The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-16
E|N[|N|ESOFGO'V.
D|EF|EDS IN HIS.
LABOR ADDRESS ]
Attacks Subsidized Press
And Declares Will Fight
To a Finish.
AsKS.s!UIPI'P0|R.I.0FPE PEOPLE
SAYS HE rs NOT AFTER PoLIT1
lcAL HoNoRs-FleHTs
FOR CITIZENS.
ASKSSUPP0RT8OFPE0P

Sk1AttLE61ONtN w. fd.t rep. -4ut :
GOV. ii. d. Hatfield, in an address
yesterday to the annual convention
Of the West Virginia Federation of
Labor, said:
ut Is true i am not admired; 1t is
true that i am! not courteously treated
by the ssubsidizedl press of West vir.
ginia; Il Is true i have beenTrefiected
upon and maligned; it is true that
every possible effort has been made to
coerce me, but I want to say that so
long as ! keep my health and can
stand up for my rights. I shall be
fighting for the rights OF the people.
No newspaper, subsidized as 1t may
be, can dictate my principles, nor
what shall do as Governor Of West
Virginia. Iidoinot need, nor do i want
their support; what I want Is the sup.
port of the 100000 or 100000 people
such as you are to stand up with ms
and fight for the rights of men against
the property rights.
u do not hesitate to stand up and
protect an industry when 1t stands
for the right thing, but / cannot favos
those that have no feeling for the
rights Of others.s
The governor intimated he had in.
formation that a few persons banded
together and backed by predatory
wealth are having their positions Civ.
en- the public through the Subsidized
press" ofsWestS Virginia In an effort to
create o sentiment against him and
the state administration.
What i ask you to do,n" the govern.
or continued. .is to investigate the
tiewspapers. Turn on the light and
see what principles our institutions
stand upon, whether they be newspa.
pers Interpretations.
by doing oIyou will blaze the path
as II neYerswas blazed before, and by
the grace OF God and through men OF
your class, West Virginia will come
into Its own and be a shining light to
look upon.
Tt e not political preference am
looking forward to, gentlemen, 1t is
the rights OF the people Of West Vir.
ginia. .-s
lido not ask any boost of the press
In West Virginia, I do not cater to any
Of them. This battle has been an
irksome one and ] have had to fight, it
out practically alone, even through
the legislature. but we will be fighting
on the last day Of the legislature as
we did on the first. The battle has
Just commenced. and we get to the
end Hatfield will still have a few
friends. lam gaining new ones every
day.
They're after me, but I am not
AFRAID. I have lost no sleep through
any fear, but have been sleeping but
six hours q! day for long time, deyot.
ing all my other time to the work OF
my office.
When it{ Is all over the blame they
are trying to saddle on me will
be placed on the right shoulders.
know where the responsibility lies,
and g Judas. representing capital OF
over $4,000 0!swill have to bear the
burden. Unholys alliances that have
sad the heel Of oppression on our
necks cannot succeed in their unholy
purpose to destroy this administra,
tion.' n :, y 4 4.
The governor did not name the cor.
poration he referred to. IIe offered
the federation delegates advice on pol.
itics and called attention to the sa.
credness Of the ballot, saying they
should Ito the polls on election day
whether the factories and mines clos.
ed or not. He intimated his opposi.
tion 70 military operations during
strikes and ealies attention to the
fact that he did not confirm the find.
ings Of the military court in cases Of
miners convicted by that tribunal
for offenses committed during the
strike of 1918. n
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