Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1916-10-14
SENATOR Chiffon,
GOV. ATKINSON AND
CHAS. v. OSENTON
GREATEST POLITICAL EVENT OF
THE CAMPAIGN HELD AT
CHARLESTON YESTERDAY.
FORMER GOVERNOR UNABLE TO
ANSWER QUESTIONS PRO-
POUNDED BY SENATOR.
OSTENSON LAYS BARE HAT.
FIELDS RECORD AND MAKES
VOTES FOR HIS PARTY.
lBv Leslie Bavliss.l

- 'ft'N'A' tu'ii PoAnA wac olb6Ch Htlt "
day, when United States Senator VIM
e. Chiffon, Hon. Chas w. Osenton
and former Governor Geo. w. Akin
son debated the political issues Of
tie national and state before toe
largest crowd ever assembled in the
county court house for political
meeting.
Early in the forenoon the farmers
began to come in from every section
Of the county and by 10 O'Clock, the
hour set for the speaking. a misty
rain had stopped and the sun shone
upon the little Elk river town. with
an inviting appeal for the gathering
Promptly at 10 o'clock Henry b. Day
enport called the large meeting TO
order and introduced Senator Chill.
ton.
The senior senator was at his best,
and many who have heard him for
years declared that he delivered one
OF the most eloquent and effective
speeches of his career The applause
commenced with the first mention of
the name of Woodrow Wilson and
cheer after cheer rang out across the
Elk Valley in response to Chilton's
able Rotations of the processes by
which Americas greatest President
has preserved an honorable neutral
ity with the warning nations of the
world
Chilton's graphic description of
Wilson'S struggles with the complica-
tions of foreign affairs almost brought
tears to the eyes of his audience. In
one telling shot after another he rid
died the Hughes contention that the
marvellous business enterprise of
America is the prosperity of "a Fools
Paradise" In a climatic utterance
Chiffon said the man who tells you
that our prosperity is war prosper
ity must me ''pitied for his ignorance
or thanked for his nerve" An arous-
ing cheer greeted his assertion that
the United States is now doing the
greatest business ever done by any
Hation in the history of the world
and that more men are now working
ON shorter hours, at higher wages
and under better conditions than
have ever existed in any nation. It
was evident that appealed directly to
the intelligence Of his audience.
In his able exposition of what the
Wilson administration has done fore
the farmer through the inauguration
of farmers loans, the passage of the
rural credit law, and other measures
looking to the commercial emancipa-
ton of the farmers.
He renewed his criticism of Jus
tice Hughes decision against West
Virginia in the Virginia debt case in
which Mr.. Hughes wrote the opinion
which placed fiftyfour years interest
on the debt, and he classed him with
having the wall street viewpoint in
stead of the West Virginia view
point Senator Chiffon lucidly ex-
planned his effort to get authority
from congress to enable West Vir-
ginia to sue the national government
for her share of the proceeds due to
the mother state of Virginia from the
cession of the northwest territory.
Senator Chilton's peroation was
mastery tribute to Wilson. In clos
ing he said: There is no more
chance to beat Woodrow Wilson than
there would be to curse the memory
of Abraham Lincoln"
Republican County Chairman Brad
ley tried his hand at oratory in an
attempt to answer Senator Chiffon. |
Not succeeding we'll he called to the !
chair James Dorsey, who removed |
his coat and proceeded to pelt the |
Chiffon argument with paper pellets. |
He would have been talking yet but |
Chairman Bradley whispered TO him |
to kindly desist and give Governor |
Atkinson chance.
The former governor began about |
II O'Clock and talked until 1890. dur |
ing which time he recited consider. I
able ancient History. told many old /
time jokes and expressed regret that
the Democratic party seems to be en-
lowed with life and power Speak +
ing OF the Democratic party. he said T
1T won't do some how and it won't |
stay dead when | think it ought to be
dead Judge Atkinson said nothing
unliind concerning Wilson, paid
strong tribute to Cations ability and
service in the senate and taken all
through made a pretty good Demo
cratic speech About his only criti-
aism OF the President was that he
sometimes changed his mind.
Still living in the political past he
tssailed the Wilson administration by
inference because Mr.. Bryan advocat-
I'd free silver in 1896 and because
here was business depression under
rover Cleveland though his memory
allied him concerning the Roosevelt
'anic Of 1907. He tried to resurrect
he tariff as an issue, but he did not
mention the banking aud currency
aw the child labor bill the rural 1
.redits act, nor any constructive act
ii the present administration Hell