The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-08-01
UNJUST "A TTACKS
ON DIR. HATFIELD
Ministers Show Quite Con-
clusively the Exponent i
Here is Making.

1
fear you have been led into err
ror in asserting in your editorial col
umns OF 8 few days ago an extract
from the clarksburg Exponent I'M
Favorable to the gubernatorlaI cam
didacy of DR.. II. ID. Hatfield, on the
ground OF his alleged hostility to
prohibition, For, in the first In
stance, the. opposition of the Expo
nent to DR.. Hatfield is partisan. the
Exponent being Democratic news.
paper; and in the next place, unless
am very greatly in error. the zeal
of the Exponent for the prohibition
cause is altogether new and no:
natural to 1t. If, indeed, the
Harrisburg Exponent has Joined the
prohibition ranks am more than
glad.
Some months ago i instituted ex-
ItensEve personal Investigations in
order to ascertain the attitude OF
candidates toward the ratification
of the prohibition amendment and
the liquor traffic in general. No
whore did find a more hearty and
thoroughly satisfactory response
than the case of DR.. Hatfield.
/ received a personal letter from
his pastor, the Rev. H. B. Brown.
dated April Is. He is in charge o.
the Methodist Episcopal church.
South. at ,Bckham. He says: "I
hnd the doctor an intelligent, broad
minded, strictly temperate. upright
and moral mana man that Will
do the right regardless of corrup.
influences that might be brought to
bear upon him." And again: 81
write this letter that you may know
in what light his pastor regards him.
| feel that we need more men of Dr.
Hatfield's caliber in office and shou d
like to see him win"
But this is not all. So far as I
have been able to learn. DR.. Hatfield
twas the only candidate for governor
who issued a clear statement in his
platform on the liquor question.
This he did on April in the follow.
ing terms:
II Liquor.
"The last legislature having sub
mitted to q vote of the people the
proposition to SO amend the states
CONSTITUTIONS to prohibit the manu-
facture and sac OF intoxicating
liquors. this question is With the
people to decide. Personally l do
not use liquors in any form.s If
nominated and elected governor of
West Virginia and the prohibition
amendment prevails, i shall use
every means at my command to
make the sale and distribution OF
Intoxicating liquors absolutely i'm
possible ..cc~
| "on the other hand. should tho
amendment not prevail, / shall favor
a stringent local option law and H.
cense law that will limit the right
to sell liquors to persons who will
fully comply with the requirements
of the statutes, which should be
framed with view of rigid control
and restriction OF such traffic"
Nor is this all. 4 have had both,
correspondence and personal con-
versatton with Dr. H. 10. HSzield
on this subject. He speaks without
reserve. he says thatShe went to
the stale senate with instructions to
vote against submission. Now many
of us would have resigned before we
would have so voted, but am
simply attempting to give DIR. Hat
feds point of view. Here is his
statement to me on more than ono
occasion: Then l represented the
people who are 'wet'-now 4 come
before the people OF the whole state,
and am free to vote my sentiments.
4 am going to vote for the amend
ment. Furthermore. II it carries.
and I am elected governor. ! will
call on the whole state militia, ifI
necessary, to make 1t effective"
This statement is worth Just as
much as Dr. tHatfeld's word Is
worth. Il am not writing this re-
joinder to support the candidacy OF
DR.. Hatfield. Least of all would 1
attempt to defend everything he has
done in this respect or other re-
spects. But Il do insist on giving
him justice in this matter. Many
of the strongest temperance men are
supporting him. believing him to be
friendly to the prohibition amend
ment and tower OF strength for
the cause should he be elected gov.
ernor.
In reporting his position / am ylo-
lating no confidence, for DR.. Hatfield
-