The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-08
Our Governor n Inc Centennial,

our governor fds Idcl0J alF' Wil1VHi
seems to have been lost TO sight or at
least 10 the notice Of the usually alert
reporters Of New York, while at the
Centennial, West YirEinians would
have felt a certain pride had their
State been hopored by having their act
ing Governor made much Of, as were
the Governors Of other States, but they
were doomed to disappointment, The
fame OF Governor Wilson had not reached
New York,
tits related that the Centennial Com
mittee were even at loss to decide
among themselves as to which OF the
numerous claimants they would recog'
nlze as the proper one, should they all
happen To turn up demanding the hon.
ors, or whether, indeed, West Virginia
had a Governor at all,
In the rush incident to the prepara'
tons for the Centennial during the pre-
ylous few months they had not read the
current news in the papers and were
not aware that the little middle out
here in West Virginia had been tempo
rarily settled and that Governor Wilson
was stillserving, Perhaps that accounts
for the fact that West Virginia had no
representative at the reception to the
Southern Governors; that she was
not even invited TO participate, and that
her voice was not heard among the
after dinner orators. It may account
also, in a measure, for the fRct thatin all
the New York newspaper accounts, as
well as in the Associated Press dis
patches, Ex-Governor ]. B. Jackson was
described as riding at the head Of the
West Virginia troops, when in reality
that distinguished citizen was quietly
reposinG In the bosom Of his family at
his home In arkersburg, several hun
dred miles from the scene Of the grand
review.
The reporters and the committee
knew that the Governor Of West Viz.
glnia was to lead our soldier boys, and
when they marched by the reviewing
stand with proud steps they knew, II
the programme was being carried out,
the Governor was surely there, mounted
on a prancing steed and surrounded by
his staff. They saw the stal, and in all
probability they gazed upon the hand.
some form OF the Governor-but who
was he? What was his name2 Re,
viewing the history Of events since the
sixth Of last November, they were Inn
pressed with the idea that there were
several Of him, but which OF his com.
ponent parts was 1t mounted upon that
steed2 Who was the Governor Of West
Virginia, anyhow Was his name GolF,
or Wilson, or Fleming, or Carr, orr
what? Time was passing rapidly and
there was none for research. Somebody
remembered that the name Of Jackson
figured conspicuously in the political
annals Of West Virginia, and down went
the name Of Jackson in the reports as
the Governor who was representing
West Virginia. l
And SO It was that Governor Wilson,
while there in person, was thought OF
only as his predecessor in Office, and
known not by his true name or recog.
nized in his true official capacity. While
Foraker, and Lee, and Hill, and Hovey
and all the balance were being cheered
along the line as Foraker and Lee and
Hill aud Hoyey, Governor Wilson was
being greeted and cheered as ex.G Gov
ernor Jackson, and in the history Of that
great occasion there Is no record that
West Virginia was officially represented
by any other than an ex. Governor.
Such Is famel ~