Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-03-20

hSS OSSh NhS lilOSC I1dliSnCu ana most
cruelty abused public man of this day
and generation, and that the highest
tribute he ever received was when an
ardent and enthusiastic admirer having
in mind the obloquy with which he had
been covered by his foes, exclaimed in
burst of passionate fervor, "We love
him for the enemies he has madel"
According to this lawyers definition, a
Democrat seems to be one who occa-
sionally votes the Democratic ticket
and who so far as he actively partici-
pates in politics at all spends his time
and energy in trying to drag down his
party's champion, rather than in oppos-
ing its enemies. All, but they say, A
Virginia Judge, or member of the State
Corporation Commission, must be
Like Caesars wife, above suspicion!"
Granted and fully concurred in by
those who advocate the confirmation of
Judge Rhea, because he is above sus-
picion in the minds of fair minded men.
But l very much doubt if Mistress
Caesar, herself, was able to escape the
sharp and malignant tongues of the
evil-minded and envious old ladies Of
Rome who made her name the subject
of gossip and enviously sought to suIly
her fair fame. 1t is sad commentary
on human nature, but Shakespeare
never wrote truer words than when he
said: BE thou as chaste as ice, as
pure as snow, thou shalt not escape
calumny"
If we are to give credenee to charges
of political immortality against Demo
Gratis we should only hearken to them
when they come from a purer source
than Ninth District Republicanism.
The idea of those who have debauched
that District and rendered its politics a
stencil in the nostrils of decent men
all over the State coming here to prate
of political purity and TO talk about
Democratic corruption in politics. If
that is not the pot calling the kettle
black and Satan reproving sin l should
hate to see an example of it. 1t is be-
cause VIM. f. Rhea has stood up there
in the Ninth District and fought the
Republicans like lion. and sent them
like whipped jackals bowling back to
their caves, that they now turn upon
him and try to strike him when he is
unable to strike back If there is any
Democratic crookedness in the Ninth
District it must be because some Dem
ocrats out there have proceeded upon
the theory, the unjustihable theory,
that it is necessary to fight the devil
with fire. But even such deviation
from the path of strict political right
eousness has not been traced to the
door of Judge Rhea, and insofar as it
has affected him or his political for
tunes at all it has been to his detri-
ment and injury and not to his benefit.
That these charges were brought for
political purposes is proved by the fact
that although the Governor announced
many months beforehand that he would
appoint Judge Rhea to this position.
no suggestion was made of these
charges, until the midst of a busy ses-
sion of the Legislature, when it was
uoupIiesS hoped by those who promul- |
gated them that Judge Rhea might be
taken by surprise and unable to COM
pletely defend himself in the limited
time allowed for the Legislature to sit;
or else, and more probably, that an in
vestigation would be refused and Re-
publican campaign capital thereby
manufactured in the charge that a
Democratic Governor had made an un-
mt appointment and Democratic Leg
islature had confirmed it even without
an inquiry. In either case how bitter
must be the disappointment of those
who now see their false charges utter
ly and entirely disproved, and their eff
fortto soil the good name of an honest
man recoiling upon their own devoted
heads. Like Swanson / believe that
party fealty is a badge of honor and
the tried and true Democracy of VIM.
+. Fhea but raises him higher in my
estimation as better man than his
traducers, and one who will with
honor and dignity and efficiency bill the
high and honorable position to which
he has been called.