Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-10-22
Republican Rioters.

the Ninth Virginia district are using
dlsgraceful tactics. The Leader says
that Mr.. Slemp, the republican nomi-
nee, declined to meet his democratic
opponent, Mr.. Byars, in joint debate
anywhere but in Tazewell or Wise coun-
ties, In each of which the republicans
were assured of large majority of the
crowd. At the Wise county meeting
the republicans had liquor in abundance.
They became very disorderly and vio-
lent, interrupted Mr.. Byars continually
and tried to howl him down and prevent
him from speaking.
We hope every man who took part in
this outrage against free speech and
fair play feels thoroughly ashamed by
now and in a mood to Indicate his peni-
tence by voting for the mar who was
lnsulted and denied hearing. Certain
ly every democrat in the district and in
the State should be thoroughly aroused
by the incident and should go on out
post and missionary duty immediately.
1t is no use for the Tazewell Republican
and other republican party newspapers
to talk of democratic unfairness and
trickery five years ago in view of the
kind of thing their own party is doing
this very year. Richmond News Lead
er.
The above charge against the Repub-
loans of Wise county is about as untrue
as the charge that M. Slemp has re-
fused to meet Mr.. Byars in joint debate
at any place except in Tazewell and
Wise counties. They had a joint de-
bate in Lee, and could have had debates
in Scott and Russell counties, if Byars
had been willing 20 have debated under
the same arrangements.
1t seems TO US that our Richmond
contemporary must be very hard run
for something to offer in extenuation
of the sins of its own party, when it
offers in evidence against the Republi-
cans of the Ninth the report of bad
conduct of few men at Wise. That
conduct was exaggerated by the Demo
Gratis; and at Tazewell Mr.. Byars was
listened to respectfully for one hour by
a crowd that was three-fourths Repub-
lican. Our information is that at Wise
he received practically the same treat
ment. If a few jealous friends of Mr..
Slemp did shout for him while Byars
wss speaking, is that on unusual thing
to be witnessed in public meetings IN
Virginia? Is that a just reason for
calling men rioters?
But our Richmond contemporary was
not satisfied with making one fling at
the Republicans of the Ninth. In its
issue of the 18th instant, the News
Leader had sn editorial: "a Contrast.
In that our contemporary makes an
other fling at the Republicans of the
Ninth. 1t says:
''To give the Tazewell Republican
and other republican contemporaries
some food for thought and occasion for
comment, we desire to ask attention to
contrast. Wise county is a repubIi-
can stronghold. When Mr.. Byars, the
democratic nominee for congress for
tho Ninth diotriof xuap4 70 VKJ;ao -ooz.k
ly to make a speech he was jeered,
hooted, insulted and persistently howl
ed down. Richmond city is a strong
hold of the Eastern Virginia democracy,
the sins and villainies of which theTaze-
well Republican sings and shouts so
eloquently and fe-ociously. When Mr..
Taft, the republican nominee for presi-
dent, came here to make a speech Sat
urday night, he was met by an audi
ence of 1000 people, the vast majority
of them these same dreadful Eastern
Virginia democrats, and was treated so
kindly, courteously and fairly that his
friend, former Secretary Shaw, de-
clared it to be the finest political meet
ing ever neld IN the world.
We are glad Mr.. Taft was so well r. .
ceived at Richmond; but in the account
of that meeting, given in the news COL
umns of the News Leader, we find that
Mr.. Taft was more than once inter-
rupted by friends of Mr.. Bryan, who
shouted for the Nebraskan. And we
also read in the Democratic newspapers
that Mr.. Taft was unable to speak at
Danville because of the bowling and
hooting Of lot of Democratic hood
lums.
This contrast" of the News Leader
published to ridicule Republicans is
more than offset by its picture of the
State Democratic convention held in
Roanoke last June. Here is what the
News Leader said about that body, the