Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1912-10-15


gress to Republican Candidate for
Governor and His Record on coun-
ty Court Turn Many Of His Own
Party Against Him.
There is probably no more bitter
opposition to the election Of DIR. III. d.
Hatfield as governor in any part OF
+: the state than there is In his home
| county of Mcdowell, where he is bet
ter known than anywhere else in West
Virginia. 1t is estimated by various
! persons in Mcdowell county that
from one thousand to sixteen hundred
Republicans In that county will vote
! against DR.. Hatfield's election in No
vember. Some place the number as
high as sixteen hundred, and it is
scarcely possible to find anyone who
will venture a prediction below one
thousand.
! The opposition to DIR. Hatfield in his
home county amounts almost to a
popular uprising. The opposition Is
not confined to any one class of per
sons, but even among the list of Office
holders, elected as Republicans and
processing allegiance to the Repub.
lican party at the present time. there
are persons openly declaring they will
not support DIR. Hatfield and election
eering for his opponent. To anyone
not acquainted with the situation 1t is
astonishing to see the strength oil
the opposition to the Republican nom
Tree for governor at his own home.
| Friends of the governor insist that
the primary election at which he was
nominated, shows his strength in Nc.
powell county. 1t is true that in this
primary the returns showed a very
heavy vote for DR.. Hatfield. much
heavier, in fact, at many precincts
than the registration as shown for all
parties combined In the same pre-
cincts. 1t was not unusual for pre-
cincts in Mcdowell at the primary
election to give larger vote to DR.
Hatfield than the total vote Of all par
ties cast at any previous election and
larger than the registration Of all
voters at the present time. This Is
the boosted popularity of this candi
date at home.
Opposition Shown In Primary.
On the contrary, the returns from
this same primary election showed
that more than twelve hundred per
sons voted against Dr. Hatfield In
hcDnUon county for tho pomin q II i'm
for governor. If there were that many
! Republicans who voted against him In
the primary election, it should be nc
surprise to learn that fully that many
J Republicans will vote against him in
the general election.
F, The opposition to DIR. Hatfield in
his home county arose largely out oil
his public record as a member of the
county court of Mcdowell county fol
many years, and as political leader OF
his party In that county. 1t Is charged
that DR.. Hatfield used his power to
grant or refuse liquor licenses, when
o member of the county court, to at
tain political ends. 1t Is charged by his
fellow-citizens that no one could Sc.
cure or retain liquor license from the
! court while he was member OF 1t, or
while he controlled its members, with
cut performing many political services
and assisting financially and other
wise in the campaigns under DR.. Hat
fields leadership. The character OF
the places where the liquor business
was conducted under licenses granted
by him has brought almost as bad a
name upon Mcdowell county as have
the political methods employed in the
elections for years past. The licens-
proprietors we're used In politics to
further the political aspirations OF the
boss of Mcdowell county, has done
| as much to antagonize the people Of
Mcdowell as have the political meth
DDS which have been such as to bring
upon him the official condemnation OF
the United States.
"Neither Fair Nor Honest"
It will be remembered that it was
a mixed committee of both Republi-
cans and Democrats which reported to
congress that the testimony as to DIR.
Hatfeld's political methods in Nc
Dowell county raised strong pre-
sumption that the conduct of the
election was to be neither fair nor
honest"
Tired of bearing a bad name and
OF having the politics OF the county
run along the methods which had
been employed In the past, the people
Of Mcdowell are crying out to the
rest of the state to help them IN their
fight against the leader whose meth
DDS have brought them into disre-
pute. Mcdowell county citizens pro-
test against the election Of DIR. Hat
field to the governorship, basing their
objections upon their own experience
with him In public life. They are call
Ing upon the rest of the state to as
sist them in their rights and are ap-
pealing to the voters in West Virginia
TO investigate fully the public record
Of the man they know SO well. who is
the Republican nominee for governor,
before supporting him at the polls in
November.
Every effort is being made by Dem
ccrats and Republicans to prevent any
repetition of the frauds which have
characterized Mcdowell county cleo
| t.