Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-07-27
THURSDAY, JULY %, 1905.
SEE YOUR OWN PARTY.

editorial comment on what it called
"The Indictment of the Republican
Party" by the Atlanta Constitution.
Our Lynchburg contemporary says:
''The Atlanta Constitution has found
a strong indictment against the Repub-
hcan party for it's malfeasance in of
flee, and for the corruption and graft in
almost every department of the gov
ernment."
After quoting the Constitution the
News also quotes the Washington Post
which commented on the article of the
Constitution. The Post speaks as fol-
lows:
cit is indeed a sickening story, but
it is just what might have been expect
ed under the circumstances. Given a
free hand, or unopposed and practically
unrestricted sway for long time, any
party in charge of our government
might be expected to make that sort Of
an exhibit. ]"
Without realizing how correctly these
thoughts of the Post can be applied to
its party in Virginia our Lynchburg con-
temporary proceeded to comment there
on as follows:
at may be true that any party which
remains in undisturbed possession of
power for long period of time will be-
come corrupt. 1t may profess good
principles, but it's practice may fail to
accord with it's professions. Then,
what is the remedy? 1t may be briefly
stated new deal. Turn the rascals out,
and put in new set of officials. That
is just what the people ought to 90,
when they haveSanother opportunity. !"
The News intended, of course, to ap-
ply those reflections to the National
Republican party because of the late
discoveries of dishonest officials in some
of the departments of the government.
There have been dishonest officials I'M
der the present administration as well
as most of those that preceded it. But
the rascals have been and are now be-
ing turned out by President Roosevelt,
who is hunting them down without
mercy. They will not only be turned
out of Office but will receive a punish
ment commensurate with their several
crimes. 1t is impossible to employ
hundreds of thousands of men in the
service of the government without in
PRODUCING many thieves among them.
The vice is to keep such men in office or
let them go unpublished after they have
been detected. This vice cannot be ap-
piled to the Mckinley or Roosevelt ad-
ministrations, and therefore cannot be
charged to the Republican party.
What about the Democratic party in
Virginia? 1t has been in undisturbed
possession of absolute power for nearly
quarter of century. Has it admin
istered the State Government in all its
departments honestly and capably?
There have been number of serious
charges made, with some partial invest
igations instituted, and graft has re-
Gently been exposed in two of the most
important departments of the State
Government. These Investigations
have only been pushed far enough to
satisfy the people that there was some
thing dark behind the scene which the
general public was not to be permitted
to see.
Democrats have charged Democratic
candidates with corrupting and de-
bauching Democratic Legislatures, and
have made their charges sufficiently
good to conxince every one who did not
side with the corruptionists that the
charges were true. Now, the Demo-
cratic press and leaders are making an
unblushing general confession of fraud
and outrage upon the ballot box, which
covered period of nearly score Of
years, and which were used to rob Re-
publican candidates of the offices to
which they were honestly entitled and
give them to Democrats who accepted
and used the stolen goods. When it
is no longer necessary, thanks to the
vicious provisions of the new constitu-
ton. for the Democrats of certain sec
tons of the State to rob Republicans
they have turned to cheating each
other. There was recently a Demo-
cratic primary in Richmond and charges
were made that certain frauds had
been committed. AS Democrats were
accused of cheating Democrats an in
vestigation by a grand jury was de-
manded. Judge Witt, of the Hastings
Court of Richmond, in delivering his
charge to the grand jury said:
1.-THE purity of the ballot is the safety
of the State. No government can en-
dure which is based on corrupt suf-
frage, and no man should be willing to
hold Office unless he stands ready to
make good an honest title.
Tried by this standard what would be