The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-19

att1tt IfOR@
son received.
Now, knowing all the facts that hav'
been so far stated. what a field Of IN
ouiry was opened to the committed "ha'
might II not have learned IL It had re
auired Mr.. Thompson to answer the iol'
lowing questions:
Ca) How much money was put into your
hands for the recent election?
% BY whom was the money subscrioeu'
and how much by each subscriber
tc) why did you not turn all TINS "o"s'
over n the chairman OF the Democratic
committee?
"a, what did you do with the money
Name each person TO whom you gave
money, the sum given TO eachY produce
your check book 20 show each payment
or. If YOU delivered actual money the
rccript YOU took for the money!
The Times has been assured by a re-
sponsible gentleman who has made II ms
business TO investigate the matter that
n this course had been pursued It wouid
most probably nave turned out that IN
every case Out " or three)
the members OF the Legislature
from the county to which Mr..
Thompson sent money voted for Mar
tin. though Martin Is wholly unknown
in many of them, though the people in
many OF them are solid for General Lee.
though in some Of the counties the nomi-
mating conventions instructed for Cen
eral Lee, and though in a number of In
stances the candidates had declared to
General Lee that they were In favor OF
his election.
To have required answers to these ques-
tons was what the committee ought TO
have wanted, and what the people want
10 learn. and the people have understood
that the committee was appointed 10 get
answers to these identical questions. Mr..
Downing said that II this line Of in
auiry was entered upon he wanted TO be
relieved from service on the committee
for the reason that its duties would never
end. Well did Mr.. Mushbach reply hat
unless it was entered on he wanted to be
relieved for the reason hat its duties
would never begin.
When the committee shut out light on
these matters. in the judgment Of the
Times, II dealt a heavy blow TO the State
Of Virginia. Had Mr.. Thompson been re-
quired to disclose these matters, in the
opinion of the Times, a gigantic scheme
would have been uncovered to elect
a Legislature to be under the dominion
and control Of the railroads by the use
of money I'm the elections, the first use Of
that control being the election to the
United States Senate of a railroad attor-
ney, thoroughly Identified in every way
with The railroads, who believed two years
ago land presumably believes now, when
the Kent bill was before the Legislature,
that no concessions should be made TO
the people in their demands against
them.
This is the great lesson that the investi-
eating committee should aim at teaching
TO Virginia. Bad as It would he TO show
that Mir. Martin had used money to Sc
| cure his election to a seat in the United
| States Senate. that calamity would pale
into utter insignihcance beside the greater
and wider scheme of which It would be
a mere fraction.
The questions which were asked Mr..
| Thompson by Mr.. Mushbach, and which
were ruled out by the committee, involve,
| then, the vital matters Of this case. There
Is no investigation made unless those
questions are answered, and God help
Virginia IL they are smothered and sup
pressed.
Now, we point out that all We have
said is perfectly consistent with Mr..
Thompson's statement. of which we have
now no doubt at all. that he has not used
a dollar of the money that came TO him
| otherwise than as his principals authoriz-
ed. Ills principals, no doubt, authorized
him to use money i'm any way that he
might think would best contribute TO the
railroads mot electing Mi. Martin senator,
bu) controlling the Legislature. The cleo
ton OF Mir. Martin "a senator would be
only the first manifestation Of that con-
troll of the legislature by the railroads.
This is the great and overwhelming les
son Of the case.
The Times wants 1t distinctly under
stood that It is, and always has been,
the friend of tho railroads. 1t has bat
tied for their rights, but never shut its
eyes or stopped its ears to the just de-
mands of the people.
The Times insists that the rights and
just claims OF the railroads can best
be protected by a reasonable and intelli-
gent apprehension by the people of the
very right or the case, and that the peo-
pie will. in their own interest, concede
whatever proper legislation Is asked for
by the railroads.
But the Times will resist to the utter
most my approach to the corruption Of
the fountain head of our laws,
or the substitution in the minds
OF our legislators Of a sense Of
pecuniary obligation to a railroad cor
poration or railroad official for the sense
of duty to the people and of obligation to
discharge in the truest way the trust OF
public office.
III LAW IN THE CAsE.
We quoted Sunday the general parlia-