Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-04-15
"OEI Ex MACHINA. 4"

suit It's Will IN virginia At last the
intelligent Democratic press of the
State is aroused to the fact that this
Machine has but one impelling motive .
or principle, and that is a government
of office-holders, by office-holders, for .
office-holders. This new name for the
Machine was coined by our Norfolk con-
temporary to express its Indignation at |
the manifest purpose of the office-hold- !
ers' trust to give the people no oppor-
tunity to curtail the absolute power of |
what is called the party organization.
For the past ten years the anti-macbine
Democracy in Virginia have been try
ing to devise some plan by which they
could break the power of defiant oil
garchy of their party. Every effort go
far has failed; and it seems that the
most recent plan, that of holding
State convention for a reorganization
Of the party, is also to be defeated.
The Virginisn- Pilot very scathingly
criticises the State Democratic Commit
tee for failing and refusing to call
convention that 1.-THE Democratic party
may stamp upon its flag the object for
which it does battle" The Virginian-
p lot says:
Some of these gentlemen (of the
o-ganization) put forth cogent though
teTdy arguments for holding a conven-
t n. Others, the State Chairman
o'g them, maintain the Sphinx like
Silence which is their habitual attitude
toward all manifestations of public
sentiment not in line with their own
preconceived opinions or coinciding
with their program laid down by the
power behind the throne" CThe Del
e. Machina, we supposed
Our Norfolk contemporary says there
is large element opposing the holding
OF convention upon the plea that lit
is Too Late" 1t says there is another
element which has discovered that the
State Committee has no authority to
call g convention. And then the Vir-
ginian-Pilot says:
Entitled to scarcely more courtesy
is the report from Washington that GER
tain so-called leaders of the Virginia
Democracy are reluctant to have the
representatives of the party member
ship assemble together because of the
fear that such gathering would declare
for Statewide Prohibition. Yet the
very men who whisper such an appre-
hension are those by whose manipula-
ton or supineness the Democratic par
ty OF Virginia finds itself today without
a platform on which to claim the allie
glance of its membership, asking power
with no promise to the public as to
what use will be made of it, dependent
altogether on the degree of acceptance
or rejection which Mr.. Tucker or Judge
Mann may asseverate toward the latest
pronunci2mento of principles and the
Ultimate purposes of an association of
citizens entirely independent of the
Democratic party"
The editorial of the Virginian-Pilot is
a very lengthy one and bristles in every
line with condemnation of the Demo
cratic Machine.
Are the anti-Machine Democrats
blameless, now that they are 80 COM
pletely at the nit4cy of bossism that
is grinding and humiliating? Have not
those who are now complaining of the
attitude and conduct of the 'Dei ex
Machina" contributed largely to its crea-
ton and helped it forge the chains with
which it letters both Republicans and
anti-Machine Democrats? The new
State Constitution was so constructed
as to place all power in the hands of !
political oligarchy; and the Democratic
Machine quickly appropriated and |
usIrped that power. The primary cleo |
ton scheme has proved another fruitful |
source for the building and strengthen
ing of the party Machine. The anti
Machine men were the originators of |
both these plans or sources. They |
du,sd themselves while trying to dupe |
OF aers-
Being so largely responsible for the
existence of ''Dei ex Machina," they
should cease to complain of its tyranny,
or have the courage TO tear down and
destroy the wicked idol. Have they