The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-20
"a Puzzling Contemporary.

! E + . r1sfl ~ .
A Puzzling Contemporary.
rho 1ndex-Appcul still insists That It die
hot ''st In Judgment on Governor Mon.
taguc for not promptly paying his taxes
without giving him an opportunity to be
heard" We reproduced our contelh.
porary's article In order Tint the reader
might Judge for himself and now we
cali attention especially to this part OF
| 1t:
Apparently, the Governor has paid nc
| personal taxes anywhere since 1901. Now
! what an example IL tllls for the first
gentleman OF the Commonwealth to set
the taxpayers or the stated The State
or virginia does not materially suffer be-
cause the Governor falls to pay his am
iiual dies of $3.50 assessed against Ills
personal property She would not DO
bankrupt If she never, got, It. But she
cannot afford that her highest official
should set such IN example of disregard
for civic duty. If tho Governor can
lightly disregard his duty III this matter,
why should not the hard working farmer
and laborng man do tho Same thing?Hi
1t Is truo that our 'cont cmporary went
on to express the hope that the Governor
would be nble to show that, there was
some n,istalt nbout tho natter,"s but II the
language above quoted 10 MOTTO all intents
and purposes, an assumption Of guilt and
n prohouncement Of Judgment 1t Is SO
close ID 1t that the lines of distinction
are not Visible to the naked eye our
point was that the 1ndex-Appeal, In fair
ness should have waited to hear Govel-
nor Montague's side Of It before making
such severe comment. In point Of fnct'
after Governor Montague had made MS
explanation, our contemporary was far
enough to say that 1t was very rea-
sonnble and that 1t relieved the Governor.
The lndex-Appeal tncitly admits, there
fore that II It had waited for tho Gov
errors explanation there had been no
occasion for the very severe article from
which we quoted.
we asked the 1ndex-Appcal If 1t would
have rushed into print With a criticism
of Senator Martin, had similar charge
been brought against that gentleman,
before the senator had IN opportunity to
reply. In reply to this the lndex-tAppeaal
puts this question to u.s. ~
Since The Times-D Dispatch. sees tit to
put the question In that form, will It
kindly tell us why 1t thinks We would
not?"
For the simple reason that the Index
Appeal has been and is such warm
supporter and ardent admirer Of Senator
Martin, that SO far as we can recall, It
has since the campaign opened passed no
unfavorable criticism upon any of his
sayings or his acts, but on the con
trary has vigorously and ably rushed TO
his defense whenever Others have crti-
cised him. Therefore, we not unnaturally
conclude that If such a charge had been
brought against Senator Martin, the
lndex-Appeal would have waited to hear
from Senator Martin himself before crti-
clsing him.
Our contemporary wants The Times
Dispatch and the public generally to know
that personally and aside from considera-
lions of the public welfare 1t cares no
Governor Montague; that It takes little
stock in politicians, anyhow. regarding
them in 4 sense as necessary evils and
preferring always the lesser evil; then
adds:
But as to The Times Dlspatch's ques-
ton, we answer empha tically, yes! and
the editor of that paper knows our record
. iry fc0 t.Hl,a1 n