The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-16
EDITORIAL
Still Dodeine.

The Times-Dspatch lodges again 1t takes a
sentence from the Nirginian out OF its proper setting
and tries TO make it do service in defense OF the
aew and cowardly doctrine Of the Times Dispatch
that when newspaper is criticised for its editorial
statements, it can repudiate responsibility tor the
statement and saddle it upon the man who wrote
IT, On Tuesday morning the Iimes-Dispatch ad-
mited that il had the impression that the position
that every has right tu drink liquor to ms
comfort" had been enunciated in the columns OF
that paper but it attempted to saddle the RESPONSE
bility for the utterance upon a gentleman VINO was
at that time one of its editorial writers.
In opposition to this evasve, double faced policy
The Nifeinian declared that newspaper and Its
policy isone thing and the personal views and con-
duct of the workinen upon it an enlreyditerent
thing The Times Dispatch deliberately wrested
sentence out of its connection. deliberately tired %
make its readers believe that The Nrginian had
taken position which the Times-Dispatch knew
was directly opposite the position actually taken
bv this paper This is a contemplate misrepres-
cntation as the facts below indicate:
/ The Times Dispatch has stated that lheNr-
ginian newspaper is responsible tor the personal
views and private acts OF its officers ana STOCK
Aeiders~ sFhc firginian has replied that Their
position would make the Times-Dspatch RESPONSE
bic for the private life OF its owners, editors and
reporters etc and has shown the absurdity OF such
position and the Times-Dispatch has not dared to
insist that its ethical standards shall be determined
bv the conduct of the individual workers upon that
paper.
} But il forthwith cnunciates the doctrine that
the Times-Dispatch is not responsible for the edi-
fora uteranccs of that paper tor the twelve years IN
which MIR w 8. Copeland was the leading editorial
writer on that paper but that MI topeiahd IS
Individually responsible; that Mr. Copeland is now
chief editorial contributor OF TheVirginan, and that
The Vrgnian is therefore responsibeltor the utter
ances OF MIR Copeland when chief editorial writer
on the Times-D Dispatch and that Mr. Copeland is
now responsible for the editorial policy OF The
t.. ~; Jl,a from
is not right to hold newspaper responsible tor the
views OF workmen upon ii, nor on the other hand
Is il right to hold every man who works upon a
paper personally responsible for the policy OF the
paper. As matter OF TACT M. Copeland mas not
written any Of the editorials the liquor question
which have appeared in the columns OF The Nlr-
ginian
Times. Dispatch to do2 Should it not have stated
IT once the fact that these editorials were not
xriften hv Mr. Copeland. and that he was not as
an individual to be held responsible tor the policy
If the Nirginian? But instead OF doing that. the
Times Dispatch simply reiterates that the lines
Dispatch is not responsible Tor the utterances OF
lis editorial writer's.
What has been the position of the Times Dispatch
IN This question? Does it deny that it has for years
in the past taken this POSITION Has II not declared
that there is no harm per sc IN alcohol Has 1t not
declared that alcohol is a good thing IN itself and
that thousands and hundreds Of thousands OF
people use it TO their comfort if not to their benefit
and never to their hurt? Has II not emphasized
the statement that thousands drink ii in moderation
TO their comfort, and without harm to themselves
or Others Has il insisted upon the right o
the individual to drink LIQUOR TO his comfort, Ha
il ever publicly repudiated this position which wa
cnunciated in its columns for SO many years:
Moreover. will the Times Dispatch to-day den,
that it holds that very position, that there is M
harm in drinking per sc and that every man has
right to drink liquor to his comfort!
What value then have the present editorial utter
ances OF the Times-Dspatch? If they are only The
individual views of the managing editor, or OF the
editorial writer. brand them with their names ano
they will be received at the value which those names
give them Inasmuch as the editor of the
Times Dispatch is to take charge very shortly
according TO the new standard erected by tho
Dispatch the editroal utterances of the past
few DAYS can be repudated by him the idle anc
dscourteous vaporings of men clothed with little
brief authority Certainly it is to be hoped that
tile new management Will be airer and much more
courteous in its methods than the present manage
Inent and that it will have enough backbone tt
stand by the editorial utterances Of the paper ane
not try to saddle them the individuals.