The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-23

4 as In Germany. Ability and not birth.
genius and not station really make
the man. No society can stop the mar
1 who wills to win.
THE WEST VIRGINIA "PLOT.'
The Wheeling Register smells a rat
IT does not seem able to identify tn
rat or disposed to locate 1t, but i
knows there is a rat somewhere in TIL,
debt case now pending. In vague
mysterious fashion, to change TIL
figure the Register sees plot L
soak" West Virginia. Mr.. Littlcf1eld':
report shows the plot. The recen
West Virginia tax laws show 1t. The
whole course Of legislation in that
State points to the same end. In faith
oming the plot the Register reaches
this remarkable conclusion:
"The final confirmation OF the sus-
picion that this state is the victim of
a gigantic steal will come in the SUI
preme Court decision. If Mr.. Little
fields findings are accepted by the
court and its ruling based upon its
higher figures. proof enough has been
presented that the contention is cor
rect. There is no need of a play so
gross as an attempt to pervert the
court, which could hardly be success
full. a slsilful manipulation of the de-
tense to the proper degree of feeblc-
ness could open the way to many pos
sibilities."
we have no idea what the Register
is driving at. If 1T has in mind some
conspiracy between West Virginia poll
iticians to give Virginia the verdict,
we are neither surprised nor concerned
that would be a local fight with
which Virginia would have abso-
lutely nothing to do. II the
politicians of our sister State want,
for political reasons best known to
themselves. 10 enforce the payment of
1.-THE full debt due the former creditors
Of the old State, VIC shall not dispute
their decision, so long. of course, as
tthey do not attempt any fraud or de-
celt TO which Virginia shall be in any
sense a party.
, There is jnstsa chance that the Reg.
lister and the people it represents think
!, that Virginia is in the plot or, In
( fact, that Nirglnia's suit is the plot
The former of these suggestions is
!. highly probable. How could it be
7 Eotherwise? Has not Virginia always
been on the best of terms with the Fed
teral Government? Have we not
truckled and fawncd and met requisi-
=
over here IN Old Virginia, always been
the pct OF every Federal administra-
ton because the vote of this Common
wealth was always in doubt? OF
course we are In the plot. and the Fed
cral administration is in 1t. The SUI
preme Court is certainly In It, for that
body has dealt gently with Virginia
since the old days Of Cohens VS.. Vir-
gina. We are surprised that the Reg
lister had not discovered this plot be-
fore now and had not exposed the
guilty parties to it,
II the suit brought by this State is
of itself the plot" we can soon relieve
the Registers uncertainties by confess
III
ing the whole truth. Virginia wants
her rights in this case-nothlng more,
nothing less. In other days this Com
monwealtla gave to West Virginia more
than West Virginia gave to the treas
ury, and we now think West Virginia
can afford to refund the balance due.
We have no plot. We have no malice.
The suit is business matter. insti-
tuted to fix doubtful question and to
determine a right. We arc willing to
leave that right and that question to
the Supreme Court, and promise not to
discover plot" If the State lose.
------------------------
RRE,Il.SAsT FOR TIE BRIDE.
The June crop of brides in Rich
mond promises to be the finest that
has ever been known in this heavenly
city. where people love each other
because they can't help it. and eyes
look love - eyes which speak again
The situation compels us.to give this
| layout for bridal breakfast, as i,