The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-10
Voice of the PEOPLE
Honesty In Politics Paramount,

re the Editor of The Times Dispntch.
While the. bulk Of the newspa-
perS OF Virginia hesitate TO take sides
IN the senatorial struggle. there are
none of them that eau afford to take
nut one side in the fight for an honest
p ,ia,y Recently the writer's atten-
,ioh was called TO an article in II prom
iHent fredericksburg paper. claimed 10
be written by IL minister or the gospel
IN WHICH lie seemed to think that every
one OF the contestants were so well
suited TO their places that ii was Il
great pity to disturb them and that
everything was lovely and TO let good
Woleome the efforts of the prcache to
purify and elevate politics: If they wish
TO slur. over dishonesty and let 1t
stand. it were much better for them
10 hark back TO that good old book
ana give more of their study TO H.
Ihat there is a deep seated conviction
III the minds Of many OF our hest citi-
nens that there is crookedness in our
primary methods is a fact. Whether
they are mistaken or not. they firmly
believe. it, Possibly it was handed down
in vogue here. There is no need now
TO stir in the embcrs of the dying past
TO uncover the skeletons there. MANY
OF our best people thought. then that
the end Justified the means. aud stood
pS ana saw the poison forced into
me vitals Of the old State when she
was paralyZcd and helpless. We won't
argue or discuss that question now.
But what we do want to ask with all
NC emphasis at our command is is
mere any excuse to hold on to any
hy an neutrality-suspicious., whose name
VIII ever be disGruccd by them? There
arc some who would yet pursue his
plan that OF the mole and work un-
derground as the most effective way;
there are possibly some Of the old
thimblcriGScrs yet left, who With dirty
fingers can work the greasy pig and
cheat honest men out Of their dues.
Would II be much OF 4 calamity II OF
what few are left even one or two
were thrown down from high pcfics-
skill Is no longer needed; that ii is
out of date: that clean men are want
cd IN elections and mono others need
apply? The change Of the personnel OF
Senator's in Washington is small
thing to Virginia III comparison to
Ter ability TO throw challenge 10 TIC
fires and is purified, With not even the
smell OF corruption left on her While
there is yet one single precinct left
where dishonest methods obtain, as in
faunuicr in tho last election. whore
an honorcd member was cheated out
o. his nomination. there is something
Tor the people to do No sane man can
now claim that there is nnv excuse for
dishonest methods. even If there ever
was, and what the people want arc
,inethods TINT arc open and abovcboard.
papers of tho state have the power to
insist that we shall have nothing else
matters not whose cause IL hurts or
neips y man who to day cheats his
brother Democrats at the primary will
TO- morrow cheat his brother of flesh
ana blood, If there ever was q time
70 wink at fraud In Virginia that timc
should have passed. Thank God the
leprous hands that once hung over, this
section have been lifted, and we do not
have 10 hang our heads and cry. I'm.
clean" for honest men are now on
deck. The public has nothing to lose
nothing to fear. by turning on the
light should il show crookcdness and
corruption they should kiss the hand
That turns il on and then turn ana
nght that corruption 10 the last ditch
II by the combined effort in this pri-
mary All can and will insist on strictly
honest methods ana the last vcstige of
corrupt practices be swept from Vir-
eihia 1t Will have ACCOMPLISHED more
Tor hcr than all the Senator'S in WASH
nGton have done since the Civil War.
If there is a suspicion left anywhere
and many claim that there is. turn on
the light. Nohody expects to have tbs
golden rule and the millennium usIcred
IN right away by so doing but If we
can cut out some Of these underground,
crooked methods, we will have gone !;
great way towards advancing. the ap-
proach Of these Heavenly Twins
ROBERT BEVERLEY
Cafct, Essex