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Follansbee Review, July 28, 1922


PARTY LEADERS BACK MRS. BROWN FOR THE SENATE

Popular Woman Candidate Makes Rapid Strides In Campaign For The Democratic Nomination; Gives Her Views On State, National and World Affairs.

World Peace must be permanently established and statesmen must get down to cases in dealing with the momentous problem instead of generalizing; the small farmer and land owner musts be relieved of some of his taxes without shifting the burden necessarily to the larger property holder and women must be given a greater share in the responsibility of state and national government.

These are highspots in the program of Mrs. Izetta Jewell Brown, widow of former Congressman William Gay Brown, of Kingwood, who is making a whirlwind campaign for the Democratic nomination for United States senator from West Virginia and who has been making remarkable strides on the eve of the primary election August 1.

What Mrs. Brown terms a “natural apprehension” reacted against her candidacy immediately following her announcement because of the novelty of a woman as a candidate for the senatorship, but this feeling has been completely dispelled as is evidenced, she says, by the assurance of support in the primary election coming from such party leaders as former Governor William A. MacCorkle; former Governor John J. Cornwell; Arthur B. Koontz, democratic nominee for governor in 1920; John W. Davis, former ambassador to England; E. S. McCullough, labor commissioner for the northern district of West Virginia; Witcher McCullough, prominent Huntington leader and former Assistant United States District Attroney [sic]; Colonel Forrest Washington Brown of Charles Town, Democratic nominee for congress in Mrs. Brown’s district in 1920, and numerous others together with the state’s leading editors who are supporting Mrs. Brown through their newspapers.

With these men and agencies at work in her behalf, Mrs. Brown is generally considered to have an equal chance if not better than her lone male opponent for the Democratic nomination and she is confidently expected to “walk away with the nomination in the primary.” And she has an excellent chance to go to the senate in the November election, especially in view of the general dissatisfaction which prevails throughout the state over the failure of Republicans to keep their numerous campaign promises of 1920, her friends assert.

Mrs. Brown is possessed of keen business ability and far-sightedness and an analytical mind, it has been admitted by all who have spent at least fifteen minut[e]s in conversation with her. Her knack of achieving success in commercial affairs has been demonstrated by her successful conduct of a dairy farm at Kingwood, and her delightful and convincing manner of speech and her logic and keen perception in the discussion of national and world affairs has been demonstrated frequently on the platform at important gatherings of distinguished persons in both state and nation. Her successful career on the legitimate stage before her marriage stands her in good stead in making a highly favorable impression whenever she rises to speak.

“Labor and capital must have equal justice. Present day statesmen are inclined to ignore the human side in endeavoring to reach solutions of industrial, social, and economical questions,” Mrs. Brown says.

“Women have been praying throughout the centuries that all wars would end and the United States is now in an ideal position to do much toward bringing about a response to those prayers by the judicial use of the dominating power and influence held by our government. Politics must give greater sway to humanity.”

Mrs. Brown holds that prosperity must be built in part on the foreign market.

“Let us discard the slogan of ‘back to normalcy’ and substitute for it ‘Back to Prosperity,”” she says.

“The farm is the great stabilizing g element of our country. Taxation should be lessened on the land remaining in the hands of those who are tilling the soil and providing our crops. It is a heavy burden for the small farmer or property owner under the present taxation arrangement and it is extremely difficult for him to exist. I am in favor of relieving the small land owner in this respect but not necessarily ‘passing the buck’ along to the larger land owner. Some inducements certainly should be offered to bring about a general return to the farms from the overcrowded cities.”

Despite reports to the contrary which she branded as false, Mrs. Brown stated emphatically that she is a strong adherent to the Democratic principles and the program as expressed in the party platform at the San Francisco convention which she attended and where she placed in nomination the name of John W. Davis for President.

“I am also in favor of the elimination of red tape in governmental affairs especially as regards soldier relief and the income tax,” says Mrs. Brown. “I am also heartily in accord with the plan to guard more closely the matter of states rights.”

Mrs. Brown challenges the male voters to “gave the new element in American politics a chance.”

“Why not vote,” she asks, “for a woman who has the courage to go into the political work and fight for her ideals? Some professional politicians may spread the propaganda, ‘This is not the time for a woman to run.” Don’t be deceived by the subtle intimation that they believe the time will EVER come!

“What will women do in politics? What have they done in charities and churches? Take them out of the churches and what would happen? Some day people will say, “How did the country ever get on without women in politics?”

The feminine viewpoint will help our nation just as it helps our homes. The Senate needs it! I pledge myself to represent the splendid men and women of West Virginia to the best of my ability; to stand for-square for Honesty, Justice, Service and Peace.

“Two years ago more than 27,000,000 people failed to vote! Do not be one of the 27,000,000 this year. Help select your party’s candidate and if you believe in the great reserve power of enthusiasm, of new vision, of new ideals, and love of service to be found in woman-kind—

“Give your West Virginia woman candidate a chance!”


"Fighting the Long Fight" Chapter 8