The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-05
CURRENT TOPICS.

In yesterdays issue of The Times was
an editorial headed "a Cowardly Plea, ;"
in which it was contended
Coincidence.
party was only held to-
gether by the fear Of negro rule and not
for the sake Of principle, it did not de-
serve to stand.
We are interested to note that the
Danvlle Bee of Thursday afternoon con-
'tains an article headed Political Coward
ice." making exactly the same point. The
Bees article is as follows:
Some curious reasoning was INDUCED
in by certain Democrats at Norfolk in
arguing against any Interference with
negro suffrage by the revision of the
State Constitution. They say that if the
negro vote was eliminated, and the fear
OF negro rule removed, the Democratic
party would lose a great many votes, and
their supremacy in the State would be
endangered.
1--WE do not propose to discuss here the
merits of negro Acknowledgement; it may
be better that the matter remain as it is,
but we do say that such an argument as
the above is cowardly, and utterly I'M
worthy of any great political organizes
ton.
"a party that has SO little confidence in
its own principles as to fear the untram-
meled judgment of intelligent people, and
needs the assistance of such a bugbear as
negro rule TO hold its following in line.
is weak indeed and by such appeals as
the above publishes its weakness to the
world.
I'VE rather think that these arguments
were used by men of calibre so small
that they utterly fail to grasp any broad
principles, and whose prominence is due
10 local manipulation and intrigue. We
would be loath to believe that, in any
sense, they speak for the grand old party
of Thomas jefferson, which for hundred
years or more has boosted Of its close
touch with the people, and has never
heretofore hesitated TO appeal boldly to
public reason, regardless of public preju-
Dice
This is an interesting coincidence. The
writer of the article in The Times and
the writer of the article in the Bee doubt
less wrote at about the same hour, and
the articles would not have been more
nearly in line had they been written as
the result of a conference between the
two editors.
"There was a time when Newport News
was destined to become the greatest city
uo..ao.t ,o,,e in Virginia. said a hotel
guest the other day to a
's' reporter ,of the Washing
ton Post, 'sbut I am afraid that the time
is past" BY way Of explanation he said ::
"The' Pennsylvania Railroad will be re-
sponsible for the decline. They contem-
plate making New York their terminal for
all export goods thus discriminating
against Newport News. If this is done
it is the death of that city. Newport
News is one of the finest shipping ports
in the country. 1t is this fact that has
made the little city what it is. Take that
away and there will be nothing left. We
trust the company will reconsider its
determination. There are some business
men, however, who fear nothing can be
done to offset the damage to our trade
Nonsense Railroads are powerful or
CARNATIONS. but there are some things
which even railroads cannot do. New
port News has the natural advantages.
and its business will continue to grow
in spite of all efforts of the Pennsylvania
Railroad to the contrary, even granting
that the Pennsylvania road would at
tempt to divert trade from Newport News,
which we do not believe.