Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-02-26
JUDGE MANN
ANSWERS Enemies.
(Danville Rerister.)

Hon. William Hodges Mann, Demo-
cratic candidate for the governorship,
and for many years one of the leading
public men of Virginia, has just given
to the press statement reviewing his
public career and touching in detail
upon certain phases of it as to which
insinuation had been made by certain
newspaper opponents. We regret that
we cannot give space to this entire
statement of several columns length,
for the reason that we believe it would
effectually set at rest these unworthy
insinuations inspired by political enc
mics. In our Judgment. the statement
is complete and convincing and leaves
no honest man ground upon which to
repeat these attacks.
Judge Mann first denies that he is
the candidate of the Anti-Saloon Lea
que as an organization, though he ad-
mits many of its members will support
him for the governorship, but the or
ganization as such is not in politics and
has endorsed no one. He denies that
he is the candidate of any political
machine, as his enemies have charged,
and he dismissed as ridiculous the in
timation that a combination has been
formed by the Anti-Saloon League and
the liquor interests of the State. It is
admitted, however, that many liquor
dealers, acting Independently, will sup
port Judge Mann as the representative
of the local option principles and as a
just and conservative man.
The gubernatorial candidate then
disposes of the attack upon him as q
railroad attorney, admitting that for
several years he represented the Nor
folk and Western in Nottoway county
as local attorney, being retained to
represent that company in various To-
cal cases and receiving for his service
in each case fee, just as he would for
any other legal service. During such
employment he stumped his county in
favor of bond issue opposed by the
Norfolk and Western and antagonized
that roads interests on various occas-
ions, his only connection with the
company being as case lawyer. He
challenged any one to show that in any
action or any measure before the Gen
eral Assembly he has ever favored the
interests of the Norfolk and Western
or any other railroad. He adds that hs
resigned even the local attorneyshiI
for the railroad about two years ago.
Taking up the suggestion of one O.
his political enemies that there was
cloud upon his title to a seat in tn,
/ Senate st his first election to that body
due to the removal by some party o
, parties unknown of the pollbooks from
Nottoway county, he conclusively prove
that such theft could not have beer
, perpetrated in his interest, and that a
a matter of fact it could in no way eff
feet his interests, the returns havin,
been forwarded to Richmond and tn
, ballots cast in the election being lef
, intact. The registration books and tn
ballots were uLdisturbed and only tn
, duplicates stolen. The original return
, of the election certified by the commits
J sioners were in Richmond, and tn
theft could dOno one any harm except t
afford pretext to his political enemie
J for cry of fraud. Judge Mann add
! to this statement an editorial from tn
/. Richmond News-Leader, which ha
: given publicity to charges of frauc
! completely generating him on hi
statement. The News-Leader charac
terized the answer to complete an
relieving him of the charge of hypoc
{ risy.
a Touching upon the Rhea investigs
tion as to his course in which he ha
been criticised by those unfamilia
D with the facts, Judge Mann complete
ly refutes every charge. Judge Man
|. exhaustively reviews the case an
! shows clearly that his course was mani
and honorable and that it was endorse
n and approved by the legislative com
{ mittee, by the General Assembly il
self and by the Democrats of the Mint
t district.
Judge Mann also reviews in deta