The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-07-04

licans to vote for high protective
tariff because Taft saw proper to APP
point a Southern Democrat to his
Cabinet and a Southern soldier DEM
ocrat to the supreme bench. These
blOody-shirt sheets do not represent
the real feeling Of the mass of North
ern people, for the people from the
West and North are buying homes in
our Southland every day, and they
like us.-Gordonsville Gazette.
No man in America Is too big TO be
Vice President, and no man should be
selected who is not big enough to be
President. This, we think, would
prove more satisfactory to the people
than the geographical location as a
determining factor in the eligibility of
any man.-Culpeper Enterprise.
There are three propositions which
everybody will approve that ought to
he in the Democratic national plat
form to be adopted in Baltimore:
Abolition OF express companies, ma
donal aid to roads. and the change of
the date for the inauguration of pres-
dents to the latter part Of April
Henry County Bulletin.
The Virginia Court Of Appeals has
sustained the ruling Of Judge Skeen.
OF Lee county, in the election bribery
cases out there, holding that the
Circuit Court was right in recurring
a witness named Flounery to testify
as TO the corrupt use OF money by
him in an election in that county
FlOunery took refuge behind a plea
that he could not be compelled to give
evidence which would incriminate
himself, but the court held that in tes-
ufying he was protected from prose
cution by provisions of the Barksdale
election law. The Court OF Appeals
says the Circuit Court was correct in
this view, so that hereafter the vote
buyer or seller can be compelled to
testify one against the other with i'm
munity TO the one called by Com
monwealth as witness People
throughout the State will be glad that
the Court of Appeals has put this con-
struction on the law, because by so
doing it now renders prosecutions and
convictions for violations of the cleo
ton laws much easier than was the
case before.-Free Lance.
decided victory for clean govern
ment was recorded at Wytheville last
tuesday when the Supreme Court of
Appeals handed down a decision sus-
tanning Judge Skeen in his rulings re-
lating to vote bribery cases in Lee
county.
This decision is contrary to what
was generally expected would be the
action of the Court of Appeals.
The corrupt voters may have a care
now how they exercise their highest
privilege as American citizens. We
are forcefully reminded of the re-
marks of the lamented Judge Massie
when he expressed the fear that
Judge Skeen would have a most diff
cult task in securing convictions i'm
the bribery cases because of the an
parent confusion of the law bearing
on that point. The uncompromising
stand for law and order taken by our
Virginia judges. who have been true
even unto death, is in great measure
responsible for the vigorous campaign
being waged in all quarters against
iawlessness in every form, and should
De source of inspiration to all men
who have to do with the enforcement
OF our laws. If there is doubt as to
the letter of the law, let the spirit OF
the law be enforced, and the Judges OF
our supreme Court will most assuredlv
uphold the hands of those who seek
TO perpetuate unsullied our highest in
situations of modern civilization
Radford Record.