The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-11-19

licans wanted to do little gerry
wandering of their own. Their op.
ponents had been doing it for quite
a number OF years, and It must be
admitted that they did the job fine
and dandy for themselves whenever
they felt the party's needs required
IL, which feeling assailed them not
infIequently.
How to find the man to head the
ticket--onc of extraordinary and SUI
perior attachments and personality
who would make a popular appeal to
the masses. He must have the pic
turesQue qualities Of the hero, the
eloquence and personal magnetism Of
the popular orator Of that hour, by
birth and attainment he must appeal
both 10 the old-time ariStocracy and
the sturdy, blunt and independent
mountain democracy. He had to be
fairly many-sided and exceptional
man to fit the stiff requirements laid
down by those Republican blaze
ItraiIers in a forest pretty dense and
dispiriting with Democratic shadows
and cntanglements. But that was
the kind of man, and only that kind
they figured, that had chance to
be the central figure in fight with .
host of other good men on the ticket
with him, but, who would have less
conspicuous parts to play. The can
didate for the main office in those
days, as 1t is In These times but not
nearly so much so, was the star per-
former. He had to bear tAe brunt OF
the bottle. 1t was almost altogether
up to him to put the enthusiasm into
the campaign (tlley call it the pep
now. If they voted for him, they
would vote 'er straight right down
the line to justice Of the peace. They
didn't do much scratching in those
days.
One would quite naturally think
that they would have had hard time
finding Just the kind Of a man they
wanted that year to run for govern
or. It would be hard to find him
even nOw, when there is deemed to be
such I'm improvement in the male
species generally. But they didn't
nave. He was right there close at
hand-,a prophet not without honor
in his own country.
Nathan Golf OF Carksnurg. had
had a war record which made him Il
heroic figure. He was an aristOcrut
by birth. and democrat in belize
and in practice. IIe was magnetic
and r0quent-no greater nor mora
popular orator has West Virginia
ever had. He had been u district at
t0rney. He had three times, been
elected to the house Of representa-
tives, which showed what inrOads h.
could make in the Democratic
strength. for he couldn't have been
elected had he not received hundreds
and hundreds Of the votes OF the
members of that dominant party. He
had been a member of the presidents
cabinrt-the first West VirGinian up
Till that time to be so highly hon
OrCd. And that was the trOuble--thc
barrier in the way Of the men who
had evolved the great plan and was
working upon it. 1t would look as II
they we're asking good deal OI Il
man who held such a position IN re-
latiUn to public life, to riGht-aDOut-
face and, go back and run for govern
or Of Il state with a few thousand
over half-million population, which
didn't occupy the highly important:
place II does today in the s:SterhoOd
of states. But why ask that of him ?
believe it was Arthur lngraham
Boreman, the war-gOvCrnOr and Ia
ter himself, a United States senator.
who may have asked that Hucstton.
At any rate, Goff was wanted for.
if their plan was to be sprung that
year. GoIr was the only man with
whom they had any chance Of sue
Cccding with it, lie could get the
votes in tho boxes. aud pull through
the legislative candidates, or enough
20 give Republican majority. AMI
if he would undertake to do that.
then it was unanimously agreed that
lie should be the new senator from
West Virginia. That would be no
come down, no turning back. no COM
promising at probable loss to the
honor and dignity Of his career as ii
public man.
While that was at once the
strength of the plan worked up. 1t
was at the same time part of its
weakness, as later proved. Just IN
what proportion it would be difficult
TO state provahly. Cot was acclaim
cd the nominee in riot and race oil
enthusiasm and confidence. And
such Il campaign! Nothing ever be-
fore or since like IL, Bon. fires and
torches wonderful paradcs and still
more marvellous meetings, joint de-