Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-10-11
Mr.. Kownslar's Second Paper


oSSh NAOtSuI one lEdl Wueu SSu-
tleman addressed your paper in re-
spectful manner upon public mat
ter, that be would, at least, if any
attention at all was paid to him edi-
torially, be treated with the common
courtesies which exist among gentle
men. These rules, if understand
them at all, absolutely prohibit the
ndulgence in such expressions as you
were pleased to use in your reply to
me. To save my life can not under
stand why one should wish to go out
OF the field of argument To enter the
domain of personal abuse in discuss
ing political questions, or any other.
BE assured that | shall not follow
your example in this respect, and
while shall pass in review a part of
your own political history, shall not
refer to you as "whining," or trying
to disrupt the democratic party. /
do not think | can add anything to
the strength of my cause by the use
of such invectives, aud even if could,
mindful of the pleasant relations that
have existed between us. | would re-
frain from doing SO. With this pre-
am BILE | proceed now 10 examine the
several points You make in Your
article.
The first to which desire to call
attention is your statement that "no
one complimented more highly than
did Mr.. Kowuslar the position Of the
Courier two wears ago hen It essaved
to prove that the Warren county COM
mittee of THAT DATES was not com
petent, because il had no supervisory
powers over the question. TO sit in
Judgment and override the action of
a nominating convention. Alas. that
MIR. Kownslar should assume the same
role two years later
Now. let rs SEE if this Is fair
statement of my position. lou make
this issue and accept ii-aud please
observe that |. in doing SO. am not
whining, but CLEARLY ana W4th ali the
onsioiiity that attaches ,o a.. ac-
cept the gauntlet thrown down. la
1897 no question Was even raised. or
could have been raised. 80 10 thr ie-
gaiity of the call of that
convention. There were questions
raised as TO the right of certain con
testing delegations from Warren Co.
These contests were decided hN the
convention and II ciade its nOmina-
ton. \ certain wing Of ihe party IN
Warren became offended And then
took place tina most extraordinary
usurpatlOn of powers ever committed
in Virgins. The democratic execu
tive committee of that county. Ola the
10th day of Oct, 1897. deliberately
set aside the action of this conven.
ton, and itself nominated a candi-
date. There were three dissenting
votes TO this action; Mr.. Wartheu was
not one, if he thea belonged 70 the
committee, as 10 which | am not in
formed. The Courier then censured
this action, aud | applauded the
Courier. What is your position now?
Have you condoned this sin? You
must do so, if you say that this same
autocratic committee can now call
convention aud act as the leaders of
democracy i'm Warren county. ask
you to answer this question speciti-
cally. Did not this action at once
render them functus officio? If Won
say yea, then you are inconsistent in
following their lead and | am not. If
you say nay, then you lay yourself
open to the charge that you are will
ing to follow men who distinctly re
pudiated the democratic party, and
who never repented. You are wei
come to either horn of the dilemma.
Since 1897 new state of things
exists in Clarke and Warren. The
Legislature of Va. has stepped in and
in order to prevent the recurrence of
such scenes as took place in Warren
county, enacted the LAW to which
referred in my first paper | am for
obeying that law-you are for disre-
garding 1T, because you fail, as you
say, to appreciate the conclusion that
the law must be obeyed. This may
oobloAN YOU as III QOcS the HI Nj, Out
| do not think it will satisfy the PEG
pie. And in this particular matter
l confess that am more interested for
the people, and am determined it
shall be brought before them even
though ! be denounced by the CoU-
RIER and the ring as "whining dis
organizer"
You say that there has been no
more earnest or sincere advocate Of
senatorial reform than the editor of
this paper, but because that measure
was defeated by the failure of its
many friends here to go to the pri-
maries and vote for it yon are un-
willing to encourage action in its be-
half by methods calculated to rend
the party in twain. | admit all that
you claim for yourself. / admired
your course on this question. But
why should you so supinely yield
nnWr Tho Hrot Hoob -, tbo 49,.