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

The Wiser Course.
Regarding Lanler. Mr.. Hunton said:
II thoroughly agree with the state
mcnt OF Mr.. Stuart that 1t would have
been wiser to have demanded of Mr..
I.hnier his resignation without giving
any cause therefor ar all. j. however,
say. and l say without fear of SUCCESS
full contradiction, that, in my Judgment,
if any one OF the five members of this
committee were faced with that situn-
tion. and believed. as this commission
believed, that Major Lanier was guilty
of no intentional wrong doing, however
indiscreet he bad been. I do not believe
that any one of you five members of
this committee would have undertaken
to brand Lanicr and send him out with
a stain upon his character. while belicv-
ing that he intended 10 wrong; say that
no one OF you five men would have I'M
dertaknn to send him out with n brand
upon him and stain upon his char
actor. when you believed that he had
only been indiscreet. that though he had
overstcpped the bounds of propriety, and
so far rs keeping him as an employee was
concerned the possibility was gone. yet
you had not lost your idea OF his in
tegrity OF purpose.
| say that no member OF the committee
would have undertaken or sought to brand
man under those conditions. when
there were two reasons for his dismissal.
one OF which was no reflection upon his
character. There Is not man Of proper
sense and of proper heart and of proper
human Kindness who would not haze
given that man the advantage OF integ-
rity Of purpose that this commission be-
lieved that he had.
Is there anything for criticism tkeee 2
III there is. God knows IL was done In be-
nj
intended no wrong. but who committed
wrong. and whose usefulness was de-
stroycd az an empoye of that commits
sion.
Gentlemen. 1t is so easy after thing
is over and done. to look back and con-
denim an act which looked straight and
simple at the time the act was done
say that criticism after an event is
easy while wise conduct at the time Is
a matter OF difficulty and doubt and I'M
certainty.
What was the occasion for an inves-
tigatlon? They called these men in. one
OF them n stakeholder ir this company
and the other two having no official con-
nection and no financial interest In II.
but merely employees of the Virginia Cor
poration Company incorporated
an employe: would you have had a
formal trial and presented charges. I'M
less there was grave doubt about the
matter and you wanted to find ou,
whether II was true or not? They called
this man in, after telling Epshur stay
here, we want you, we may need YOU
They called LanIer in and talked with
him In the freest, frankest way. 1t de-
velops what he has done, and 1t develop.
facts that they regard rs improper. and
that dlsqualify him as an ernpIoye of the
NJ rpfpiSgtnYt ,b
ly. without concealment. under the yer,
eye. some OF them. of Mr.. upshur him.
self. The very rubber stamp was left
openly in his desk. He attempts to de
fend himself and says that he has done
no wrong at ALL They point out to him
In the candid way that 1t seems to ms
1t becomes every superior to deal witt
the men under him-they point out Il
Major Lanier wherein he has done wron;
to this commission and to himself.
No Use of 1t.
Speaking in defense OF the commission
not granting Ianier an investigation.
Mr.. Hunton said:
What was to be gained nv ITO Tho,
had gotten all tho facts necessary Ia
convince them that 1t was not wise for
him to stay; they determined that be
could not stay. If there had been any
doubt In their minds az to tho wisdom
of keeping him. they might have inves-
tiEated further, but there was no dlf-
hculty In their minds In determining that
he was no longer proper employee. And
so with Newly and so with Tyler. Is
there anything wrong there? Haven't
they done their full duty in these re-
spects? Haven't they discharged 1t In
the highest, most considerate way, ana
yet with absolute regard for the well
fare of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
And yet those men have been In (
position, of cruciaxlon, and they have bee,
attacked and assailed. md their mouths
remained closed? Why? Because Mr.
Upshur. the chief clerk of that commits
sion, who had supervision of that Office
came to them and reported the imprope,
conduct on the part OF their employees
and was threatened with libel suit
and was sued: and these men, realizin,
that they wanted the employees OF tina