Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-02
TUE DISPATCH AND THE TINES.

FRIDAY. .. JANUARY e. 1903.
TUE DISPATCH AND THE TIMES.
Some days ago the Richmond Times,
with the t'l1olier than thou" air which
usually characterizes 1t when it has been
placed at a disadvantage and is intent on
exploiting its own virtues presumed to
lecture the Dispatch and the News for
printing Mr.. John S. Wise's letter to my
Dear Judge" 1t held, or pretended to
mold, that the Dispatch and its evening
contemporary should not have allowed
Mr.. Wise to abuse the people Of Virginia
through their columns. A contention has
arisen between the News and the Times
on this subject, and the latter, IN its issue
Of yesterday, again pours out thanks that
st is not as other papers. and poses as
heinG shocked at the course of this paper
NJ the News in giving publicity to the
Wise communication.
So far as the News Is concerned, what
the Times says about it is tho News's
affair. The News is thoroughly capable of
taking care of itself. AS for ourselves.
our duty to the public. as we saw 1t. re-
CURED us to print Mr.. wises letter. We
felt obligated to our readers to let them
know the real ani1nus Of Mr.. Wise's as
sault upon the Constitution, and we could
not have accomplished that better than
by permitting him to make the exposure
himself, as he did in his vicious diatribe.
Moreover, we found In the communication
matter distinctively to our party's adj
vantage. We looked upon it as q Re
publican boemerang-a weapon hurled at
lis that would fly back in the hurlers
face. Our Judgment was correct, for it is
pcpularized the new Constitution as no
enc else could have done.
OF course, our editorial comment, de-
mandatory of the letter. went out III the
ame issue with the letter But the Times,
with It's accustomed 'frankness.' did not
advise its readers of that fact.
One result of the discussion between
the News and the Times is that both of
those papers declare that they are inae-
pendent in politics. and the Times assures
the public that sit has no desire to become
The organ of any political party. It has
chosen its own course, and that course
is to be independent
It is weil-known to the public that for
obviously sound economic considerations
The News and the Dispatch are under the
,cin o,,I
lgement, but as the News does not hold
party organs in high esteem, the Times
would like to be informed where we of
The Dispatch stand.
The Dispatch stands where it always
sas stood. It means to do all that it can
10 to help the Democratic party frame
honest and good platforms and select
froper candidates, but it never will mag
he itself bigger than it's party. 1t will
sever arrogate to itself more wisdom, pa
frtotism and intelligence than the major
Ny Of the white people of Virginia.
We shall continue to take pot luck
With the party. That We should bolt it
rs our contemporary did at a critical PC
tiod or its history-seems a possibility
too remote for consideration. We, there
lion of crawling back to an abandoned
position under cover of silence
And in reply TO another question Of the
Times We would say the Dispatch is as
much the Democratic party organ to-
day rs it ever was. 1t was never SO cS-s
i,,
Democrats of Virginia looked to it for
advice and help and always knew that it
had in it a faithful and unfaltering
champion. When the Republicans or In
dependents were TO be met the Democrats
were certain where the Dispatch would
be found IN the lineup against the party
tnerns-
II stcadfast adherence to cardinal
Democratic principles. and unlinching
loyalty to All that made for the triumph
pf the party whose resnancy alone could
ensure white domination and the conser-
walton Of our institutions constituted
the nlspatck party organ we glory in
having been such.
Heretofore the Dispatch has adhered to
The belief that the majority OF the white
people OF the State. which meant the
Democratic party of the State. was and
should be the controlling power in the
AFFAIRS Of Virginia Therefore. the Dis
patch has acknowledged the expressed
viii OF that majority as its LAM and its
Eaide and has iaboTed with all its power
! 20 have that law represented In State and
I municipal governments and in represen-
iation IN Congress and the electoral col-
I laxe.
It has differed sometimes from the ma.