The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1911-12-23
ANNOUNCEMENT PROVES
BIG EVENT OF WEEK.
Enters Race Free From Factional
Ties. Having support of
Southern Counties.
Declared Taft Views With Favor
Entrance of Newest Guberna-
torial Candidate.
CHARLES BROOKS SMITH,

~ y
PARkERSBURG. W. Va Dsc .,
Inc announcement by Presiden, or
,he state Senate "a. II Hatfield thar
ne VIII De a candidate In the Republi-
can primary next June for tho nop,t-
hd'loh Tor Governor overshadows I'm
importance any other political hannen-
lns or speculation OF the week \,
was ioreshadowed 20 a certain ex,ert
o! the quotation from a confldenti.I
.ettr from a close friend OF DIR Hat
neIu' "hich was published in INV last
correspondence, and which stated
win emphasis that III certain cIrcun,-
stances should develop DIR UotaaIt
VIII be a candidate" The "cerfai,
circumstances seem 10 have even,u-
a'ed more rapidly than the writer OF
,nst Ietter evidently thought az the
,'he OF It's writing. What they were
H. pi course. speculative at this time.
" may be guessed with reasonable
accuracy. however. that the confer
ence held in Washington last Monday
had much. but by no means ALI 10
DO with Dr Hatfeld's decision. WbiI,
there was strong sentiment for him
among the Conferees, II was nv M
means unanimous. DR. Hatfield went
10 Washington with his mind very
much prepared for the decision that
ne has announced. II is likely thar
a conference he had with his close
friend and political and business asso-
ciais. Isaac T. Mann. prior 20 the de-
parture Of both for the East, was the
final determining factor
Candidacy Effected
Close students OF the game looked
for just what happened. when Mann
gave out brief interview before leav.
Ing Bluereld. in which he stated that
the time had come when the great Re-
Dublican southern end OF the State
should ask for recognition and honor
from the party. and that IL should put
forth It's biggest and its strongest
nan for the eovernorship and that
man was no other than Hatfield. OF
Eckman. That not only was this rec
ognitlon due TO the southern section
because OF its overwhelming Republi-
"7n vote. and the unfailing loyalty OF
the partymen OF that section. but It's
vast Industrial importance and mar
velous pOpulous growth as disclosed
by the last census justified that re-
gion in asking for a larger and more
important part In conducting the az
fairs OF the State government.
might have had no significance for the
shrewd student Of contemporary poll
tics. but coming from Isaac T. Mann
II was different. He Is no talkative
party-very much ike Hatfield In that
respect-and when he sees fit 10 give
an interview, there is reason for
his doing IL. lie doesn't give inter-
views except when there Is something
OF importance doing. and he speaks to
prepare the way for whatever action
10 contemplated. And then he makes
his statements concise. clear and to
the point he has In mind Those who
know the man and his methods OF
doing things AZ once saw in his state
ment that Hatfield would most likely
an1Ounce himself I'm the race at no
distant date. and their surmise has
been now sufficiently justified No
man has the weight with Hatfield that
Isaac T. Mann has. and this sentence
is equally as true n n be reversed.
Public Demand for Hatfield.
Then there was another element
working TO draw Hatfield into the con-
test. and that was the vigorous de-
mands OF dOwn-state editors or tho
party that their section should have
a candidate for governor and that
Hatfield was the candidate they
This has been going on for
a number OF weeks and II was bound
10 have its effect on the party mind
as well as on Dr Hatfield. There was.
IN consequence. n strong and aroused
sentiment for him so strong and so
much aroused that no man who has
enjoyed the confidence of his neigh
bors a. he has. who has lead them.
with them. directed their
actions IN blk public questions. and
has been 50 honored by them. could
we'll hold out longer against what
amounted practically 10 their peremp-
tory orders. That may sound ~ folks
upstate as stating % strongly. but
mat o. not the case nor would they
have such an idea u they Were CON
versant with just what the situation