Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-05-01
is THE SHOE PINCHING f?

nal jumps on the Danville Regis
ter, and gets shot under the
collar" because the Danvillian
refers plainly and pointedly to
"the treacherous attitude of a
certain element of the Democratic
party and press An untputh
never hurts, while the converse
isalmost invariably true. Ergo,
we take it there must be some
grounds for the Registers charge.
We are ourselves, as a usual
thing, the last ones to hearof or
realize imputations going the
rounds, and for that reason we
suppose our Richmond contem-
porarles are not aware of thewide-
spread complaint that Richmond
hasnot a Democratic party-paper
within itspreeincts. And if known.
we presume they fall back upon
the latitude of definition given of
late to the word democratic. 3"
1t seems strange and we do not
know why there should be no
party paper or organization pa
per (for party" means "organi-
zation') in Richmond. 1t is a
great pity, more deplorable for
Richmond than for the rest of
the State or for the Democratic
party. 1t is high time that our
Capital city, which we all love.
should be relieved from the ban of
an opposition press. When we
say opposition" we mean it in
no more invidious sense than
that of being out of tune with
the majority element of citizens
OF this State on party affairs.
This opposition, however, does
breed q distaste if not positive
antlpathy to the city that we
should all look up to and respect.
lt influences party conventions
togo elswhere (hence doingmon-
etary damage to Richmond be-
sides alternating affections that
should rather be fostered bv in
termingling), and puts at a dis
i
advantage any Richmond man
up for State honors.
These are facts that cannot he
successfully controverted, and we
believe them TO have been largely
engenderedbyunfriendly attitude
Oh the newspapers of Richmond.
we have IL hundred times wish
ed 1T otherwise, because we love
Richmond, we love our brethren
Oh me grey goose quill and we
love our dominant political par
W. 1t is n matter more of in
tense regret than of censure with
the country editor. Reasoning.
ana lmploring do not seem to
heip the high-seated Richmond
editor and he gets crustv when
brought to task for his MINER
tied and unbridled structures
upon the Democratic organiza-
tion. Not a paper in Richmond
out what during recent years has
taken occasion, when political
adherence in election times was
demanded, to eulogize the admin
lstration of affairs i'm the State
at the hands of Democracy dur
i,gtwentyyears past. They have
SHOWN us and our political enc
mics beyond debate how our
institutions have been built nm
our Golfers filed and fraud and
dishonesty were at a minimum
Yet they will turn right around
and pillory the very men and or
ganlzation that have brought all
TINS about. There never was a |
state, We venture, with such
overwhelming party power that |
mas been so utterly lacking inl
prominent daily newspapers tol
support that party organization
and no such State with a cleaner
record than Virginia in admins
tratlve affairs. We hear dinned
IN our ears that old doggerel
"God give us menl" We have
lots OF men; but We should pray
that we might be given a press
that will support patriotism and
ability in high places though
they be of political build.
When the old Dispatch was
silenced, the tune went out of Dem-
ocratic organs in our Capital
city. "Organ" may be nan
seous to gentlemen who draw
and quarter the party around