The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-08
~.DopnEnING,n AGAIN.

Press Association at Natural Bridge. a
resolution was adopted by a vote Of
II to ? condemning the propagand TO
destroy the confidence of the people in
the integrity Of the press OF tho
state" 1t was recited in the preamble
TO the resolution that from time to
time there have appeared charges OF
corruption and servility against the
press of Virginia, more recently that
of a certain professor OF the univrr-
sity of Chicago. who has in a public
address proclaimed that the editors NJ
this State constitute a p~urchasable
ana reptile press. The resolution
adopted reads as follows:
Resolved. Tha the self-respect of
this Association demands that ,hese
charges be declared false, slanderous
and inspired by evil and malicious mo-
tves, ana we hereby declare that 1t
is our belief that the press OF Virginia
is as pure and un~purchasable to-day.
and as much in keeping with the ira
ditions OF this Commonwealth as at
any time in its history and we here
by demand that these general charges
be supported by speciic accusations
and proof; and we hereby publicly re-
buke these iibelleys who are endeaV-
oring 10 tarnish the honor of the
whole profession OF journalism in
Virginia"
The certain Professor OF the Uni
versity of Chicago alluded to in the
preamble is William Z Dodi some
kin friend sem him a copy OF some
paper containing the declaration made
by the Press Association. and he has
written a letter which is marked in
his own handwriting: Print August S.
or after" 1t is characteristic of the
writer, full OF sinister suggestion. but
absolutely lacking in clear and specinc
charges OF offences committed by any
of the newspapers of this State. a
tumble OF confused assertions proving
nothing except the disposition of the
writer to -misrepresent
In his Fourth of July speech, Dr.
Dodd charged that in the insurance
investigation 1--WE or six years ago
"three leading Southern newspapers
were made defenders of this and other
Wall Street robberics by the unsavory
genius OF Thomas F. Ryan" that The
most prominent Richmond daily" be
came a part of the New York machine
when its owners were drawn into the
closest connection with the Equitable
Life Insurance Company tina at the
same time ID. A. T~ompkins, OF Char
lotto, y. c.. a Pennsylvania, who
owns the Charlotte Observer. and who
has a hand in all the high finance of
North Carolina was also put on
the famous Equitable Board" and that
mot content with the subservient sup
port Of these leading organs OF public
opinion, Ryan. the tobacco magnate.
the New York traction wrecker, turned
to the Oldest Charleston paper, The
News and Courier, and made its editor
also Il ccnhdential adviser TO the same
insurance company" This was not all.
DR.. Dodd said, further, in his Hanover
Of the State generally, other papers
were affiliated with those. and the
railroad organs everywhere in the
South easily TONED the free and indie
pendent press, which Ryan and Nor
gan were helping along so handsome
ly. And all these papers are again
united in policy and practice with the
reptile press of the North, so that
now neither in Virginia nor in New
York nor in Chicago is there a free
press"
That was what Dodd said in his
Fourth of July speech, and he has not
changed his mind We did not think
he would. He admits. however, mat
he aid not tell the truth about the
former editor of the Charleston News
and Courier. he has admitted, we be
lieve, that he did not tell the truth
about u. a Tompkins. of the Char
lotto Observer. when fe said tina he
was a Pennsylvania. u nobody in
Virginia will believe that the former
owner of The Tiaes-Dispatch derived
any benefit either for himself or the
paper in which ne was interested by
his acceptance OF a place on the Board
OF Directors OF the Equitable Iusur-
ancc Company. On the contrary. ia
taking tina place he was performing
g great public service in which every
~policyholder in the company was most
deeply Interested il that service.
which continued for a brief period
and only until the affairs Of the Com
pany were In good shape under the
reorganization, he was associated with
such men as Grover Cleveland. That
ought to be enough to shut the mouth
OF ever SO free a slanderer as Dr.
Dodd.
DR.. Dodd mas an idea that the press
of Virginia is not free ana independent
because twice l carried articles to the
editor OF The Times-Dispatch, in which
it was urged thai such a thing (taa,
Thomas F. Ryan and three other rail-
road experts should be members OF
49,