Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-08-10
THURSDAY. AUGUST 10, 1905.
WHY so SlLENT2


porary too deeply Disguised to say any
thing, or is it afraid to give the public
its views on the matter, lest its party
should be damaged by the exposures?
The Hon. Carter Glass is the owner,
publisher and editor of the News. He
was one of the most violent advocates
of constitutional convention and the
making of a new constitution. Has he
been so shocked by seeing his promises
and predictions as to a pure electorate
fail that he is unabletO speak, or are his
future political aspirations so intense
that he is unwilling to say or do any
thing that will subject his party to SER
ious criticism. We we'll remember that
whilst Mr.. Glass may have assigned
other reasons for the need of
q new constitution, the most urgent
and repeated were desire to get rid OF
a corrupt official oligarchy and an
ignorant and venal electorate. We
have before us several editorials pub
lished in the News in 1900, which fully
sustain our assertion. In one of these
editorials we find the following language:
''To US it is exasperating to hear peo-
pie, who are constantly complaining OF
our deplorable condition, set up a wall
of impotency every time the only pos
sible remedy is proposed. They ad-
nit we need a new constitution
They confess that we have twice as
many public officials as are needed; and
they bitterly complain of desperate and
dishonest political methods. This is
our present, state; these are the insult
ferable conditions which we must meet.
And yet, when it is proposed that the
people of Virginia, who used to be IN
domitable, shall take matters IN hand,
dethrone the political brigands and
rescue the Commonwealth from the
grip of an official despotism, those who
complain must forthwith setup whine
that it can't be done. We believe
the people of Virginia are perfectly
capable of rescuing their government
from the hands of an Officeholding
oligarchy, and of framing new con-
stitution which will insure honesty and
enconomy in public affairs. If they are
not, then let us go on quietly and sub
NIT to being plundered and misgoverned
by inferior politicians under a confessed
ly vicious, corrupt and prOfigate sys-
tenn"
The demands of the News and those
who thought with it were granted. A
convention was ordered, assembled
and made new constitution. Mr..
Glass was decidedly conspicuous
member of the convention and his voice
and views were almost paramount on
the suffrage and kindred questions.
The new constitution was put in force
and Mr.. Glass thanked God that pure
electorate and honest elections had
been permanently secured in Virginia.
We do not hear him thank God now. 1t
is unnecessary to say why.
At another time, in another editorial,
I'VE find the News saying:
cit cannot be denied that corrupt
political methods have been widely
practised in this State. Those who
take part in such measures justify
themselves by the plea that they are
necessary for self preservation; that
without such methods the State, OF
large sections of the State, would fall
under negro domination. Until the
ignorant and venal vote can be eliminat-
ed it will be impossible to restore purity
to our elections. Corruption begins by
cheating the negro, and ends by one
faction of the whites cheating the other,
and so the evil grows, and there is nc
telling where it will end unless checked
by radical reform. "
Soon after these editorials appeared
in the Lynchburg News the Democratic
party in Virginia assembled in State
convention at Norfolk. Mr.. Glass was
at that convention and as a member OF
the resolutions committee wrote the
following which was adopted as part OF
the State platform.
"Resolved, that it is the sense OF
this convention that in framing a new
constitution no effort should be made to
disfranchise any citizen of Virginia who
had a right to vote prior to 1861, nor
the descendant of any such person, and
that when such constitution shall have
been framed, it shall be submitted to
vote of the people for ratification or
rejection"
In it's editorial columns of May 9th
1900. the News, whilst speaking of the
objections to constitutional cOnven-
ton that had been removed by the
Democratic platform, said; Another
objection was removed by the declara-
ton of the convention in favor of sub
hitting the new constitution to the
popular vote for ratification or rejection.
That was the construction that Mr..
Glass put upon the pledge made in his
resolution to submit the new consti-
tuition to the people. When ne spoke
in the constitutional convention he gave