Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-12
A BELATED PANG OF CONSCIENCE

. DAHoAh LII 1 fhlNO vi AOtNSSlElNNE
The Virginian-Pilot has noted-as no
doubt the public has also-with no little
cdilication and amusement the pure
ballot crusade Just inauguraled and
now being pushed along by certain
newspapers in this State. The particu.
lar instance OF the furore was. VIC be-
lieve. letter OF instructions sent out
by chairman of one OF the county
Democratic committees to a subordi-
nate party worker. named as an cleo
ton judge i'm one oc the districts in The
western part of the State. 1t was not
q. letter conducive to the iridcscent
dream of purity in politics; It con-
tanned just such instructions as party
chairmen of all kinds in every close
county. In every State in this blessed
subordinates. so far as the ends aimed
at were concerned. The letter in sub
stance was: 'If you see a chance to do
little sharp practice at the polls, do
it," 1t was. therefore, to be condemned
and 1t is not the condemnation by GER
tain contemporaries. but the manner
and circumstances OF IT that moves the
observer of politics. as we have them.
to ribald mirth.
The practice that is now made the
occasion of all this vrtuous roar for
the benefit OF the galleries. has been
going on in this State for fifteen years
1t is the result OF situation with
which every student of political history
is entirely familiar. Men of undoubted
patriotism and blameless personal
character have Justified 1t to them
selves and to one another on the ground
of public necessity; that It avcrted con-
ditons III large section of the State
that would be intolcrablc: that in fact
1t averted what would surely have
ended in the reddest sort OF riot and
the rankest sort OF anarchy.
With these facts. every intelligent
citizen of the State has been all the
while perfectly familiar Nobody knew
them through and through more fully
than these very newspapers that are
now uplifting pious hands of horror
and exalting strident voices OF hysteri-
cal protest Year after year they have
noted these things with the frankest
sort of wink. The reason, the extent.
the results have been as open books to
them. They knew that the justification
of certain political methods has been
something like this: Better preserve
our civilization by fraud than sacrifice
it to fury or to folly.
Whether or not this was wise Is not
now the question. 1t was the way The
ablest men of the State met n situa-
ton that had to be met somehow AS
IL temporary eXpedient ii served its pur-
pose and saved the situation. Those
who are now in process Of beng
shamed and shocked by it. in full view
OF the public. have prohted by it all
this while in a silence that could be cut
with an ice saw. And now. when the
temporary eXpetlent is about to be dis
carded by the assembling of the Con-
stitutional Convention, which will seek
permanent remedy. they break into
howl of pharisaical cant, lamenting
the wickedness of perverse genera
ton and the smrch on the States
good name!
mere are evils III our pOllt1cS, tne
Virginian Pilot has no purpose to con-
done them. They have been the natu-
raj and inevitable result of a system
devised to meet situation. The situa-
ton is TO he changed; the system will
90 with it. The evils will go more
slowly. but they will go. as far as they
ever 80. from our politics. The Virgin
ian-Pilot. therefore, does not see what
is to be gained by parading before the
country. at this time. evils of long
standing that $50 far as possible) the
State is about to correct. This serves
no purpose save to furnish to those
who will not be slow to take advantage
of 1t occasion of Misrepresentation and
abuse OF Virginia. We do not believe
that it will even convince the public or
the superior virtue or loftier patriotism
Of the eleventh hour crusaders against
the changing order of things. Which
would be too had, too bad. indeed!
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Secretary Root has ordered a board