Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-03-20
tissue CLEARLY DEFINED
tClineh Valley News) }

IOOUE ULGhnuI DEFINED.
tClinch Valley News3
The Southwest Times, in speaking of
the confirmation of Judge Rhea under
the above caption, says, among other
things, that ''the will of the people has
been defeated by the party bosses, and
that the railroads and other corporations
have at least one man on the commits
sion in whom they have perfect conf
dence" and then proceeds to belabor
Judge Mann for the part he took in the
affair.
The Clinch Valley News has had its
little say on the confirmation of Judge
Rhea, and did not expect to "open its
mouth" again on the subject, but the
above editorial in the Times "brings on
more talk" Talk about "the will of
people" being defeated-w ever tried
to ascertain the will of the people?
When did the people speak on the sub
Jeet! The newspapers are not 1.-THE
people" How does the Times know
that it was ''the will of the people. 4"
that Judge Rhea should not be made a
member of the commission. What is
the General Assembly of Virginia? Is
it a self constituted body, or was it
constituted by ''the people?'' The Cen
eral Assembly of Virginia, supposed to
represent ''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 it be said that ''the
will of the people was defeated?" And,
be it remembered and put this in your
pipe, that Judge Rhea's appointment
was contemplated, rumered, talked of.
at least twelve months before it 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 papers of the State,
nor by one of the citizens from any
section of the State. Not until the ap-
pointment was made and the question
CT confirmation was up did we hear of
charges" or opposition thereto. Were
not ali the facts, charges and suspicious
known at and before this time. 1.-The
people" and the newspapers knew then
as much as they know now of Judge
Rhea, but all that was heard was the
announcement of his candidacy for the
place, and there they stopped. The
time to express their Twill" was before
the appointment was made. Why did
not "the people" make this an issue
when the General Assembly was elected?
They knew then that the appointment
of Judge Rhea would be made, but not
word was said, not protest was
heard. The Richmond newspapers, all
the State papers. Mr.. Noel, Mr.. Bu!litt,
Mr.. Everybodyelse knew all these things,
had all these tell-tale letters, ballots, ct
cetera ad infinitum, ad nauseam-were
in the pockets or pigeon holes of their
custodians, and had been for an incredi-
BILE and mysterious length of time, why
were not these things communicated to
the Governor before hand and protest
made, instead of holding everything for
a Grand-Stand display? If the Demo-
Gratis and Republicans who took such an
active part in threshing over their little
bundles of old straw, as well as those
who came in at the eleventh hour with
new and startling" charges, had so
elected they could have gone to the
Governor privately long before the
crucial hour came in which they were
unwillingly(?) forced to tell what they
knew against Judge Rhea on the wit
ness stand, and all this ub-bub-this
tempest in a teapot, been prevented.
We ask again, why did not these critics
of Judge Rhea, the Governor and of the
committee, cry out at a time when
crying could do some good? AS it is, the
hue and cry can result only in wounding
sensitive natures, humiliation, and a
discrediting of the motives and integrity
of many of the men in the State from
the Governor down, and the stocking of
a political arsenal to be drawn upon by
our enemies, and used against us on
every stump and in every political cam
paign in the State from now ''till king
dom come" We believe in crying out
when it will do some good, but when
only harm can be done, in keeping your
mouth shut.
AS TO JUDGE MANN.
1t may have been unfortunate or inn
polite that he should have held such a
prominent position on the investigating
committee, if any position at all, never.
theless-be it also remembered that
the investigating committee were ap.
pointed for specific purpose, and that
purpose was, not to determine whether
Judge Rhea should have a place on the
Commission, but to ascertain and pass
upon the truth or falsity of the charges
preferred-oQly this and nothing more