Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1940-03-07
Honest Vic To Retire

Senator Vic Donahey has announced that at
the end of his present term as United States SEN
ator he is retiring from political life and will go
to his home at Governors Island, Indian Lake,
O., and devote his time principally to the Motor
lists Mutual Insurance company of Columbus,
of which he is president He says that if any one
suspects the possibility of defeat for sec
ond term U. S. senator prompted his action, he
has got him wrong. In his statement he made it
plain that he is retiring from public life after 40
years of official service for much needed rest
and the preservation of his health. In spite of
the plain statement as to why he is retiring many
Republican politicians insisting that it was
because he feared he could not be elected if again
a candidate; but down deep they all know better
know that if he would make another race for
the senate or for governor he would be elected.
Last summer Senator Donahey wrote the edi-
tor of this paper that he would not seek another
term as senator, giving then the same reasons as
set forth in his statement made few days ago.
Uusually in public life must be under
the sod some years before we seem to appre-
ciate him, or to realize his true worth. But in
Vic Donahey it will not be that way. The people
appreciate him now, and have ever since he en-
tered public life He will go down in Ohio as
of her greatest sons just as he is recognized
today.
Senator Donahey was humbly born in Tuscar-
county in 1878. He attended school, in all
only seven years, before becoming printer.
When little more than of age he entered town.
ship politics and rose successively through coun-
ty auditor constitutional convention delegate,
state auditor governor (three terms) and United
States senator. When he made the race for sena-
tor he carried every congressional district in the
state. During the AZ years he has held public Of
fee, never has there been even shadow of sus-
picion to his absolute honesty; and never the
intimation in the least degree by his bitterest
enemies, of graft or corruption. His every public
act from the lowest office to the highest reflected
the slogan of Honest Vic" During his term as
governor and other offices as well, he refused to
take political instruction from his own party.
He did his thinking which all must truth
fully admit was right in practically every n
stance.
One thing in high political life that Vic Dona-
hey disked, and that the so-called honor and
glamour. He just couldn't change his makeup.
He didn't like "staying' in the governors man
sion at Columbus. He wanted to live in house
where he could cure the family meat, and dress
and roast the turkey special occasions, etc. He
disliked very much the so-called Washington
society, and once said: II never was strong for
high hats and high collars"
There is thing that we regret and that is
he not accorded the honor of being Oho's
"honest-to~ goodness Favorite Son. candidate for
the presidency this year, with no stalking horse
rens tied to him. He is deserving of that honor,
and what fitting climax it would have been to
his outstanding. long, public life