Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-03-05
the RHEA CASE.

the Corporation Commission we deter
mined to remain silent about it while
that investigation was in progress. We
knew that his party friends would |
charge that the Republicans were be-
hind the movement, and solely for po-
ltical reasons. 1t seems that our Re |
publican contemporaries have, gener-
ally, pursued the same course; and that
the Republican members of the Gen
eral Assembly did likewise, with the
exception of Senator Noel. He has ac-
quilted himself in such a manner as to
win the hearty approval of both Re-
publicans and anti-machine Democrats.
The struggle is now over, and it has
ended precisely as we expected and in a
way that was ordered before the in
vestigation began. The committee of
investigation was composed almost
solidly of members of the tribe" and
the General Assembly that sat in final
Judgment on the case was dominated
completely by the big chiefs of the
tribe" No surprise should, there
fore, be felt at the confirmation of
VIM. F. Rhea for the important posi-
tion to which he should never have been
appointed. 1t was gratifying to see
s-,.-
bers and Senators had the courage and
honesty of intention to vote against the
confirmation of Rhea. 1t shows that
many Democrats are being awakened
to the fact that Virginia is now in the
grasp of most INSCRIPTIONS machine,
of which VIM. F. Rhea is a conspicuous
and popular member. 1t is also graft
flying to know that the Democratic
press in Virginia is better than the
leadership of that party. The Demo-
cratic press has either protested against
the confirmation, or expressed dissatis-
faction with the appointment Two of
the three great Democratic dailies pub
lished at Richmond The Times-Dispatch
and The Evening Journal-boldly defied
the machine and demanded that Rhea
be not confirmed. The other Richmond
daily, The News Leader, while believ-
ing that the charges against Rhea were
not sufficiently proved for the commit
tee to pronounce him guilty, insisted
that his appointment was great blum
der, that he was not fitted for the ex-
allied position and that he should resign
after his confirmation. A similar tone
and feeling were shown by the other
Democratic papers throughout Vir-
ginia.
From the very outset the investiga-
ton committee, with few honorable
individual exceptions, manifested a
fixed purpose to shield Rhea. This
disposition was shown most strikingly
by Judge Mann, who was the leading
spirit of the committee, and he has
been selected by the tribe" as the
next Democratic candidate for Govern
or. He had prejudged the case before
his appointment upon the committee
and was clearly disqualified from serv-
ing, having publicly expressed an opin-
ion when Rhea's name was first sent to
the Senate by Governor Swanson.
Judge Mann then declared that the
charges against Rhea were malicious
and without foundation in fact and de-
manded his immediate confirmation as
a member of the Corporation Commits
sion by the Senate. Speaking of this
the Richmond Times-Dispatch says:
Nevertheless he accepted position
upon this committee, ostensibly to hear
evidence concerning these same or sim
liar charges and to render a professedly
Judicial opinion concerning them. - I"
Would the verdict of jury or the opin-
Ion of court be respected if a member
of such court or jury had, before the
trial, formed and expressed not only an
opinion, but apparently an unalterable
opinion, upon the very facts at issue?"
Those who witnessed Judge Mann's
actions while the investigation was pro-
ceeding could not fail to be impressed
with the fact that he had gone upon the
committee for purpose, and that ma
jority of the committee were upholding
him in that purpose. Instead of de-
porting himself as an impartial trial
Judge, he exhibited all the while the