Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1916-02-26
KANAWHA LEADERS
PUT SK|DS UNDER
HATFIELD CROWD
BIG BOSSES FAIL TO LINE UP THE
STATE HOUSE EMPLOYEES
FOR ROBINSON.
RECKLESS EXPENDITURE OF THE
PEOPLES MONEY SHOWN BY
GENERAL IlLLY'S FRIENDS
HATFiELD'S POPULARITY WAN
ING WHILE ATTORNEY GEN
ERALS GROWS DAILY.
Especial TO The World.)

Especial 10 The World)
CHARLESTON, w Va. Feb. e.
Political discussion AT the state capt
toll this week has been largely contin-
ed TO the action Of the Kanawha Re.
publican organization in the announce
ment that IL would support the can
dldacy of Attorney General A. A, Lii
ly for the governorship
The action of Kanawha county,
right under the shadow of the capitol.
is expected to have depressing effect
on the Robinson candidacy. For
weeks strong efforts had been made
by the state house crowd TO line 1lp
the Kama wha organization for Judge
Robinson, but the sentiment in the
city of Charleston and the country
districts OF the county was so wide.
spread for General Lilly that the Ka-
nawha leaders admitted that it would
be impossible to stem the tide of Lii
ly sentiment.
When the Kanawha leaders met and
canyassed the situation II was found
that the large majority of the Repub-
lean workers in the county were for
General Lilly for governor. The Re.
publican districts were reported To
be for him almost to a man. His
candidacy has united every faction of
the party in Kanawha county and
with the organization friendly to his
candidacy il WIN mean 5000 majority
for Lilly in Kanawha county.
Together with the Lilly victory in
kanawha county the followers Of the
attorney general are jubilant over the
failure of Governor Hatfield to con
troll the organization in his home
county of Mcdowell whore a commit
tee meeting was held last Saturday.
The committee in Mcdowell was
tie and Governor Hatfield announced
that he would appeal to the state com
mittee because former Senator W w
Whyte. chairman Of the committee
permitted the secretary to vote, a
years.
Considerable amusement has been
caused here by the statement recent
ly made by Davis Elkins, that Judge
Robinson, il elected. would not be con
trolled by Hatfield. In the organize
ton of the legislature last winter Elk
ms supported McCrum for the presi-
dency of the senate and Vernon John
son for the speakership of the house
OF delegates. Before the session was
over McCrum was voting for the 40
per cent increase in the state levy
and was later given a place on the
hoard of control at $4,000 per year.
Speaker Johnson slipped away from
Elkins right at the beginning of the
session.
Although Judge Robinson as we'll
as the. governor continue 10 deny an
alliance between themselves. il is
we'll known here that Hatfield is bend
ing every energy to nominate his suc-
cessor. Within 80 days he made three
trips into Mcdowell county where
he attempted TO arouse his waning in
nuence with brass bands, singing
quartets and free trains but the ad-
verse sentiment could not be stem
med
The recent attack made by the gov.
ernor on attorney general Lilly is re-
sented by the friends OF the attorney
general who say that he has made
both an efficient and faithful officer
and that HIS public record at least
is not such as to prevent him from
going before the people for higher
honors and that ne Is not the one
who has been forced to take a back
seat because of public sentiment. If
Hatfield ia so popular why did he not
become a candidate for the senate
and test his popularity" observed a
local politician.
In refutation of the attack made
by Hatfield on General Lilly to the
elect that it was necessary to en-
ploy additional counsel, friends of the
attorney general point to the fact that
the additional assistant in the attor-
ney generals office was provided for
before Lilly came into office and was
made because OF the enactment of the