Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-07-09
THURSDAY. JULY 9, 1908.
PRESENT AND FUTURE DANGERS.

number of the people Of the State, and
indifference as to its enforcement on the
part of much larger class. Heretofore
the dominant class in Virginia has been
resting compacently with the belief that
the population of this Commonwealth is
go surerior to that of other States that no
apprehension need be felt or expressed
that unlawful and riotous uprisings among
the working classes would occur here as
they have been doing in the States where
large ignorant foreign element is found.
TIE sharp class distinctions that rave been
so rieidly and arbitrarily applied in past
years by one class of citizens, and that have
been so meekly submitted to by another
class, have misled the dominant element
in its conception of what the future may
bring forth. A rude shock has been given
by this Richmond strike to ideas formerly
held, and ruder shocks are sure to come,
uhless a radical change is made in the
policy of repression which has been en-
ployed by the so-called superior class O
citizens. Some newspapers have recently
been coating and expressing grim satistac-
tinn er the fact that the Northern and
Western States have been brought dis
agreeaby face to face with the race prob
lem Perhaps we will soon find that here
in Virginia we are confronted by ques-
iicn equally as serious, the labor or class
problem.
If there is large dissatisfied and dan
gerous element In the population of Vir-
GINA, and its numbers are constantly in
creasing, will it not be wise to investigate the
cause of its existence and seek to remove
it? Such conditions and situations do not
arise incidentally or accidentally. They
come from the improper direction OF the
thoughts of the masses by partisan press
and selfish public men who occupy statl'
ons of leadership. They may also result
from unwise and unjust laws, organic OF
statutory. Both of these causes have
leen plainly instrumental in producing the
present evil conditions in Virginia; and
the latter cause is certain TO accelerate
their growth if a sound remedial applica-
ton is not promptly made.
The Democratic newspapers and polltl
clans, with few exceptions, in Virginia
R,ave for long time been educating the
masses on lines that are calculated to make |
the working classes hostile to capital. They /
have constantly denounced the Republi'
can policy Of protection as the enemy of
wage.earners. The people have been
taught the false doctrine that protection
is the ucother of trusts, and, incidentally,
that all corporations are engagedin a soul
less effort to rob the workingman Of bis
Just share of the products of his labor.
That these teachers have been insincere
has been fully demonstrated by the atti'
tude they occupy when their misguided
pupils revolt against those they have been
taught to regard as oppressors. Their in
sincerity has been more completely shown
by the character of legislation that has
beeL produced by the Democratic Legis-
latures. The corporations have controlled
all recent legislatures-getting just what
they wanted-while organized labor has
been unable to secure any substantial
legislation for its protection. {
That riotous and lawless force has been
migrating among the people of Virginia
can no longer be disputed, though men
and newspapers may differ in opinion as {
to the cause or causes. The most aggrava-
ted outbreak that has so far occurred has c
been in the Capital City, where our laws
are made and where the Executive and
other State Departments are located. The e
disturbance was so violent that it became b
necessary to call out nearly the entire Il
volunteer militia of the State to suppress =
riots and protect life and property. h
If there is already large dissatisfied
and dangerous element in Virginia, made
80 10y industrial conditions and the socialis- =,
tie teachings of demaQogues, is there not ci
imminent danger of the segregation of an Il
army of aliens from the mass of the popu- al
tstion, which will have no respect for the y
law because its members are the victims q;
Of the inequality OF the law. We refer to 10
tie vast army of DISTINGUISHED citizens to
now great in number but that will be al
enormously large after the poll tax quail
ication in 1904 has reduced the electorate h.
o the proportions contemplated by tie an
ramers of the new constitution. There re
viii he not lees than two hundred tllous- an
nd men, half white and half colored. then -
occupying the position of aliens in their or
alive State. They will be amenable to an
i the seventies of the law without the sci
ght of having voice in the govern oi
tent. Can they be expected 10 be