Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1909-03-12
Very Nearly our Doctrine"

the main a truth that cannot be
gainsaid by anoyne who has follow
ell the history OF politics, not only
in Virginia, but universally, since
time began. We reproduce il i'm full
we hear a great deal about The
Ring, The Democratic Machine,
The Administration Ring, etc,
now. Who composes this ring or
'machine'2 We hear every day that
this or that candidate-Judge Mann,
for examples ring candidate.
Ii is generally understood that the
ring consists of the United States
Senators and Representatives, the
Governor of the State and the other
State officers. Here i'm Tazewell and
the Ninth District we have a strong
machine "a ring We know who
they are; Congressman Siemp and
the officers OF the Government whom
he controls. The ring is the same,
whether Democrat or Republican.
| 30, we see exactly what the ma
chine is in both paTties-viz., those
| who are in. Just this exactly. Those
who are in were put there by the
people. They are the peoples ma
chine. You can't carry on the gov
eminent by hand these days. You
must have a machine, and the fellows
who are crying out against the ma
chine are the fellows who want TO
get in and be the machine them
selves for "A while, and that's all
there is 10 il. We want TO put our
selves on record, as believing in the
machine. IL one machine won't
work We believe in putting il out,
and installing another. We always
nave had and always will have
machine government, because the
government is the people, and the
people make the machine. The reason
why Mr.. Royal and Mr.. Green and
Mr.. Noel and the other Republicans
in Richmond couldn't do as they
wished was because their machine
was too small not OF sufficient
horsepower. The reason the Democrats
in the Ninth District are left be-
hind is not because they haven't Il
machine, but because il is too weak.
We believe in 'p'achines,' and IL
Judge Mann is a machine candidate
il means that he is the peoples cam
didate, for the people made the
machine, and il not run at such high
pressure as TO bust the boiler, it's
all right. All this fool talk about
machine politics, had just as well
cease. Its childish and silly TO 60 TO
work and organize a great machine
and then criticise il all the time ii is
running.
We agree, first, that those who are
in Office constitute, 10 large extent,
the party organization; and, second,
that party organization is absolutely
essential 10 the accomplishment OF
results. 1t is very obvious, too, that
those who want 10 get possession OF
the Offices must first Gust those who
occupy the Offices. The 'ins' fight
to stay in; the "outs" fight 10 get
in.
Our sympathies, generally speak
ing, lie with those who are alIead y
our leaders; and the record OF this
newspaper is clearly in harmony
with This statement
None the less true is the statement
that this Newspaper will not surrend-
er its rights 10 warn both our leader,
= and the masses Of the party, that
while we are glad 10 have the adVic,
Of the leaders, We will not >accepl
their overlordship. 1t is a very hu
man thing for those whom we haV,
pus in office TO gradually begin Il
believe that they are our masters
Probably they do not formulate In
their own minds the grades Of thi
/ transition in words that we hav,
used. Probably the greatest tyrant
of history would have denied tina
they were tyrants.
In the matter of the present gubeI
= material contest. every State office
r has perfect right to support whom
soeVer he will but when our prin
, cipal ofliceholders, by concert o.
action, conference, and design, at
tempt 10 carry out determination [
l encompass the election of one parti
o cular candidate, they exceed thei
: authority and should be rebuked.
- We do not think our Clinch Vale
contemporary will find general en-
dorsement of one statement il make
II viz, that if Judge Mann is tn
machine" candidate, il means tina
he is the peoples candidate. 1t i
true the people make the organiza
ton, but it Goes not logically folIoN
that the people delegated TO the OIL
II ganization the power and privileg
n of choosing their successors in oil: c.
4 The Journal is not criticising tn
organization for any legitimate part,
service it may render, but on &C
u count of its evident purpose TO inter
20 fere with free and frank nopuIa