Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1920-02-12
HOOvER-THE MODERN -
CARPETBAGGER

l1sCPADliOdn ADllOAkJ E1ooOSAdblOAf
through its President, Hon. Jonathan
Bourne, Jr., today gave out the fol-
lowing statement from its Washing
ton headquarters.
TheAserious mention of the name Of
Herbert Hoover as Presidential
possibility is one of the unexplainable
political phenomena with which the
American voter is frequently regaled.
Mr.. Hoover was practically unheard
of in this country until the European
war furnished his vehicle of publicity.
He did yeoman service in handling
the Belgian relief work, and from his
office in London came to America to
supervise the production and distri
button of our food supplies. Whether
he executed that commission efficient
" or not is beside the question. The
fact remains that practically the only
act of Mr.. Hoover's life that identi-
fies him with America is his work for
the food commissioner.
! In 1897, when Mr.. Hoover was only
twenty-three years old, he moved to
Australia to engage in mining activ-
tiles. In 1899 he removed to China
and became the chief engineer of the
Chinese Imperial Bureau of Mines.
In that capacity he explored the IN
terror of China, and in short time
became associated with private COM
panies formed for the exploration of
the mines of that country. For sew
eral years he resided in London and
acted as director in a number OF Brit
Iish corporations engaged in Asiatic
development. A list of the concerns.
in which Mr.. Hoover's interests are
now conferred sounds. like quotations
from the London Stock Exchange.
For practically twenty years Mr..
Hoover has concentrated his ener-
gies on the development of foreign
properties. Deserving the country
which gave him birth and an educa-
ton he went abroad and stayed there.
Now when the emergency of war,
rather than any voluntary desire on
his part, has brought about his re-
turn to his native land, he seems to
entertain the notion that the voters
will select him to direct the destinles
of the Nation for the next four years.
A more preposterous supposltlon
could hardly be conceived.
It is said that Col. House is ready
to back Mr.. Hoover. That fact alone
should be enough to snuff out any
hope of success that the rest OF
Hoover's friends may cherish. The
country has had enough of Col. House
and his clandestine and pussy-foot
methods of doing things. Once it be-
comes known that he is actively work
ing for the Hoover boom no other
candidate need have any fear from
that source.
The New York World, after years
of fiattering laudation, suddenly dis,
covers that Mr.. Wilson is political
accident" and indicates its willing
ness to work for Hoover. II through
out the seven years OF mis- reign the
World has been blind to the true char
acter Of the maniin the White House,
there is reason to believe that its pres
ent estimate of the qualities OF Mr.
Hoover may be open to question.
Even the World is silent on the fun
damentals of Mr.. Hoover's faith. 1t
describes him as a great admlnlstra-
for which must be conceded, but
man of forty-fve who has spent the
last twenty years of his life under the
influences of foreign business thought
principally British, can hardly be con-.
sidered as fitted to administer 4 the
American Government
The Democrats claim Mr.. Hoover
as a member of their party, but the
fact is that nobody knows to what
nolitical faith he belongs Doubt
less he has been in this country sucn
q short time that he is still unde-
cided what faction he will animate.
with. If any. He seems to be a sort
of nondescript, somewhat of the type
Of Mr.. Ford, willing to accept any
and all support that will aid him IN
attaining his goal. But the Amer
lean people will not stand for that
sort of candidate moment. Inc
man who gets their votes is the true
American. not afraid to extol his own
country above every other In the
world and to prove his words by liv-
ing here and contributing his best to
the upbuilding of our institutions
Carpetbaggers have no place in Amer
lean campaigns.