Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-05-06
entered at the Postoffice at Staunton
Va. as second class mail matter.
Friday, May 6, 1910.
NOW THEY CALL 1T FEES.

In large neAQ lines yesterday many
Virginia newspapers announced that
the Hon. Richard Evelyn Byrd
would not accept thes new appoint
ment of Special Counsel" but would
accept ''fees' instead, which in no
case should exceed 1000. We printed
on yesterday Mr.. Byrd's letter ex..
planning to the public how it all came
about; why and how he happened"
TO be in the governor Office, and how
the Governor preached the sub
ject," and how he thanked the
governor" and asked him. to defer
the matter for a time" All this
makes interesting reading, and the
public has read it, and read between
the lines as we'll.
Long before yesterday the public
had read the manner in which the
money of the state was appropriated.
They had drawn their own conclus-
ions about it. The public had also
read how this little joker as slipped
through at the heels Of the session,
when all was hustle and hurry, and
grips were packed to get away. The
public had read all this and it still
remembers it. The public also saw
when Governor Mann appointed Mr..
Byrd fixing -, 900 as his compensa-
tion, that the governor was doing
just what had been fixed and a. ranged
for him to do. no matter whether Mr..
Byrd ''happened" in the governors
Office OF not. Most anybody would
have happened in under simila- cir
cumstances. This was one of~~the times
when the unexpected ia not happen.
Now the pubic will soon understand
the new fake trick which has been
worked on it by the recent bit of
legerdemain. The plan will still line
Mr. Byrd's pockets, and reward him
for what he is supposed to have done
for the governor, but to reward him
at public expense.
Let US now illustrate When any
body sues the asylum as Marion say,
800 miles from Mr.. Byrd's home foI
any reason small OF great, Mr.. Byrd
is to be telegraphed for. He must
travel 800 miles out and 300 miles
back, not once but possibly many
times at state expense, to attend to a
matter a local lawyer could handle fol
possibly 1926 or $50 and possibly do il
better. tbs is the new scheme. The
same will be worked at all public in
situations In addition to the "a, 0O(
there will be travelling expenses which
will have to be paid.not out of this ap'
propriation, but from some other fund,
possibly out of the appropriation
the various institutions. The con
ditions are even worse under the last
agreement than the first, and let nc
one suppose that the public will not
see it. The whole thing from the be-
ginning was and is, and will be,
looked upon in the nature Of graf
and Of most unsavory nature. II
will smell just as bad one way as the
other. This position OF action as il
may be termed is likely to besmea,
the record of all who have been con.
nected with it. The Legislative
intent was to use the fund provided
by the employment of local counsel tt
transact the business of these institu
tions; but politicalj craftiness has
seemed to prostitute that intent and
the new mode as we'll as the older,
will Hurely soil the hands of all who
have touched it.
We say to Governor Mann and Mr..
Byrd that they are blind if they do
not see this There is but one thing to
do, and that is to employ local coun-
sci and right the wrong they have
done. We say to Mr.. Byrd individ-
ually that he has swallowed the same
sweet morsel that was first rendered
him, only in different shape Wheth-
er toad is swallowed by a snake
head foremost OF not, it is the same
toad. He would do we'll to read and
ponder the 10th verse of Chapter x of
Rev Citations, part of which is "And
took the little book out of the
angels hand, and ate it up; and it
was in my mouth as sweet as honey.''
He himself can supply that portion of
the verse which we have not quoted.