The Virginia enterprise., 1908-08-28

the members of his own political
tribe in one night, to have day break
with a different combination forming
in his absence. The only way to rule
an ordinary ward is to have the power
over the Jobs" to be distributed and
use that power with the utmost rigor
Let every political worker know that
he will walk the plank instantly If
he sidesteps or hesitates, and you
will have discipline, faithfulness and
results; never otherwise. If you hold
the reins of>4patronage you can guide
the political vehicle '',of your party
safely.
From the newspaper end of the
game you must expect not only reck.
less regard for fairness and justice,
but in the case of some sheets, a
steady stream of SANDER and libel.
Caricature (even Lincoln was vilely
caricatured) is a daily weapon, and
criticism of officials, laden with ridi-
cule and contempt, was matter of
course. Indeed, no man in any Office
need expect any less than this, and is
foolish if he attempts to stop it. I
recollect the excitement of an honored
| citizen who served with me on the
board of local Improvements (some.
times called "the board of local amuse.
ments') when paper on the other
side of the political fence said we
were "set of lazy, useless, good.for.
nothing incompetents," or words to
that effect. He wanted to sue the
paper for libel right away. But, pshaw.
that was a mere bagatelle.
But sometimes, especially in the
case Of certain papers, they hesitated
at nothing. l had an experience of
this kind. One morning I was charged
with the committing of the crime of
attempted bribery. The article was
the result of petty ward conspiracy.
| and was without any foundation what.
soever. l read the article at noon, and
by three o'clock, as soon as the neces-
sary papers could be drawn, had the
managing editor of the paper held for
! criminal libel before the nearest JUS
tice of the peace. In few days the
paper paid all the costs of the proceed
ing, paid my lawyer his fees and
printed on the front page of their
| paper a complete retraction and
apology which I dictated and headed.
I then dismissed the charge against
their managing editor. He was a nice
| fellow, all right, and had never seen
the article, having instructions to
rush everything through which he re-
ceived from certain bureau" Yet
he was the Irresponsible party" legal.
ly. l did not know who the reporter
was who turned the stuff in, and did
not care, as he would simply be the
purvey0r of the tale "as twas told
to him." got to the bottom of the
thing afterwards. Now all that can
be done In these cases, no matter how
foul the wrong, is to jail the manag-
ing editor six months and collect
money damages from the owners Of
the paper. The only fair way to look
at abuses of this kind is to give the
press the fullest possible liberty and
then make it felony if they abuse
the liberty.
The reputable newspapers do not
libel nor SANDER, although they
criticise bitterly. No man will object
to partisan criticism, politically, how
ever biting But deliberate or even
careless criminal libel should be pun
ished when shown to be the result Of
malice or utter lack OF caution.
In the political game on the lower
levels while man will meet good men
and true occasionally, he will be sur.
prised at the rarity of such individ-
uals. don't know what it is in petty
municipal politics that makes men as
they are, unless it is the cowardice
that depending absolutely upon it for
a living engenders. Or is it
Because their natures are little, and
| whether he heed it or not,
Where each man walks with his head in
| cloud of poisonous f1ies.''
] ERNEST M'GAFFEY.
Copyright, 1905, by Joseph B. Bowles.)