Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-16

Superintendent B. E.. Copenhavec. Of
Smyth county. discussed the; topic In a
fve-minute speech.
Before adjourning the conference adopt
ed a resolution offered by Mr.. D. Z. Pull
liam, Of Manchester, nemorializing the.
Legislature to add to the equipment OF the
State normal in accordance with the
| Recommendation of President Jarnan.
|CHURCH AND STATE.
tcoNr1NUED FROM FIRST PAGE.1
in lie matter Of the liquor ruling, but
| that he is not as black as he is painted
and furthermore that he had been honnd-
ed by DR.. Crawford and the antl-saloon
| element until his actions are in rnea-
sure excusable.
Still again, on the fence. there is q
strong sentiment and element Whlcn IS
neither inclined one way nor the other
Among these latter are members OF the
Legislature, who are nots scandal mong-
ers. and who have large public follow
ing. with those who deeply regret the
| whole unfortunate proceeding. They de-
plore the amount OF the peoples money
and the State has not any too much Tor
current purposes Of governnen t as Is
! illustrated by the fact that only a limited:
number Of witnesses could be Summon
=ed-t1at must be spent, and lament be-.
yond expression, that the spectators who
are rolling rich morsels Of legal and
legislative by-play under their tongues
do not appreciate the magnitude Of the
present inquisition. They point out that
iA1
OF whatever it may please the discussion
lists to term it, is simply a preliminary.
! proceeding of no great moment, for even
though the present committee may de-
eide in Judge Campbell's favor, that will
by no means end the proceedings.
The Investigating committee will simply
, make a report to the Legislature and just
! what weight that report will have re-
mains to be seen. It may be Of sufficient
weight to put qufetus on the whole
| proceedings and it may only serve TO
! precipitate bitter, factional fight. the
result of which from the most optimistic
standpoint can only be surmised.
An enormous impression seems to pre-
vail that the action of the investigating
committee will prompt fms on the
! records.
A more mistaken idea could not be en-
i tertained.
The report that the committee may
| make, may have great weight and it
may count for naught-or more lannenta-
bic yet. simply precipitate an acrid. bitter
debate that may serve no purpose of ulti-
mate good except to decide that always
| existent and much-desired question of
Right and Wrong
Issue Between Church and State.
And yet another difficulty confronts.
There are those who intensely dislike the
| idea of seeing the State and church at
| Ioggerheads, and the issue is close be-
| tween the two. Ministers tho State over
are inclined to side with DR.. Crawford.
Judges and Office holders, Irrespective of
| the merits of any case, no matter wlat Il
| may be, are violently inclined to resent
any interference Of the church, no mat
ter of what denomination, in any rule of
! government.
The impartial observer with a gather
| ing consideration Of these facts is apt to
| put aside the unfortunate cowhiding Of
! a snow-capped minister, ard look askance
at the probabilities In an investiga ton
! OF. such magnitude as the present one
The public interest and the immense
Importance attached to the Investigate ton
was again evinced yesterday. The pro-
ceedings were tinged with all the legal
and dramatic color that the most sensa-
tionally-inclined might desire
The historic old hall is fitting theatr
| for this Old Dominion drama, and the
principal actors are men of no mean tai
! ents.
Long before the hour for converting the
| crowds began to assemble in the hall and
| they came and went in a steady stream
all day long. Staid business men, who,
! perhaps would not enter the hall to hear
the best debate that was ever held there,
| stole a half-hour and watched the play
Wives and sWeethearts, too, of the
members of the Legislature were in at
tendance from time to time all day and
they were richly repaid for their pains
There was hardly an hour when there
was not some graphic, vivid, incident to
hear or see.
The hour for converting was set at 1880
and there was not vacant seat in the
hall when the hands Of the clock pointed
to that hour. All the actors were in lheir
| places by that time. Judge Campbell
entered the courtroom with the jaunty
air Of school-boy His counsel was
there before him and the two men shook
hands. Only few seats away from him
was man he regarded with the deepest
interest. This individual was Sheriff
Beach, OF Amherst Courthouse. who, as
the evidence shows later on, is no friend,
| of the Judges. but it does rot appear in
I the testimony that the Sheriff shot the
| uncle OF Judge Campheli's wife in
street duel at Amherst.
It is warm nearly always in Amherst
Not far away-a few seats back and to
the right-sat DR.. Crawford
The shafts OF sunlight falling through
the north window, lit up the fine lines
in his face, and many were the admiring
! glances cast at him.
Judge Wood-another star in the cast
and a warm friend Of Judge Campbell's-
sat next to him. his dark face and lower-
| ing brow forming a strong contrast to the
| minister's.
The bevy Of witnesses which Judge
| Loving and Mr.. Strobe had brought down
from Amherst were the last men in the
world that one would pick out as the
natives of such community where ac-
cording to the evidence. blood curdIes
| as milk in a thunder storm, around cleo
| ton times and where they shoot. curse
drink indicated Whiskey. and generally
pick up quarrel at the smallest pro-
Yoca ton.
The witness, Mr.. Scott, VINO is g. lawyer
and superintendent of public schools. was
soul Of suavity in appearance SherfR
Beach Is a red-faced. goodman red look
| ing man. who does not look as IL he
wanted to kill a fly let alone man IN
street duel The other witnesses were
] 8ec11a1l .inoffensiva ostensihIysg Ri1t n.