The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-09-30
Especial Correspondence

29-Replying to a communication ad.
Z dressed to him by b. n. 0xley OF
Charleston. representative Of John
]. Cornwell. Democratic candidate for
governor, in which request was made
tor an itemized statement OF telephone
calls for the governors office. as we'll
%. the Governors mansion. for the
month Of July last. Governor Hatfield
Today took occasion to challenge Mr..
Cornwell to joint discussion Of the
record Of the Hatfield administration.
"Mr. Cornwell han made false state.
ments about many acts OF mine az
chief executive OF this state and has
criticized my administration. shall
be very glad to discuss with him the
record Of my administration before as
many audiences as he desires. and to
permit the citizens Of the State to
conclude as to my official actions.
Now, II Mr.. Cornwell wishes to DIS.
cuss the record Of my administration
let him once allow fairness to take
the place Of the strong partisan incin.
alton and misrepresentation that has
attended his every effort in this cam
paign, as well as his uns(iccessful
campaign in 1904 and meet me square
,ty upon the issue that he has seen fit
to raise This was the defiance laid
down by Governor Hatfield to Mr..
Cornwell.
In his reply to Mr.. Oxley's request
for detailed Information Of all tele.
phone calls to the governors office as
well a. to the Governors mansion.
the governo; declares that he "resents
not only the asking Of such an utterly
improper request. but the unfair insin.
uations which are implied In the max.
Ing. He expresses surprise that Mr..
-so-seek information as to the other
details Of his domestic arrangements.
such 2as the amount OF his grocery
sbill. etc. Governor Hatfield makes II
plain in his reply that in the expendi.
ture Of the contingent fund as we'll as
any other fund over which he might
have control. the constitution provides
that he shall make detailed report to
the Legislature. "and to that body
q strict accounting will be made at
the proper time," he declared.
In expressing his contempt and
surprise over the receipt Of such an
s inquiry as that which has come from
Mr.. Oxley. Governor Hatfield says:
Such a request coming from the man
you claim to representa- whom
am In no way accountable and whom
the people Of the state have not yet
kfyen any warrant Of authority over
their affairs-is in keeping with the
campaign of Misrepresentation and un.
Just insinuations that is being con.
Quoted by him in the vain hope of
misleading and tricking some OF the
PEOPLE. thereby hoping to make posi-
Bile his election"
The Governor goes into detail Ia
show that his personal expenses dur
Ing his term as Governor is less than
$1,000. He calls attention to gross mis-.
representations Of Mr.. Cornwell CON
corning the amount OF his contingent
fund, and further that the contingent
fund expenses for general purposes
have been less than the general ex
renses of the Glasscock administra
ton for similar period He chal
slenges Mr.. Cornwell to point to a state
whose chief executive has spent an
amount less than Governcr Glasscock
or myself"
Senator Cornwell has declined to de-
hate with the Governor. He gave out
10 statement here tonight in which he
said II see Governor Hatfield has TAX.
4 en- advantage Of a letter written to
him by General H. B. Oxley. without
even my knowledge. to say few
things about me to offer to meet me
and to discuss the record Of his admin
-istration and to permit" as he says
the citizens to conclude as to my Off
cial action" My time Is too much
J occupied with the campaign to under
take to assume the burden Of secur
ing for the governor audiences before
whom to defend his administration and
y to the citizens concluding as to his
official action. think they have al
ready reached a conclusion"
Governor Hatfield's reply to Mr.. OK
ley's communication is as follows:
Charleston, ". Va, September 2s
4 B. II. Oxley. ESQ.,,
Charleston, ". Va.
Dear Sir:
am in receipt OF your communica
! lion Of September 9th. reading as
ssollows:-
Charleston. W. Va. Sept. n
Hon. H. D. Hatfield.
Governor OF West Virginia
Charleston. W. Va.
Dear Sir:-On behalf Of the Hon.
John ]. Cornwell. Democratic
candidate for governor. I respect.
fully desire and request that there
be furnished me at the earliest
possible date. itemized account
OF the telephone bills paid out OF
your contingent fund for the
month OF July. 1916, for both your
executive Offices and the Cover
nor's mansion. paid by Auditors
warrants Numbers 119, 1874, 119,
1856 respectively and by your re.
QUESTIONS.
Trusting II may be your pleas
ure to have this detailad sasar