Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-04-21
Friday, April FL, 1906.


denotes of its writers, not only to
initiate attack but to tar it over
with offensiye personalities. We
dislike controversy, particularly with
a newspaper lacking either the intel
lectusl perception to recognize the
truth or common manhood enough to
confess it. Failing to answer salts
factorily q correspondent in these
columns whom it had attacked with
out warrant or excuse-for Aunty
Spec had made not the faintest
allusion to that paper when jumped
on by the News editors-it resorted
to the unprofessional ruse of dis
tracing attention from the main is
sues by TRADE against the editor of
the CITIZEN. Not q line or word
had appeared in these columns re-
lative to the News or it's manifold
broth-brewers when it opened its
vituperative. guns of the campaign
upon US. This fact is set forth to
our readers, solely as extenuation for
prolonging controversy which We
had intended cutting short after our
last pronouncement.
The News last week (sfter initi-
ating and melting campaign of re-
criminstion) puts on righteous-in-
dignation air and AYERS that we al
lowed the use of our columns to
Aunty Spec to give it scalding.
Aunty Spec would never have been
permitted (even had he desired) to
allude to the News If that paper
had not first attacked him and in
the same issue published communi.
cation aimed at him and which had
been rejected by the CITIZEN with
the explanation that personalities
and misstatements were contained
therein that would lead to a con-
troversy.) The News however grab
bed it with avidity and started a
fracas from which It's hide has be-
come quite sore, and after insugu-
rating such mud-slinging it did
not even await the usual lapse of
an issue for a reply but hurled it at
the CITIZEN or its correspondent in
. rapid-fire, issue following issue, not
scrupulous SIS to how it garbled, mis-
quoted and made false statements.
Now that it has been hauled
up, and conscience accusing the ag-
gressor, it becomes a petulent,
naughty child and resorts to calling
ugly names. "Aunt Spec" in his
6rst campaign letter written likely
without even a thought of the exis-
tence of the News) particularly dis
claimed any intention to. engage in
personalities; aud the CITIZEN would
have held him down to it had
not an over-snxious coterie pounced
upon him. As it is we are frank to
say that the article felt heavily the
CITIZEN editors blue pencil and in
a great measure the prerogatives of q
correspondent who had been attack
ed were curtailed. Just here we
might answer the opposition's insin-
uation, when we say emphatically
that Mr.. Hammonds (Aunty Spec
wrote his articles without any coach
ing or even knowledge of intention
upon our part. Those who have read
him in the past and also know the
editor of the CITIZEN need no as
surance that his productions are sole
ly Mr.. Hammonds', and that the Orr
ITEMS editorial columns are known
to belong to Mr.. Lee, and that he
does not have to hide his personality
or allow others to strike over his
head. He uses no cloak in express
ing his views. Learn this: If you
stoop from your editorial perch to
rasp a correspondent, fight it out
with him; and If you get besmatter-
ed don't squeal, bat wash up and be
wiser, even if sadder. Don't try to
hypocritically get out of the mud by
turning guns and attention to con-
temporary editor to cover your igno-
minious flight. Remember also tina:
harsh words
admit of no defence;
For want of decency is want of sense. -
The News now asserts that it be-
gan the attack on the CITIZEN sin
perfectly good natured and thor
oughly dignified manner" BY the
Great Hopping-toad! do you say a
brother editors statement (Which
had no reference to you) was ste
create an erroneous public senti.
ment" and is "without foundation in
fact" and then claim you ar,
good humored and digni6ed? That.
what you launched out with. anC
when it was courteously acknowledg
ed that single word had unin
tentionally crept In, you mistool
honest confession for cowardice
preserve us from the contracte,
creature that doesn't know the man
hood in owning up; take him ava,
and put red blood into his veins.
But you didn't even wait for oul
made-much-of confession; you ex
plotted a rejected communication