Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1908-03-13
ISSUE CLEARLY DEFINED"

under the above caption, says, among
other things, that 1.-THE will of the
people has been defeated by the party
bosses, ana that the railroads and
other corporations have mt least one
man on the commission I'm whom
they have perfect confidence" and
then proceeds TO belabor Judge Mann
for the part he took i'm the affair.
The Clinch Valley News has had
its lite say on the confirmation of
Judge Rhea, and did not expect to
open its nnuth' again on the sub
ject, but the Above editorial in the
Times brings on more talk" Talk
about 1.-The will of people" being de-
feated-who ever tried TO ascertain
the will of the people? When did the
people speak on the subject? The
newspapers are not 'the people. -
How does the Times know that il
was the will 90 the people," that
Judge Rhea should not be made "A
member of the commission. What is
the General Assembly of Virginia?
IL ii self constituted body, or was
ii constituted by 1.-The people?" The
General Assembly of Virginia, sup
posed TO represent 1.-The people, " by
majority of nearly two TO one put
Judge Rhea where he is. In the
absence of any other expression of
the will of the people" how can il
be said that 1.-THE will of the people
was defeatedY' And, now, be il
remembered-and put this i'm your
pipe, that Judge Rhea's appointment
was contemplated, rumored, talked
OF, AT least twelve months before il
was made, and from the beginning
up TO the hour OF his appointment
not one word Of protest, so far as we
recall, was made by any OF the pa
pers OF the State, nor by one OF the
citizens from any section of theState.
Not until the appointment was
made and the question of confirma-
ton was up did we hear Of charges,
or opposition thereto. Were not all
the facts, charges and suspicious
known nj and before this time. THE
people and the newspapers knew
then rs much as they know now of
Judge Rhea, but all that was heard
was the announcement of his candi-
dacy for the place, and there they
stopped. The time TO express their
Will was before the appointment
was made. Why did not 1.-THE peo-
pie make this an issue when the
General Assembly was elected? They
knew then that the appointment of
Judge Rhea would be made, but moi
word was said, not protest was
heard. The Richmond newspapers.
All the State papers, Mr.. Noel, Mr..
BuIlltt, Mr.. EverbyodyelSe knew
all these things, had all these tell-tale
letters, ballots, ct cetera adj infinitum
al nau seam-were in the pockets or
pigeon holes OF their custodians. and
had been for an incredible and mvs-
terlous length of time, why were moi
these things communicated TO the
Governor before hand and protest
made, instead of holding everything
lor Grand-Stand display? If the
democrats and Republicans who took
such an active part in threshine over
their little bundles of old straw. as
well as those who came in at the
eleventh hour with new and start
ing charges, had so elected they
could have gone To the Governor
privately long before the cruciaI
hour came in which they were nm
Willingly (Oforced to tell what they
knew against Judge Rhea on the Wit
ness stand, and all this hub-bub-
this tempest in teapot, been pre-
vented. We ask again, why did moi
these critics of Judge Rhea, the Gov
ernor and of the committee cry ont
at time when CRYING could do
some good? AS it is, the hue and
cry can result only in woundino
sensitive natures, humiliation. and
discrediting of the motives and in
tegnty OF many of the men i'm the
State from the Governor down. and
the stocking of political arsenal 10
pe drawn upon by our enemies. and
In every political campaign in the /
state from now "tiH kingdom
come We believe in CRYING ONT
when it Will do some good. but
when only harm can be done i'm
keeping your mouth shut.
AS TO JUDGE MANN.
1t may have been unfortunate or
impolitic that he should have held |
such prominent position on the in
Vestigating committee, if any posi- !
tion at all, nevertheless-be il also
fememnered-that the investigating
oohiniittee were appointed for speci-
nc purpose, and that purpose was
not TO determined whether Judoe |
Rhea should have "A place on the
Commission, but TO ascertain and
pass upon the truth or falsity of the
charges nrefQrrad- OIL, -. 4,