Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-06-01

we nave just returned from visit
down the Northern Neck. While we
are not resident of the First District
we listened to the talk along the line
with mnch interest. Mears seems to
be developing remarkable amount of
strength and the fight between himself
and Jones promises to be interesting.
King George corr. Progress.
The Northern Neck News y can
go further and say, that Mr.. Mears. if
elected to Congress, will be as faithful
a public servant as his opponent has
been and will be no less active in his
efforts to secure appropriations for
his district and to discharge every other
obligation in the sphere of his duty as
our representative. In his professional
career Mr.. Mears has secured clients
and retained them by his faithfulness
and the efficient manner in which he
has met their. demands upon him. AS at
torney for the Commonwealth he served
his county so well, that he could have
had fourth term if he had desired it.
AS member of Congress he will be no
less faithful and vigilant in the dis
charge of every duty. These things
being true and no one will say to the
contrary who knows the man, is not
Mr.. Mears entitled to the almost un-
divided support Of this, his home county?
Northampton his adopted county, will
give him practically an unqualified en-
dorsement. Can Accomac do less?-
Peninsula Enterprise.
WHOSE SEAT is 1T?
Northampton Times,
When our excellent contemporary.
The Times-Herald, of Newport News,
clears its throat, it is usually safe to
give attention; there's apt to be some
thing said worth saying as the follow
ing words taken from its columns prove,
at least in one instance:
"Mr. Mears is not candidate for
MIR. Jones' position, but for vacant
position within the gift of the people.
Mr.. Jones' term will expire by consti-
tutional limitation on March 9TH next.
and the Office then reverts to the people.
No man has any claim upon an Office
after the expiration of the term for
which he was chosen, Mr.. Mears has
the unquestioned right to aspire; the
contest resolves itself into a choice be-
tween two men, which the people of the
district are to decide. If they believe
that Mr.. Mears will better serve themt
than Mr.. Jones they should vote for
him; and vice versa
That's bulls eye shot: it is not alone
the privilege of Mr.. Mears, but that of
any good democrat of equal qualification
and standing or even less, to aspire to
this seat which some are wont to regard
as the property of Mr.. Jones under the
law of adverse possession. 1t is Mr..
Jones' right to ask and contest for re-
election, but it is Mr.. Mears right to
challenge him as aggressively as if he
had been in Congress one, instead of
nearly eight terms. Neither length nor
superiority of service can suffice to
transform an elective office into one of
life tenure, nor impart to title for a |
single term the character of fee simple.
If the strange doctrine which some of
our contemporaries of the Western
Shore are proclaiming is to become
established in our governmental system.
we wonder that they do not advocate
the companion principle of tenancy
during good behavior, and abrogate the
limitation business entirely. In COM
mon with the people of this favored (not
politically part of the Old Dominion,
the Times knows Otho Mears; it knows
him to possess every qualification neces-
sary to the erection of standard of ex-
cellence in congressional timber-save
experience alone, and this, no man can
acquire until he has been elected and
seen some measureof service; it's worse
than folly to oppose him because of a |
lack of experience, for who could ever
attain to eligibility if this so-called
reasoning obtained? If he isn't quail
fled in point of experience, and you have |
no objection to his providing himself |
with experience, vote for him; he's
worthy and well qualified.