The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-21
Times Dispatch Bureau,
Mursey Building,

washington, ID. C.. May 20.
Hon. Carter Glass. member OF Con-
and probable candidate for the Dem
ocratic nomination for Governor, has
written Mr.. w. A. Land, editor OF the
Courier, quite spicy open
letter in response to recent editorial
In Mr.. Lands paper with reference to
the candidacy of Mr.. Glass for Con-
gross. Mr. Glass says in part:
There has been handed ms a clip
ping from the editorial columns OF
your paper embodying comment
on paragraph from the Washing
ton correspondence OF a Richmond
newspaper in which I seem to be
represented as militant guberna-
torial aspirant with purpose akin
to that OF the Irishman at Donny-
brook, who hit every head that
popped UP. For the convenience OF
your design you choose to assume
that the publication referred to
was inspired by me and exactly
represents my Intentions; and.
forthwith, you proceed to predict
what will happen to me and to
insinuate the likelihood OF an as
sault on my character as private
citizen should I presume to criti-
cize the public record OF any other
candidate for Governor. s''
Mny Search His Record.
You think 1T a fair assertion to
say that because I am In Washing
ton, attending to my duties as
Congressman, anything sent from
here by newspaper correspondents
purporting to forecast my part in
the next gubernatorial campaign
in Virginia undoubtedly" reflects
my views.
Arguing a priorl. would 1t not
be as reasonable for roe to insist
that. because the Blackstone
Courier is personal and political
advocate Of Judge Mann, published
at his home, the latter inspired its
covert threat to criticize my rec
ord as a private citizen" should
I discuss his record as public
man? shall make no such absurd
deduction; but, on this point, I
Will say to the Courier that 1t can
not AFFECT my purpose to be or not
to be Il candidate for Governor
against Judge Mann, nor the man
ner of conducting my campaign.
by its threat to search my hrecord
as a private citizen" Further than
that, I want to say that my record
as private citizen is perfectly
legitimate subject of inquiry, as
is that Of any man the instant he
becomes p candidate for public
office do not belong to the school
of casutsts that seeks to differen-
tate public and private character
or to discriminate personal and
political integrity.
man with had
acter should not be given public
place, and, / believe any man who
is. politically, a knave is, at bot
tom. personally dishonest. So that,
g matter of public conscience or in
the interest Of its candidate for
Governor, desires to criticize my
record as private citizen" It
may do so with the explicit as
be no whining about personal
abuse" or "mudslinging." In such
criticism 1t is bound to do one OF
two things; it must tell the truth
or tell a falsehood fit! shall tell
complain. If it shall tell false
hood. it must accept the conse-
quences. If it can impeach' my
record as a private citizen 1t can
and If it can do either Of these
things it should not, as a fearless
and decent journal, hesitate a mo-
ment to perform this public SER
vice.
1t need not wait till the guber-
Material campaign is in full swing.
Within ten years 1 have been
elected to the Virginia Senate, to
the Constitutional Convention, and
four times to Congress from the
Sixth District. have been nomi-
mated, without opposition, for
fifth term In Congress and will
stand for election next November.
If the people Of my senatorial and
congressional district have been
deceived either as to my personal
integrity or public record they
ought to know 1t. II, on the other
4 hand. the Blackstone Courier is
merely seeking to shield its can
didate for Governor from lesiti-
mate criticism Of his public action
by threatening to assail my record
as a private citizen, the people OF
Virginia ought to know 1t.
do not los esight of the fact
that you profess to have always
entertained a high personal and
political regard tor me; but1 ut
terly fail to reconcile that state
ment with the suggestion that my
record as a private citizen" may
be, and will be. assailed in retail
iation for any criticism that may
please to make Of the public record
fo~