The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-08-29

Interesting PoIitical and Other News
From washington.

CON0iONo5AON6n ftHEOfSL.
Interesting Political and Other News
From Washington.
Geo. W. Summers.
/ Repubiicansl and Democrats alike
Fare members OF the House Committee
on Elections, which has had the con-
tested election case of Rankin Wiley
against James A. Hughes under con.
federation, have Joined In condemna.
ton OF the political methods EN-
ployed by DIR. H. ID. HATFIELD, Repub.
lican and Bull Moose nominee for
Governor and the general political
conditions in the fifth congressional
district. The Committee, which
consists OF six Democrats and three
Republicans has presented a unani.
nous report to Congress which was
adopted by the House OF Representa-
tives without objection on the part
OF any one. This means that there
was not q Republican in the entire
House of Representatives who disa-
greed with the report made by the
Committee. This report, referring to
DR.. Hatfield, who is now the nomi-
nee of two political parties for gov
ernor of West Virginia, but is sup
porting only one candidate for Pres
ident, says:
"The testimony shows that this
same DIR. HATFIELD was very active in
the actual conduct OF the election in
Mcdowell county, and the refusal to
appoint Democratic challengers rails
es strong presumtion that the
conduct Of the election was to be
neither fair nor honest
This is not partisan charge made
by Democrats, but Is the official re-
port unanimously concurred in by
Democrats and Republicans alike af-
ter more than year of investigation
and after the hearing of witnesses
whose testimony made nearly thou
sand pages. And this mans official
conduct was such as to cause Repub-
licans to say that there was ground
for presumption that the election, of
which he had charge in his county
The same Committee roundly crit
icized conditions In Mingo county,
which is one of the few counties In
the southern end of the state which
Ore always relied upon to give Re-
publican majorities in state elections
Regarding this county the Committee
|of both Democrats and Republicans
said:
During the course of the argu-
ment Mingo county was eliminated
as factor in this case by the adj
mission of counsel for the contestee
that fraud was committed i'm that
county in the interest OF contestee
and that 1t was SO fragrant and out
rageous that the returns from the
nine precincts where the frauds were
Hpereptrated ought to be excluded in
counting the vote for the contestant
and contestee. But the fraud and
corruption was of such a serious
character that the committee deems
It its duty to refer to the conditions
In the nine precincts as disclosed by
the testimony and admissions Of
counsel -
Within the last few days John d.
Archbold,t President of the Standard
Oil Company, has stated under oath
Ito Senate Committee which has
been investigating campaign SUBJ
|scriptions that his Co. was given
credit by leading West Virginia Re-
|pubhcans with having carried West
Virginia for the Republican party in
1904. Mr.. Archbold told the COM
mittee that the. Standard Oil Compa-
ny contributed $4,000 to the Re-
publican. .camaign fund In 1904, do
ing SO with the full knowledge and
approval Of Mr.. Roosevelt and that
the same Company was subsequently,
requested, with the, knowledge of
Mr.. Roosevelt, to add $4,000 to its
contribution. Speaking of the con-
ditions in West Virginia in the same
year when Mr.. Roosevelt was a can
didate for President and w. M. O..
Dawson was the Republican nominee
for Governo of West Virginia, Mr..
Archbold said:
Scott and Elkins. too, were both
inclined to give us credit for going
into West Virginia with enough Re-
publicans to turn the tide from the
Democracy to the Republican party
in that State"
1t has been contended by Domo-
Gratis ever since the election of
1904 that the Standard Oil Company
was responsible for the result in
West Virginia that year, but 1t re-
manned for Mr. Archbold to give not
only his own testimony to the same
effect. but to explain the belief OF
Senator Scott and Elkins that this
was true.
The question now Is whether The
odore Roosevelt and his manager,
NV; M. O. Dawson, who once obligated
themselves to the Standard Oil Co.
in consideration OF the carrying of
West Virginia by that Company,
would now be willing to obligate
themselves to the Steel Trust, the
Harvester Trust or any other trust
which might make large contribu-
tons to their campaign and assist in
carrying the State for the combined
Bull Moose and Republican tickets.
The sub Committee of the House
judiciary Committee, which has had
under consideration Congressman
IHamdIfon,c rnSolntfnn nr0ysd{ca fo.