The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-16
THURSDAY. MAY is. l912
POLITICS NOT \ TrA-WR,NGLE.

AT tho meeting Of business men at the Jefer-
son Monday evening Ashton starhe took
vhacK at What NJ eaI'ed m -very rlatn and
5lunt language the evils Of local political eon-
5.tions he satirized the demagogue and poll
tician who is that peculiar type or iaboring
man who freQuents the manicure pariors and
.rides himself on his slender fingers and small
feet. The text taken IS held in his Initial
statement.
without reference 70 any who IS now
asririns for public position IN our midst, YOU
and ! know that men fau7t themselves and
presume to cali upon onr suffrage whom nothing
2 less than the pathS OF the people would ever
lave emholden.d win such erroutery.
without for moment questioning the &C
euracy of MIR starkes diagnosis of political
conditions in Richmond. venture to suggest
that he weakened his argument by the quail
hcation with which. nc commenced IT. A de-
nunciation Of conditions, without reference
10 the personalities that make the conditions,
"a good as rhetoric, and not very much good
anything else We are going in Richmond very
: mich IN gfrE1e- ttr. StHrke mas not told It's
anything new he has merely confirmed in
general terms what most of appreciate In
detailed particulars. Why did he fail in this
particular reference Why do practically all
OF ,is fafi iii ite-Whs are the most of us
oratorical for political virtue and public eff
s4eney. while remaining silent TO the individ-
nals in power or in the lists as candidates WHO
make the one and the other impossible?
With the administrative board primary set
for midsummer, there = not only the need
ina - ere shor,d ae broueh: out candidates
OF caIibYe that viii give good reason to be-
t,eye that they eau qualify for the position.
There is another need that who aspire
t. such Offices should be made to accept the
burden OF publicity which their ambition de-
rlands Getting tho right men il no kid
glove affair and never can be. The wrong
men may wear kid gloves when they get in
office but they know how to use fats that have
ierrc and bony bare knuekles on them To
h mt gentry Of this sarl ~'ih featherbed miits
~ 10 invite defeat in the beginning. There is
need of real talk ia Richmond, There is need
Il specialized aud specific and definite talk
a spade that is frankly a spade may be an
humble agricultural Instrument, but it has
certain character that it holds agalns, every
possible synonym that may be used to dress a
spade in dress clothes Similarly, with re-
ppect 70 local politics. il may be taken for
granted In the very beginning that reforms. of
i, hich the administrative board is the hopeful
4r-s+tf7ttftte7 e4ttHethefte t.. he enforced h.
through policy of theory without fact
We do not counsel in this. or any other
election or primary abuse OF any candidate
We do counsel frankness. plain -spokenness
particularly. II feelings shall he hurt in
the process they viii have invited the pain.
The good OF the city a whole is matter
hich is beyond and above both the amenities
- lisss ,la. tafy III aei
II We are going TO fight for better Rich
Gaond let US fight for II.
And fight is not d tea-wrangle'