The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-02-02

part of West Virginia which has been
strongest in furnishing Republican
majorities and that part which has
been SO unjustly criticised as wild
and woolly," the Norfolk & Western
section. Senator H. d. Hatfield, the
compromise president of the Senate.
comes from Mcdowell county as does
Delegate James A. strother, whom
the Republicans of the House voted
for for speaker, making him their
door leader.
Blow to Wiley.
Mcdowell and Mingo counties led
in Republican majorities in the last
election, 1t was in these counties
that Rankin Wiley, Democratic can
1idate for Congress, who is contest
ing the election Of Congressman
Hughes, claims gross frauds in the
election were perpetrated and that
Hughes owes his majority to those
frauds. Hatfield is the political lead
ar of Mcdowell and has been accused
Of manipulating the elections in favor
Of the Republicans. 1t is blow to
Wileys contest that the Democrats
Of the State Senate chose Hatfield as
the Republican who would be most
tair with them in presiding over the
sessions of that body. Republicans
who are Interested in the Wiley
Hughes contest ask how it is that
Hatfield was chosen as probably the
most fair of the Republicans If he is
such political corrupticnist at home.
Hatfeld's selection is taken as a vic
.ory for Hughes as we'll as for the
Republicans in settling the State Sen
ate middle.
strother's Big Majority.
In the last election strother for
House of Delegates had a majority of
SPAS in Mcdowell county. In Mingo
the Republican majority was 1900
Tor Goodykuntz for the House. Two
years ago the majorities were nearly
as large. Notwithstanding the fact
hat the Republicans in Mcdowell
have been charged with being insur-
gents against the state administra-
zion, they have stood up on election
day and the honors returned by the
selection of Hatfield as president of
he senate and Strother as floor lead
er is looked upon by the Republicans
as deserved recognition of party
services. 1t is true that Hatfield was
designated as president by the Demo-
Gratis and that he was not the Repub-
lican caucus nominee. But he was
not candidate for the Office and an
ncunced preference for desk on
The floor
Further recognition of the southern
tier of counties may come when the
legislature again votes for United
States senators. 1t is safe to say
that Watson and Chiffon will be
elected by the Democrats but the Re-
publIcans will vote the next time. 1t
has not yet been decided whether or
not the Republicans will caucus but
1t is a foregone conclusion that some
southern man, likely Isaac T. Mann
Of Bramwell, will get a good COM
plimentary vote for one OF the terms.
Intellectual Side.
So much for the political side OF
the Norfolk & Western section in
general and Mcdowell county in par
ticular. The intellectual side Of that
section has been called into question
many occasions, 1t has been charged
that Mcdowell county is the hotbed of
crime and that the stranger who
ventures into that section takes his
life in his hands. No statement could
be farther from te truth, Mcdowell
county has population of some 49,
900 and of this number perhaps 3d.
900 to $4,000 are negroes and foreign
srs employed in the mines. The rest
are people just as intelligent, with
just as high standard Of morals as
ian be found in the country.
True, some years ago that was the
home Of various fueds which were
waged to the death of the participants
But that has all passed. In Mcdowell
county hardly 700 persons are found
who are of the native born. The
natives have either sold out their
holdings, which proved valuable, and
moved to western states or have
taken up the hum Of industry and are
developers. Some of the most val,
uable
Coal and Timber Lands
in the country are in that county and
they are being rapidly developed
The large majority of white American
born residents OF the county have
come in from Pennsylvania, Mary.
land, Virginia and Ohio or have gone
there from the northern half of the