Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1910-09-30
A Public Scandal" I'm Virginia
-Lynchburg News

commenting upon the staten ent
that 40 per cent of the delegates to
the New York Republican State
convention are Federal officers, the
Phiiaf elphia Ledger, Republican in
sympathy from shoe leather to scalp,
says that 1.-The ethical issue as to
whether they ought to be there, has
nothing to do with the question of
Roosevelt or Sherman PARTISAN
ship" 1.-The fact remains" urges
the Ledger, 'that ii is public
scandal when an American political
convention is crowded with post
masters, internal revenue collectors,
district attorneys and marshals. "
Even so. But the fact is that the
same sort of thing, in highly aggIa-
waited form happens so often down
this way in Republican conventions,
that people have grown accustomed
to public scandal, as a very sign and
badge OF Southern Republicanism.
Look at Virginia, for example, and
the Slemp State conventions, Why
they are as ludicr Gus as shameless
in their Office h olders makeup and
their office e-holders control.
1t may be inquired in passing
whether the Ledger expresses a
view with which Mr.. Taft will
agree. We hope so-for the honor of
that high di9natary. But il so, how
thoroughly ashamed the President
would be OF Republican campaign
methods in Virginia--especiaIly in
the Ninth district. For out i'm that
section it appears as il Federal office
holders regard it rs in line with
their public duty To openly fight the
battles OF the Republican party.
Indeed, were Mr.. Slemp deprived of
the active services of these govern
ment employees he would practically
''go ii alone in conducting Il can
vass for election. Pernicious activity
OF the Federal office holding class
in behalf OF the Republican candi-
dates, has obtained in the Ninth
district for years, and il is no less a
conspicuous feature OF the present
campaign. When Mr.. Slemp opened
his canvass at Jonesville, he was ac-
companied, we think, by MIR. Lou
Summers, collector OF internal Rev.
enue for the Western district of Vir-
ginia and by Mr.. Lucien Gleaves,
who holds position i'm the govern
ment service. Both of these office
holders made speeches in advocacy
OF Slemp's election. And while they
were speaking at Jonesville, n Fed
eral Assistant District Attorney was
Grating fiercely for Slemp at Marion.
These three worthless are the main
stays of Slemp's orator. cal program,
but there's quite an additional bunch
of ollice-holders who are actively de-
voting much time to Mr.. Slemp's
cause. The Republicans who work
in the trenches are as rule either
holding Federal positions Of trust or
evidently eager to take on such order
of possibility. We think "a full
revelation on this scoIe would do
much to enlighten the administra-
tion and Virginia public opinion as
to the really demoralizing extent TO
which Federal patronage is employ
ed as Republican campaign lever
in the Ninth district.
We understand for example that
the Postmaster at the splendidly,
vigorously growing city OF Pulaski,
is Republican county chairman, and
very active i'll county politics. is
this tue? Is it true that at Slemp's s
insistence, or of his own motion,
this postmaster is an active leader
in the Republican campaign? If sc
it ought not to be so. The govern
ment pays this official a salary to
serve the patrons OF the Pulaski post
office, and not to give a large part OF
his time to organizing the Republi.
cans and to heading the Republican
campaign fight in his county:
We have often heard that the post
master at Marion is chairman of the
Smtyh county Republican commit
tee. Is this true? 1t is TO be de
plored as grossly violating the spiri
: of the civil service requirements, i
it is true. These two gentlemen al,
: mentioned merely as illustrative o
: a general condi tion in the Ninth dis
D trict-that OF a Republican electro
rate differed by a militant corps o
: men who are In the government ser
y vice, and whose time is purchased
S by the government to be empIoye,
for the public irrespective OF politi
cal considerations. We submit tha
c Ninth district citizens should see t
: it that Mr.. Taft be apprised of sucl
o a reprehensible state of affairs. VIII
o knows but what he might regard !
s as a public scandal; as greviou
II reflection upon his administration
IT as a burning reproach to the publ
service-and act accordingly?