Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-19
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IF NOT, WHY NOT!

buckingham Times commcndS ana 1ol-
lows mn. what It terms two interesting
articles on cognatc subjects, which re-
Gently appeared in the Baltimore Amerl-
can and the Dispatch. respectively. The
Americans article dealt with the decline
OF the influence Of Congress, which it at
tributed to the fact . that the average
Congressman appears to think that mis-
sole duty is TO find petty positions. for
his constituents The Dispatches arti-
Gle depiored the decadcncc of the old-time
style of public speaking.
The Times agrees that the points Of
both the American and ourselves are wen
taken, and. after urging them upon the
attention OF the young men Of the State,
exclaims: "Oh, for a return TO the style
OF discussion of the County Court days IN
OLD Virginia, when the serious and grave
questions of national policies, and CON
stitutional construction, were the themes
Of our public speakers, and when, IN
those best schools Of political instruction.
the Virginia hustings, the peopie-lhe
plain people, even the uneducated Pco-
ple-became well drilled and schooled III
the great questions that divided the par
ties. and in the political history OF me
country" Then our contemporary ASKS
Shall we ever have a return to the
scenes of those high debates. those sound
and sensible and learned discussions o.
great questions of State?
IL not, why not? There is no reason
trif
the DAYS when Virginia furnished giants
to the hastings and the halls of national
LEGISLATION, unless the race of NlrSlnIahs
has degenerated in intellect and patriot
ism, and is dead to the high ambition OF
again making the State a dominating
force in directing and controlling the
destinies of the country.
The Virginia pubicists of to-day ana
the young men rising up to take their
places are OF the same blood as the Ff-
sinians who before the war between the
States expounded from the stump great
principles, educated the masses on great
issues, and by their brain and statesman
ship secure6-nay. communication Viz
stnia her full share Of leadership in Ma
tional affairs. The achievements
and traditions Of these men are
the inheritance of the present
generation of speakers and aspirants Tor
prcfernlent at the hands of the people,
and the question is whether the heirs Will
put honor or dishonor on their heritage
In previous treatment of THIS supJect
the Dispatch conceded that there was eA-
cuse, in fact justification, for the tall
ure Of our public men to push out INTO
The broad field Of attempt TO recover our
old-tine power and ascendency in re-
spcct of influencing the determination OF
national issues. There was ever-presen'
with US an oversnadowing question, local
to the State and the South, which, IN the
! interest OF our civilization demanded our
attention to the virtual exclusion OF All
| others, except in an incidental way. Ihat
question not only held US by its para
mount Importance within circumscribeu
arena of discussion, but prevented US
from making bold TO assert our rights
| in the national councils OF the Democrat
ic party. The eHigencies Of the situation
and the value of even the perfunctory
sympathy Of our northern brethren touch-
| ing il, necessitated Willingness Oh our
part to be seen and not heard. Then, too'
the line of discussion OF the oVershado"
ing issues was the same, campaign alter
campaign, with the result that in each
succeeding one there was less and less
stimulus TO real oratory and thoughtful
| hr. a
| one, its effect in the realm Of debate
was stagnation; and it conduced TO pub
| lie satisfaction With the most mediocre
speaking.
However, we have also stated, from
time TO time, that this overshadowing is
sue was now a thing of the past; and with
| its passing were swept away the excuse
and Justification for Virginia speakers
and publicists not to aim higher III ad-
dressing the people. With the elimination
of the negro question fell the barrier
between Virginia and the goal Of rising
TO the national occasion" if she has the
men with the brains, the patriotic inspi-
ration, and the regard for duty to their
State and her noble traditions, to bear
her there. We believe she has. And if
any there be among those now to the
front in State politics who think other
wise-who fear otherwise, and are dis
posed to take counsel Of their fears
they would as we'll prepare TO step down
and out For such articles as that which
appears in the Appomattox and Buck
inGham Times is a warning to them
that they lag supertluous on the stage
of a new era in Virginia politics-an era
in which the public will not be slow in
differentiating the statesman from the
mere politician, and in insisting that
other men be afforded the opportunity
Of proving whether they can attain &c
the plans of the former, and thereby
make Virginia once more power in the
nation that will be acknowledged anC
looked up to throughout the land.
It is understood that at the meeting OF
the State Grand Camp of Confederate