The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-24

me "A direct or implied reflection upon
my course in the memorable campaign
Of 1891. or as speaker Of the House,
| should make some reply thereto.
especially in view of what Mr.. Jones
says at the conclusion of his letter
TO me. quoted above.
Composition of Committee.
The committee on roads frairotdsl
and internal navigation was composed
of thirteen members. and to II all
proposed legislation upon the subject
OF railroads or other trans portation
lines with the State had to be re-
! ferred. That committee as named
by the Speaker In 1891 consisted OF
| the following named getlemen:
Ryan tchairman). Mason, shopper
son. Berkeley. Kent Anderson. III
cher, Brown, Miller, Jackson. MaHet
Thomas, Withrow.
AS to it's personnel. Hon. John F.
Ryan. himself a large and successful
farmer, was entitled to the chair
manship by reason Of his long and
efficient service in the House and on
said committee. and of the other
members of the committee eight were
farmers, three lawyers and one. whose
sole occupation was that OF a mar
chant. ! recall that following the
campaign for white supremacy and
Democratic rule in the State of 1891
and the agitation over the proposed
legislation looking To the control of
the railroads and steamboat lines
within te State. and after the COM
/ mittees Of the House had been an
noanced, among others who comm emit
ed faYorahly upon the formation Of
the committees. Colonel r. G. Kent
of Nythe, for whom | had the great
est respect ard who | knew cont am
plated the Introduction Of general
bill having for its object the control
of all transportation lines within the
state, came To me and expressed him
self as pleased ar the fairness sho xn
by me in the formation OF the COM
nittees. referring especially to chat
on roads, etc, upon which he desired
to be placed. but had never mention
ed the subject to me before that oc-
casion.
Had No Opposition.
In 1881 | was nominated and elect
ed as Democrat to the House OF
Delegates, and was thereafter re-
elected six times either without op-
position or by an increased majority.
In 1887 | gwas chosen Speaker of
the House, and thereafter three times
reelected to that honorable and rs-
Sp'HsIptt position "tti1out oRpuS1ElDI
/ in my own party receiving at the
last TWO elections every vote cast in
the House. At the session of the
Legislature of 1895 / was honored
with an election as a member OF The
supreme Court OF the State, receisi wing
as earnest support and equally as
many votes from the friends Of Gen
eral Fttzhugh Lee as from the friends
Of Hon. Thomas s. Martin, although
/ |. had cordially supported the latter
for United States Senator in the Son-
test just preceding: ard wf1tcir rs Of
ten spoken of as the Lee and Mar
tin contest Since then | have been
twice unanimously. re- elected as Judge
and from the time ] first entered
upon the duties OF that office | have
taken no part in political matters
other than to express my preference
as to men and measures, which Is
the right and duty OF each and every
voter in the Commonwealth. 1t would
not, therefore. seem at all strange,
II am sure, after enjoying the con-
fidence Of my fellow -countrymen for
aal! these, sssars,>- rs expressed In the
1 honors conferrea.' upon me. that my
friends. as, well as myself. should
feel aggsieved by the publication Of
inuendo and insnuations which i'm
pute to me improper conduct and
motives in political matters dating
back twenty years. and now comes
for the first time after many of the
actors in the matters referred 10
have passed away.