The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-03-25
AN OPEN LETTER TO
KING GEORGE VOTERS

My attention having been called tC
the fact that an attempt is being made
to create political capital out of the long
past new courthouse question, | feel II
best to place myself squarely on record
in regard to this matter.
| have nothing to conceal, and wish
the people of my county TO know just
how | stood, and also how ] now stand,
on this, and every other question. When
the question of erecting a new court
house was first agitated, frankly
stated that | was in favor of il, for
am proud of the old county, and wish
ed to see her showing the external evil
dences Of her progressiveness and ma
terial prosperity. At that time the
matter rested entirely in the hands OF
our Board of Supervisors. When the
power to bond the county was taken
out Of their hands by the General AS
sembly, and the question Of the bond
issue was presented to the people for
their decision, ! was more than willing
that il should be so decided, for ! be-
lieve that where so large an expendi-
ture of the public money is to be made,
Il should only be done with the express
consent of the taxpayers.
When the people, by the largest ma
jority ever given in King George, en-
phatically expressed their disapproval
of this addition to the burden Of taxes
already borne by them, cheerfully and
without regret acqulesced IN their de-
cision. From that moment have re-
garded the new courthouse issue as
dead and buried, and am the last per-
on in King George county who would
attempt TO enact the role Of Gabriel,
and sound a resurrection trumpet over
its corpse. The courthouse case had a
fair and impartial trial, a jury com
posed of the whole people Of the county
delivered their verdict in no uncertain
terms, and should anyone attempt to
secure a reversal of this verdict, at any
time or in any place, shall oppose such
attempt with all the force and eloquence
at my command.
| believe that ours should be a
government Of the people, by the peo-
pie, and for the people, a democracy IN
fact, as well as in name, and that when
the people have declared their sovereign
will on any issue, as they have so I'M
mistakably done in this case, that no
mar, or body of men, should be per-
mitted to set such will at naueht.
have made this statement in answer
to the political fabrication which, am
Informed, is being circulated, the al
together absurd and baseless assertion
that, if elected, | will attempt to Sc
cure the repeal Of the Act of Assembly
which curtailed the arbitrary power Of
our Board Of Supervisors, and referred
the question Of the bond issue to the
vote Of the people. do not believe that
the people are in any way deceived by
what is so obviously mere bit Of cam
paign calumny. but | welcome the OPP
portunity to let the people know just
how stand on this and every other
question of public interest.
| wish TO state further that ! do not
wish to base my candidacy upon moribund
issues, upon issues long deceased and
now crumbling into dust, but that ! be-
lieve that, instead Of standing 'hedged
in a backward gazing world. watching
the dead past bury its dead. we should
turn our eyes to the future. and give
our whole attention to those living,
vital. and imminent issues which con-
front the people today.
(Signed)
George Ogle Tuyoe.