Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-02-04
is A LEADING LAWYER
Prominent in civic Improvement and
Industrial Progress in Home Town
Was A School Teacher.
BY JOHN c. BOND.
The Evening World Bureau.

/
Charleston, lawyer, politician, philan-
| thrcpist, whom the democrats of the
State Legislature have elected to the
Senate Of the United States to sue
coed the Honorable Nathan b. Scott.
As lawyer he ranks omong the lead
| inc men Of his .gofession in the state
and his native country has come to
know him IS tht. friend of the unfor-
tanate. always reaGy to lend aid to the
needy and TO contribute to charitable
purposes
| Mr. Chiffon was born March II,
1885. at ST. Adams, Kaaawha county
When a mere boy his father moved to
Clendenin, then a mere hamlet. but
now the shipping roint of the Roane
and Kanawha county Gil and gas
fields At the age Of L he was back at
/ st Adams and there attended the pub
lie school il winter and spent the sum.
mers on the farm. Later he attended
/ the Charleston public school. but tn
nearest he came to college education
was at Shelton College, st. Adams, an
ancient Baptist school, now extinct.
which was taught by DR.. Reynolds,
now of West Virginia University.
Was Pedaroeue.
From the age of II to q he taught
in the public schools of Kanawha coun
ty, meantime taking up the study of
j law. At the age of % he had been adj
mitted to practice and hung out his
single in the Capital City. Turning
naturally to politics, he was appointed
Pros cutting Attorney in 1888, and the
next year he was the d mocratic 1omi-
nee for that office. TIL ugh living in
county with an increasing republican
majority. he went into the political
game to win and barrinp any compli-
cations which might arise over his
election because of the situation or
condition of the present Legislature,
he will become Senator of the Unit
ed States on the fourth of March next,
end will realize the ambition he has
had for nearly a score of years.
He Stirred Them Up.
In 1886 Mr. Chiffon was a caadi-
date fer the State Senate and was de
feated by Colonel Robert S. Carr, can
didate Of the r publican and greenback
! fGsionists In 1892, the last democrat
ic victory in the state until the recent
landslide, he was chairman of the DEM
ocratic state committee and was APP
pointed Secretary CT State by Cover
nor MacCorkle. Since that time he has
been leading a hopeless fight against
republican majorities until the recent
campaign, and it is admitted by demo
Gratis that it was largely due to his !
planning that the democrats gained
such q sweeping victory
Last summer when it came time to
nominate tickets fer the coming cam
paign the democrats generally showed
the usual what s-the-use'' disposition |
They figured that West Virginia would
remain republican. Not so with Chill !
ton. Going into majority of the
counties of the state, he attempted to
stir up the democratic rank and file to
action. In calling upon the leaders he
was put off without encouragement I'M |
til he called unon Clarence w. Wat /
son, a new figure il the politics OF the |
State, who contracted the Chiffon en- !
thusiasm and joined in the fight. |
Therefore, the friendliness of the two
men, the political friendship which re-
suited in the election of both of them |
to the United States Senate. Chiffon
went into the counties, talking to the
democrats, asking them to pick good
men for office, and then went back and
helped the candidates in the campaign.
His election by the Legislature is re-
ward for party services.
Chiffon has not been without a rival
for the leadership of his party. For
nearly a score of years the leadership
has fallen to Colonel John T. McGraw
OF Grafton, who has been national COM
nitteeman for several years 1t so
turned that McGraw was able to keep
the leadership, though Chiffon was the
democratic power in the Southern half
Of the state. Two years ago Chiffon
lacked single vote in wrestling the
committeeship from the Grafton man
and it SO turned out that Chiffon and
| McGraw were the rival candidates
in the democratic caucus for the long
term in the United States Senate.
Chiffon proved the victor, winning on
the fifth ballot, getting AZ of the 10
votes in the caucus.
Chiffon is developer and promoter
as well as a lawyer and politician. He
has for years taken leading part il
securing new industries for Charles
ton and in making general improve
ments. He is president of the Kama
wha Valley Traction Company, and is
Interested in various public utilities.