The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-03
THURSDAY. MARCH 8, 1898
pIUToCRACY VIRGINIA.

II IS truly distressing that the glory OF
the Bailey visit to Richmond should be
"sicklied DER with the pale cast OF an
expense account.
Mr. Bailey was brought down TO Rich
mond by his free silver admirers that ne
might address the people and tell them
how they had been Impoverished by the
"crime Of 1873
And right well did he discharge his
duty. lie proved 20 them by the hgures
that gold had appreciated in value so
that every dollar IN the land was now
worth 2oO cents. and convinced the MEM
hers Of the General Assembly that they
were in fact receiving IS a day for their
services. and that the salary of Congress
men of 5000 a year nomlnally was really
q salary of $4,000. which the impoverished
people were forced to pay. il was truly
a calamitous picture that Mr. Bailey
drew.
And now it turns out, alack-a-day, that
in coming down to Virginia TO tell the
people Of their poverty Mr. Bailey and
his friends rode in a private car. and
,,pon their arrival in Richmond they were
received with many demonstrations of
ioy. and brass band, and were enter
tanned at the most expensive hotel In the
city. And the Impoverished state o.
Virginia. which is not able TO keep up its
appropriations 10 its public institutions.
or it's salaries TO officers. was called upon
20 foot the bin for all Of these luxuries.
Is II strange that there has been pro-
test7 Is not a private car regarded as dis
tinctlv plutocratic? And is Il possible
that the calamity shouters will encourage
plutocracy even 10 the extent Of contri-
buting to its maintenance? Well may
the Populists protest against such de-
rarture.
Seriously, It Is TO be regretted that the
question Of paying the expenses OF a gen.
tleman who visited Richmond in response
10 an invitation from the Legislature
should nave been made the subject OF
public debate. The whole thing was in
delicate and In wretc.hed taste. Virsinia's
hospitality IS proverbial and that repre-
sentative Virginians should have gotten
into a wrangie over the payment Of en-
expense account incurred in the enter
tainment Of a guest Of the State Is doplor-
able.
II was all due to a mistake which was
made In the beginning Before the invita-
ton was extended the matter OF expense
should have been settled, for It cannot be
denied that It is not proper that the
General Assembly invite at the expense
of the State any gentleman 20 visit the
Capital City and make a political ad-
dress. On any other subject the case
would be different. but It is clear that
Mr.. Bailey was invited TO Richmond TO
help tho cause Of the political party
which he represents and It IS not unnat-
ural that those Of different political af-
Silletion should object to using the states
revenues thus to advance the interest Of
a political party in opposition.
Suppose the case had been reversed and
a Republican Legislature had Invited a
Republican orator 10 come to Richmond
ano preach the gold standard.
Mr. Baney's friends might have known
tina, some such objection would be raised
and should have provided in advance
agains, the contingency by raising the ne
eessary money by private subscriptions.