and becoming set of re7o-
/ lutions.
! In that event. the plan of Mr..
Edwards and his friends is said
to be based on his appeal for sup
i port of the party voters on the
jstrengtn of his successful career
{, as a business man; to put forth the
/ argument that successful govern
men1 i. nothing more or less than
successful business on the largest
scale. and that business men
should be called into the public
service to apply their experience
and training to the science and ad-
ministratiol of governmental at
F., fairs.
Not only did Mr.. Edwards see
and talk with Republicans prom
inent in the Republican organiza-
ton in West Virginia while he was
/; in Washington, but it is also re-
ported that he called on more than
/ one official high i'll the administra-
/ ton. AS an indication of how far
the proposed Edwards candidacy
has progressed. it is gossiped
among the politicians that it has
I been pra ctical1y settled that If Ed
wards goes ins his campaign will
be managed by c. l.. Topping Of
Charleston Mont. Toppings last
| managerial effort was in behalf Of
w F Hitc OF Huntington. who
was Senator SutheTland's strongest
opponent whom Sutherland success
/ fully contested for the nomination
The origin of the Edwards boom
was at a conference held at Hunt
1 ington last Saturday in which
! group of party leaders who oppose
! Senator Sutherland. and do not
take to the Lilly candidacy at all;
participated. The oonferees are
J reported to have been W. F. Hite.
IL T. Vinson. H c. Ogden, Ed
ward Cooper E. A. Brast. DR.. Fl
e. Hatfield. MoGF mis- Hatfield,
lib. R. Bias, c.. Fred Edwards.
Dave Gideon and oneor two others
In talks with party men here.
they report that Mr.. Edwards
} talked to them as if there is M:
likely to be any obstacle develop
} to keep him out of the going. They
said that he made no other claims
for qualifications other than that
he had been a business man, .
lifelong Republican, and had no
) party factional scars on his escut-
cheon. He did not claim, they
said to having ever been a politl-
clan in the comon acceptance of
the term, nor to any particular
knowledge of the politicians meth,
DDS. He did lay stress on his life
long interest and study of public
questions. such as those of govern
ment which affected in a practical
way business and industry, advanc-
, ed the argument that ii was the
duty of the American citizen to be
, interested in his government and
to render it service unselfishlJ-
should the opportunity offer
The entrance of Edwards into
the race. should that event llapper.
as now seems most probable. will
put the third candidaFe in the field
: and make it a three-cornared af-
!, fair with Sutherland and Lilly &C
: cupying the other two corners.
: Wh ether that situation would tend
, to induce others to take shot
at the nomination, time alone can
> tell. That matter is being argued
: pro and con by the State politl :
clans here. but the argument leads
nowhere particularly and decides
: nothing. 1t is Mixed OF as being
, one of the hopes of the Edwards
!. hackers that his entrance into the
( race might. should his candidacy
develop notable strength in its In
d initial stage. prove to be an argu-
ment to Lilly and his hackers that
this year IS not Lilly year, and
). result in his withdrawing, more or
less era cefully and good humored
ly from the, picture.
West virginians are looking foT-
i. ward to the outcome OF the Repub-
lican comittee meeting Saturday
at Huntington, and Mr.. Edwards
return there that day for the met
: ing, with curiosity whetted to
keen edge.