The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-04-09
RISE;
.0fFc. w. SWisher to Eminence
Life Shows the Fine Quail
tiles Of a True American.

Leading candidate for the Republican
nomination for governor, having over
200 delegates pledged to him at this
time, Is one Of the picturesque and
romantic figures in the politics OF
his state.
His rise In business and politics
has been one of those meteorlc af-
fairs which challenges the attention
and admiration OF the people. More
particularly is this. true of his sue
cess in the political field: In a COM
paratively few years he has arisen
from obscurity to the most conspicu-
Gus place in public attention. From
councilman In Fairmont to member
ship in the West Virginia House Of
Delegates: then State Senator defeat
ing Congressman George c. Sturglss
for the nomination in memorable
battle; then a brilliant campaign for
the nomination of Secretary of State,
distancing all competitors before the
convention, and receiving an en-
thusiastic and unanimous nomination
at the hands of that great body of
representative partymen who as
sembled at Wheeling-that, in brief.
is the political career. of Charley"
swisher up to date. But it is not
completed, 1t appears. Signs. nc
cording to many astute politicians.
point to his certain nomination. In
the general election OF four years ago
Mr.. Swisher's majority was over
$4,000.
The success OF Mr.. SN!sher is bas-
ed on manly qualities: clean and
useful official record In every Office
that he has held; a genial, sunshinny
frank nature; and an interchangeable
energy which means that he Is a
hustler" There is no manana in
the program of his life; he does to-
day without putting Off till timorrow.
He possesses to a large degree those
indefinable elements which comboned
go to make up what is called per
sonal magnetism"
AS political organizer, there is
none better unless it he Governor
William NJ. o. Dawson. Mr.. SSisher
runs his own campaigns; he has no
managers. He Is the head OF his
own organization, and the organizing
genius he has demonstrated when
himself candidate, he can use es
successfully for others. AS one con-
spicuous example: He took up SEN.
ator ]. H. McDermott and made him
president Of the State Senate after
one of the sharpest fights that ever
TOOK place at the organization of
that body. McDermott was young
member, inexperienced, but Mr..
Swisher knew his man. He guaran-
teed that McDermott would make
good. and he did. McDermott is the
best president the State Senate has
had in many years.
Charles Wesley swisher was born
in Marion county, May 90. 1867.
His father was a farmer and fought
in the Union army. Ills parents
were poor and humble people, but
respected for their sturdy virtues by
all who knew them. They could
give their son none of the oppor-
tunities, and he worked on the farm
and in the coal mines in the neigh
borhood, driving mule car in ard
out Of the mines hauling black dia-
monds from the dark cayerns o: the
earth. With advancing years he
took up the pick and became min
err. Then he became mine boss,
and latterly superintendent of the
mine in which he begin work as a
mule boy"
In this connection. and at this
juncture in this article, 1t may be
mentioned that the 10000 miners in
West Virginia are personally inter-
ested in the success of his candidacy
for the gubernatorial nomination.
The state has had governors who
have arisen from humble walks (al-
though most of the governors have
been lawyers). 1T has had farmers
and printers, Dawson was a cooper;
but this is the first time in its his
tory when 1t is likely to have coal
miner in the executive chair. 1t is
appropriate. however. that the state
should have a practical miner for.
governor. since its greatest resource
is coal and Its greatest industry coal
mining; and the administration of
the laws of the state has much to do
with the mining business in all its
varied and important phases.
After rising to the superintendency
of a mine. Mr.. Swisher removed to
Fairmont and became real estate
dealer. His business had most to DO
t.,tat.