The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-05-19
Of the State Declares Governor
Hatfield Who Does Not
Mince Words In Speech.
SENSATIONAL EXPOSURE
Charges Him with Dishonesty
and Declares That He is
Liable to Impeachment.


GASSAWAY. May 10.-In a ringing
speech that bristled with sensational
charges Governor Hatfield, speaking
before an audience which packed the
opera house to overflowing here last
night, numerically fiaycd the Lilly
candidacy for the Republican noml-
nation for governor and vigorously
defended his administration against
the attacks OF the attorney general,
who, he declared. had sold himself
into bondage and was trying to barter
the Republican party to the special
privilege seeking interests that are
seeking to plumber tho state Of its
natural wealth.
This man Lilly" said tho governor.
has been haunting me in every con-
ceiyable way and making the boast
that he wanted to get mo on the stump
so some Of the coal barons who are
violently opposed to me would con-
tribute moro literally TO his campaign
flind. Mr.. Lilly shall have his wish.
have decided to take the stump, not
In the interest OF any candidate, but in
defense OF my administration, which
he Ia trying to iiscredit and now that
! have come before you people am
going to tell you something which
Mr.. Lilly would rather should not be
told. He says am against him.
am. And shall tell you why ! am.
l am utterly opposed to Abe Lilly as a
candidate for any public Office for the
reason that he has proved himself
unworthy and unfaithful to every pub
lie trust that has ever been reposed in
him. am opposed 10 him because
he has proved himself unfit as attor-
ney general and surely would prove
no less unworthy rs governor.
MY opposition to Abe Lilly dates
back to the Virginia debt case when
he was In Connecticut and other east
ern states at the expense OF the tax
payers with litigation involving more
than twenty million dollars OF your
money hanging In the balance. Mr..
Lilly. instead OF devoting his time,
energy and intelligence to the solution
or that vital problem, was squanderine
tho time for which you were paying
with your money In riotous debauch-
cry. could go into the details of
these orgies but my respect for your
sense OF decency prevents II. | recog-
nized then as you must now that Abe
Lilly was unworthy OF trust. II any of
you today believe he is refer you to
his connection with the recently ex-
posed Chesapeake and Ohio rebate
coupon scandal in which he played
such dlsgraceful part.
Gentlemen, ask you II In your
estimation an official who has sworn
to protect tho peoples interests would
traffic in his office and instead OF pro-
tecting the peoples interests turn them
to his own profit at their loss Is safe
man to become governor OF West vir-
ginia? j have told you that am not
here In the interest Of any candidate.
That Is true. but cannot refrain
from directing your attention to the
contrast between the characters, the
records and the ideals Of the two men
who are offering themselves for your
choice for governor.
In Abe Lilly you have man dis
honorable. dishonest. liable to i'm
parchment for malfeasance in ofiice.
proved to be corrupt and corruptable.
who has sold himself TO gang of
buccaneers. their servile tool ready and
willing to do their slightest bidding.
In Judge Robinson you have a man
whose whole career Is an open book.
whose private life Is immaculate.
whose official record Is one OF the
bright spots In the annals Of West vir-
glnia government. When you 20 home
I want you to think about these things.
1t makes no difference to me whom
you select. only ask that you think
before you act"
Replying to .Mr. Lilly's boast that
that he would not have Hatfeld's sup
port II he could get It the governor
startled his hearers by declaring that
his support of the Raleigh county can
didate was solicited. 1.-THE people who
today are villifying me came to me and
offered to finance my campaign for
United States senator II I would sup
port their candidate for governor but
! refused did not want to 20 to the
Senate and II / did / would never have
gone as the bought and paid for SER
want Of any special interests, nor
would i have endorsed their candidate
under any circumstances" Governor
Hatfield denied that he had any official
connection with Judge Robinson's can
didacy. II never asked the Judge ia,
become q candidate nor did / promise
him any aid. am supporting him, il
is true. How could do otherwise?
What other candidate = there worthy
OF any self-respecting citizens and
loyal Republicans support? But I am
assisting him only as private citizen.
IT have nothing to offer him and he
could not give me anything II he wanted
to. l am going out Of politics back to
the practice Of medicine which / love-,
Governor Hatfield refuted the
charge that he required state en-
ployes to support Judge Robinson and
defied any man or newspaper making
the charge to prove 1t. The governor
spoke at Clay Court House at noon
Thursday before Representative
gathering Of Republicans. HIS address
there was frequently interrupted with
hearty applause. His reception hero
was anunususl ovation, He win speak
nj Siift0r f1t3ay = '[