The Washington herald., 1914-03-21
Political Procession.
By u, Ii. G.

Political washington-and all Washing
of two big governors-Cox, Of Ohio.
Democrat: Hatfield. Of West Virginia,
Republican. and after comment Is varied,
thanks In great part to what the COVER
nors did not say or permit their adtu-
tants to remark.
The West Virginia governor is a doc
tor in private life and has carried pro-
fessional ethics into political practice.
so that his silence on the condition or
the patient is expected. Also he has
the advantage of the Ohio governor,
thanks to the four-year term In the
Mountain State. while in Ohio the trouble
occurs every two years.
Hatfield has two years coming to him
and both friends and foes fear he may
like official life SO well that he may
reach out for the Senatorial honor In
1916. when Chiffon. Democrat. will be
humping himself to win another term
Both Chiffon and Hatfield come from
Southern West Virginia. which has had
but a small share OF Senatorial homo
since the State was organized In IN Z.
but there are other Republicans south
of the Kanawha who have done much
for the party without reward and who
will Indicate to Hatfield that he Is young
| enough to wait
The Ohio governor had few politicians
in his Ietinue en- route. but was not
lonesome while in Washington, thanks
to the Democratic victory OF 1912, which
sent nineteen Democrats to Congress
from Ohio and only three Republicans
Some OF the present delegation were
absent without sending regrets. but they
have long indicated something more than
Indifference to the Cox organization.
Those who profess loyalty. not overlook
ing the good Cox did for them in fixing
up their districts. were attentive enough
| throughout the governors stay and In
public utterance not only proclaimed the
governors reelection as good as won. but
even began to covert suggestion that
Jimmie might loom up as Presidential
! proposition IL he keeps his grip OH things
in Ohio. Really the frequent intimation
Of the Cox admirers that he may 20 high
| er has stirred up the old Harmon guard
| and also the real admirers of the ma
tional administration. especially those
who helped the Wilson nomination at
Baltimore.
The personal friends Of Gov. Cox hope
| there will be no stopping over and they
count him mighty fortunate to have
| achieved what he has in politics. Just
twenty years ago. in May. he was rail-
| road reporter on a Cincinnati paper and
a good one. Hii home town was Mid
dletown. thirty-four miles up the Miami
Valley. A special election sent Paul
Sorg. millionaire tobacco man. to Con-
gress and Cox came as secretary. Fif-
teen years later Cox came as Congress
man from the same district and then to
the governors chair. Meantime. he has
| built up two newspapers and will not
look for occupation or income IL he goes
out of politics. He Is wise enough to
know that Ohio is normally Republican
State and is about due to elect a Re
publican governor after failing to do so
| in eleven years
The very evident getting together of
Republicans in the State gives Cox warn
ing and several of the Democratic dele
! cation in Congress are nervous about
their districts.
The name OF Massie reappears in the
political bulletins of Ohio. Over one hun.
dred years ago Nathaniel Massie. rugged
! soldier and pioneer. founded Chillicothe,
! on the Scioto. which became the first
! capital OF State then unborn. Years
! later Massie was entitled to the govern
! orship but lost IL by technicalities of the
law. He was called governor. and his
monument overlOoks the town he found
I ed. Near him are buried four governors
| who had been taken from the same vii
| lage-Tifin. Macarthur. WorthinCton. and
, William Allen. The last governor was
Allen chosen in 1873. when an old man,
and since then both political parties have
! tried to add another governor to the
\ record of the county.
| Neal was nominated in lSG. hut failed
of election. Albert Douglas tried hard
enough for the nomination. but came tC
| Congress instead. Now comes the grand
| son OF Chillicothe's founder. ID. Mead
Massie with promise of figuring in the
| campaign for the nomination OF a Re
publican candidate. Massie went wronG
| in the Progressive movement Of two years
ago. but he is both repentant and active
| in the true faith again. His prominence
, in the recent get together meeting al
Columbus set things moving and he may
| take a chance in the primaries with a
| dozen others. He served in the State
senate twenty-five years ago and there
| was promise then of long activity in the
arena. but he held back. He is young
| enough to take fresh grip on thing:
and give the other candidates much tC
| think about before the primaries are held
|