The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-06
Congressman Flood Defends
Political and Moral Con-
ditions in Virginia.
DEPLoREs UNJUST ATTACKS
Upholds Integrity OF Press and
Praises Advancement
OF South.
Especial to The 7imes.pispatch.,

lSpeclal 10 Inc Times Dispatch
West Point, Va. July 5.-In the
course of stirring patriotic address,
delivered before an enthusiastic Fourth
Of July crowd here. on Tuesday.
Congressman Hal D. Flood. Of the
Tenth Virginia District. vigorously re-
piled to some OF the assertions made
in recent speech by Professor Dodd,
OF Chicago University. in which the
latter deplored and criticised political
conditions in Virginia and North Caro-
line and attacked the integrity OF the
press. Congressman Flood paid his
respects to men who. by unjust and
unwarranted criticisms OF moral. bust
ness and political conditions. are doing
Virginia much harm.
In the beginning OF his address he
described the conditions which led up
TO the adoption OF the Declaration of
Independence. the Revolutionary War
and the benehcent effect that the prtn-
ciple laid down by Jefferson had upon
the cause OF liberty the world over.
and especially in the twenty South
American republics.
Part Played by South.
He then described the part Virginia
and the South had played in every
important event In the history of this
country. He took a bright view OF
conditions in Virginia and the outlook
for, her future. and maintained that
IT was the duty of every Nirginisn 20
give credit to the State and It's people
for the good they were accomplishing,
instead of !ndulging in injurious and
unjust criticisms
Continuing, he declared:
II am not a pessimist about this
State; about her future material ad-
vancement and progress or about the
integrity of her political leaders, the
honor OF her business man; the fair
dealing of her press or independence
Of her judiciary. ! believe her judges
are the equals in ability and charac-
ter, learning and independence OF the
great judges which in the past she
furnished 10 the State and the Union
who made so glorious the present his
tory of our country.
Best Day in History.
II believe the best day in her history
has been to-day. I believe that never
plane. nor her business morality bet
ter. believe that she never had an
ADLER or more efficient set of public
officials filing her county and State
Offices and representing her in the ma
tional capital than ct present. l be-
lievo that never were her elections
more honest or more representative
VNdn lney To-
day. or all the hundred counties and
seventeen cities. there are only one
or two in which there is any charge
OF fraud or unfairness at her primary
or regular elections
I'VE all wish for the time when
there will be no county or city or pre-
cinct In the State in which there is
any suspicion OF unfair dealing in our
elections. and that time IS near at
%
ent state OF affairs to make the asser
ton, which no truthful man can con-
tradict. that never In her history have
elections in Virginia been more free
from fraud or the suspicion OF fraud
as they are to-day, and there is no
State In the nation whose record In
this respect is better than that of the
Old Dominion, and very few that can
point to so good record. Those who
compare political conditions in Vir-
ginia with those in Illinois, New York
and other States of that character. are
either very ignorant. or are unwilling
slanderers of their State and her peo-
pie.
II have seen typewriter copy of
speech of a professor of the Univer-
sity OF Chicago, delivered at Louisa
yesterday. attacking supposed condi-
tons in Virginia. This party stated
In his speech that the institution at
which he was professor was founded
by man whose life had not been hon
orable or creditable; and yet this pro-
fessor is willing to participate In the
income which this university has, by
reason of the munificence of a dishon-
est benefactor. I Will leave to the
good sense OF the audience to deter.
mine the propriety of his position
Further on in his speech I read this
sta tement: do you know that Thomas
F. Ryan controls your newspapers?'
meaning the Virginia papers One
of these men pay your Vir-
ginia machine expenses, meaning
the Virginia Democratic organization.
and was long a member of its execu-
tive committee. once going so far as to
provide private car for the Virginia
delegates to the National Democrats
Convention at ST. Louis. These dele