The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-03


And ever since tho 30th Of May. 1906,
believe, az was stated by Mr.. Sttart.
HE only man IN the Commonwealth Of
firginin that held the key to the slt,tn-
lion and who could have disclosed all
r " these facts WAC John A. Upsbur ard
he failed 10 do It! And lie has not, given
,Iit that letter. becnuac 1t would PIT
him In the position Of having riado
,Iiargey. and he was not willing for thSn
10 go to the public while there was n
libel suit aEiinst him. They meant to
stand By him under those circumstances
i.igh men Az they arc, whatever tho con-
sequences might be! Far be It from INC
10 he severe or harsh on him. Yet with
this opinion OF tho Attorney General Of
Virginia dcclnreing that paper to bo a.
privileged communication. and with the
commission holding that II must not BIO
given 10 tho public, this chief clerk, who
has permitted them to suffer In silence
all OF these weary months. quietly tells
this committee that he has given the
newspapers this privileged communica-
ton. belonging to the files OF this cons
mission!
Z Those are the facts; those are tho facts,
Is there anything there except the high
est and most gentlemanly and the incest
feeling on the part Of these gentlemen
in all OF this whole transaction?1
Not Indiscretion.
Indiscretion? Far be It from me to say
that my friend has not been indlscreet.
recognize and accept II, and II Ia his
splendid and honorable character to which
that indiscretion Is due. Because OF sim
plicity and purity and character OF life,
there is his superior nowhere. In my
in this Commonwealth. And the
very simplicity OF the man makes another
to come before him and lay on him his
troubles. Major LAnier comes to him
for information and advice on his private
affairs. Those are the qualities of the
man. and, as Is so often the case with a
man OF those high traits. lack OF
worldly wisdom Is coupled with that
legal acumen which has safely guided this
commission as II Travelled through I'M
known fields and over unknown ground.
and safely guided them through all OF the
difficulties that have beset them, and, to
my great regret, there was yesterday af-
frmed against me in the Tidewater Rail-
road case the correct decision OF the same
learned lawyer who alone could have
furnished the legal ability to those other
gentlemen. who. with all their ability.
are not lawyers.
Indiscreet, learned. wise and able. he
Ia the man. yes. who told Lan.er that
he might organize such company as
that for the benefit Of the Common
wealth and the benefit Of the commits
sion and the benefit Of himself. That
was tho man who said: Yes you can
work there II you have an enploye OF
the commission with you. but I don't
think the office ought to be open at
night That was the man who said
such a company ought to be organized,
and you remember there Is testimony that
M tta ,I,ot 81 ott,
panies. i say that was n man rho
might be misled because of the simple,
earnest faith Of the man and his belief
that everybody. until he found him
wrong, was of tho same high plane as
himself.
Thank God They Are Out.
do thank God, gentlemen of the com
mittee. that these facts are out and arc
before the public. That these things
which have been exaggerated. from the
fact that they were unknown. and about
which these gentlemen We're compelled
to keep silent, are now before the people
Of this Commonwealth. I say there is
nothing In them that would cause any
member of that body TO feel ashamed
frorn my fart thai comes forth.
Tndiscretlon? / admit II. and 1t Is I'M
denied. There is nothing in this case
Dgk tb'tl ISlietts upon the
Virginia gentlemen.
1 trust that this committee will feel II
their duty under this evidence to report
that there Is nothing in any facts de-
tailed before them but an indiscretior
on the part of the chairman of this com
mission In taking share OF this stock
and, IL You choose, in agreeing that ar
empIoye might undertake 20 organize s,,cI
a company. but warning him at the same
time to have no official connection with
that company and not to mingle its bus.
ness with the affairs of this commits
sion.
/ feel that 1t is not possible to sc
into the facts with the limited time be-
fore me. thank you. gentlemen, for your
attention.
Chairman Byrd:
1.-THE committee will now arise to meet
in executive session on Monday aftcrnoo,
at 3 o'clock.