Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-06-12
EDITOR LAND TO EDITOR GLASS
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE. ]

my candidate or any other candidate?
On the contoary, it is an invitation for
you to do SO. AS for the attacks upon
Judge Mann, everything has been said
OF him it appears possible to say, and
he has withstood it all, growing strong
er and stronger with each and every
attack. In all this ne has shown the
Christian gentleman that he is. When
one cheek is struck he turns the other.
a passiveness objected to by many of
his warmest friends.
I'm the matter of discussions quote
you as follows:
If ever there was a time in Vir-
ginia when men and issues needed to
be discussed, il is at hand. Why
anybody should object to such a discus
sion before the people, or betray APP
prehension that it will excite bitter
ness or degenerate into personal abuse.
is something cannot exactly compre-
bend. Nothing of the sort has ever
occurred in any campaign in which l
have been a participant
81 do not for moment think YOU
will get unanimous agreement to the
above statement when the campaign
between you and the late Hon. Graham
Clayton is remembered. If bitterness
and personal abuse and 'mud-slinging'
were not engaged in at that time, / do
not know what constitutes such things.
However, admit that the question of
what constitutes such things, and what
does not, and what disgusts and what
does not, is largely a matter of opinion
I might say inherent taste.
1T may be that the style of cam
paign you suggest. and for which it
appears you have received some edito-
rial sanction, is needed in Virginia, but
| cannot as yet bring myself to the
point of believing it. When the time
arrives that in order to win the higeest
honor in the gift of the people, resort
must be had to the passions of men,
when examinations and denominations.
abuse and viliications, derision and vi
Operations, calumny and defamation.
acrimony and vindictiveness, besmirch
ing or biliingsgate, must be the weap-
ons used all that remains to be said is
that God save the Commonwealth. -"
VERY respectfully,
w. A. LAND"
Blackstone, Va, May, 80, 1908.
The following is copy of the editor
ial which appeared in the Black stone
Courier on May LIST, and which called
forth the recent letter of Mr.. Glass to
the editor of the Courier, Mr.. w. A.
Land, to which reply is made in the
above letter to Mr.. Glass.
WILL THE CAMPAIGN BE MUDDY?"
Several times recently articles have
appeared in the Richmond Times-D Dis
patch from its regular correspondent in
Washington. bearing upon the probable
candidacy of Mr.. Glass for the Cover
norship next year, similar to the follow
ing:
The indications are that Represen-
tative Carter Glass will make formal
announcement next week of his can
dldacy for the Gubernatorial nomina-
ton in Virginia. If he should enter
the race his determination will give
assurance to the people of Virginia
that the campaign for nomination to
the Virginia Governorship will not be
anything of fiower-tossing contest,
in which the Alphonse and CASTOR bust
ness will be worked to ANYTHING like the
extent which has characterized such
campaigns in times past The cam
palgn will be bitter one. Records
will be searched with a thorouphness
not known in recent interparty contests
IN virginia If any prospective candi-
date is conscious of any act of his
which will not bear the close scrutiny
OF his political opponents he would bet
ter get out or get gum"
The above is supposed to be from the
pen of Mr.. Walter Edmund Harris. the
Washington correspondent of the Times
Dispatch, who being in Washington and
coming in close association with MIR.
Glass, no doubt gets his views
of Mr.. Glass position and intention
from that gentleman himself. If this
represents Mr.. Glass position, which
we hope it does not, his campaign will
evidently be different from that of Mr..
Tucker, as recently outlined by him in
his Leeburg speech. 1t will no doubt
be different from that desired by the
voters of the State.
We see no objection to any proper
criticism of the political record or abb
sence of record. of any candidate, since |
public men who offer for public Office |
should, In large measure. be judged by |
whatthey havedone, or what they have
failed to do, in public life, but public
abuse is Objectionable, and we believe
nauseating to the more respectable ele-
ment of voters Further still. we do
not believe any candidate who inagur-
ated campaign of mud-slinging and
abuse will receive the approval or sup
port of the right thinking people of the
State, either at the time in question.
nor at any other period.
However, if the sentiments and in
tentions of Mr.. Glass are properly re-
fected in the above quoted special. we
dare say he will be accommodated. |
We expect criticism in this case would
extend to records as private citizens as
well as records and non records of pub- |
lie acts. While not writing for. nor in
the interest of any of the candidates
mentioned in connection with the Office
of Governor, and while having ALWAYS
entertained high personal and political
regard for Mr.. Glass, if he is pinine
for this kind of campaign let him begin
the fray, and what the voters WIN
do for him at the close of the campaign