The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-06
Obituary..

Obituary.
The announcement that Tie Iirles-h's-
match would hold in Richmond South
ern Democratic Conference to consider
the question of writing n platform and
nominating Southern man for the pres-
idencv. has caused sudden fear and panic
In the writing-room of the Lynchbiirg
News Our contemporary can see IN inc
movement nothing but heresy, sedition,
privy conspiracy and rebellion, and after
exposing and condemning the plot. pro-
nounces the following death sentence:
..on with It's head, we say of this sec
tional movement-off with 1t now--and
consisn it to the BACKGROUND OF South
ern thought and discussion.
In subsequent article however, our
contemporary takes different tack and
begs The Times-Dispatch to abandon
the matter altogether
This is distressing and disappointing. 1t
is not often that we have engineered
great political Movement and we had
Hoped for better treatment of our pet
scheme. We had engaged the new audi
torium, brass band, and goodly num-
her of faisirs to sell souvenirs and do other
political stunts, and we had made out
n list of delegates, which included of
course the distinguished editor of the
News In our minds eye we had seen
the patriots gather together in the old
time ontederate Capital. We had seen
the flags waving; we had heard the
welkin ring and in the imagination of our
heart the convention had so far material
tied as to make us feel that all was over
but the shouting. But the sweet dream
IS broken. The Raleigh News and OBJ
server, the Danvile Register and other
contemporaries share the misgivngs of
the Lynchburg News, and rather than
OF these beloved friends, we have de-
cided to sacrifice our own cherished de-
sires. and, in tie lyric lingo OF Brother
Watterson to call the dam thing Off.
1t is but fair to The Times Dispatch,
however. to say that we did not origi-
Some men have greatness thrust upon
them This Movement has led The Times
Dispatch, in spite of itself, and led it into
a maze of distressing entangements.
The original suggestion was made in the
innocence of a political tyro. We should
never have taken. 1t seriously, had not
our neigilbor. tho News leader approved
and pronounced it to be the most prac-
teal suggestion that had been made in
connection with the proposal to nominate
a Southern man. We should have known
better. however than to pin our faith
to the News Leaders, estimate for that
contemporary is as ignorant OF politics
and political methods as The Times-Dis-
patch; and now that misfortune has over
taken US, We have a vague suspicion that
the News Leader was in the conspiracy
against us, and that it handed US a Greek
gift. But vanity was greater than dis
cretion. We have been betrayed and
we acknowledge the corn in humility and
humiliation.
The Lynchburs News says that The
{ Times-Dispatch has yeered from its moor.
inss, Too true. IN fact, "veered" is a
Very mild term for our tergiversation
In the language of the apostle, VIC have
been tossed about by every wind OF
doctrine The Florida Times Union begar
4 by paying compliment to Senator Dan.
lei, and this was echoed in The Times
Dispatch. The Florida paper then nomi
mated Senator Daniel aud The Times
Dispatch said that he would make az
ideal President. We then called tho con
ference, but the News Leader said tha
It would prejudice the Movement to hay,
candidate in advance, ana The Times
Dispatch at once retired Senator DAME,
We had expected q word Of advice from
4 the Charlotte Observer. hui that artro
dodger turned the whole subject over /,
its afternoon edition the Chronicle. ap,
the Chronicle said that while the ide
was good, the conference should be he'll
not in Richmond, but farther South. TIL
Times Dispatch was swift to concur /
that view also, and suggested Key Mes
or scooba, The News Leader then do
clared that 1t would never do Ia allo,
sectional spirit to take possession o
the conference, and we heartily agree
that ii should be infused with tho broat
est spirit of catholicity, Finally came III
Houston rost with a proposal that IL
conference include representative Demo
I, Gratis from every State in ms Union, an
s''let the position OF the South he Of,
russed and placed before the country
national SENSE" We We're about
idopt that view, and we had visions Of
Great National Democratic Conference
s Riehfnond one year in advance of II
dominating convention, Tha most e.