The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-12
school Children a. a Political Weapon. -

tnder the above caption. the Richmond Times
Dispatch thus begins comment ON the re-
Gently closed local option campaign in this
city.
According to the speech OF John L. Lee or
Hynchburg. made in that city Wednesday night
the school children Of that city are beng used
by the prohibition element there as a political
weapon against one-haf Of the people of that
city. We think that MIR Lee right in ask
ing the people of the Hill City, Why do you
stand for this?''
without waiting To hear another word upon
this subject, The Times Dispatch assumed the
charge To reflect verify, and proceeds to indite
a homiy upon the wrongfulness OF the policy
nsolNed Lynchhurg and Lynchburgs school
authorities are presumed 10 be guilty without
a hearlng-without rgument-withopt oppor-
tunity for disclaimer upon their part and with
cut setntilla Of evidence save ex-parte state
ment OF wet speaker vet mass
meeting. Certainly The Times Dispatch owed
IT to its own reputation for just dealing and In
telliscnt criticism to wait at least few hours
with a view of ascertainiug whether a denial of
the charge would be Forthcoming. But it didn' 4
do this thing which the plain and elemental
ethics OF journalism required that it should do
1t didn't even predicate its conclusions hypo-
thetically. Just the moment it read Mr. Lees
utterance, II turned its batteries owards Lynch
burg and fred voey OF rebuke and sainly
admonition at the Lynchburg schools
Ana II even failed to read correctly--certaInly
ii failed to state correctiy-what Mr.. Lee said
More than this In the statement OF its propo-
sition 1t went much further than did MIR. Lee
For that gentleman, according to per
sonaI hearing, and according to the report of his
speech published in The News did not make the
charge inferred by The Times Dispatch on its
own responsibility. He did not himself vouch
for the truth OF his statement Il am informed
said Mr.. Lee. that the children of the public
schools have been used a political weapon
against at least one-half Of the people of this
city" The Times dispatch unfortunately quotes
but the last half Of the foregoing sentence. and
omitted the first part thereof--a part which
should have inevitably in good logic have put
it upon notice that at least the element of doubt
entered into the proposition.
Furthermore The Times Dispatch has failed
to note that Mr.. Lees informant has been con-
tradicted our report OF Mr.. Caskie's audi
forum speech of Thursday night contained that
contradiction, fun and complete. and backed By
the assurance OF the superintendent of Lynch
burgs public school. Evidently our contempt
rary did not Mr.. Caske's declaration on
this point printed in Fridays issue. else
assume 1t would have given 1t the same de-
gree OF publicity its editorial page yesterday
that on Friday it accorded "a part OF sentence
from Mr.. Lees speech. We hope it will yet do
the right thing.
The News presents the above recitation of
fact as representing one of the most pronounced
illustrations OF haste and rashness in newspap per
comment that II has observed. We at
tribute improper motive 10 our contemporary
but do charge it with bit OF carelessness
and an act OF prejudgment in this instance that
ashamed of itself.--Lynchburg News