Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1912-05-03
"DELEGATESSHOULD
GO INSTRUCTED"
Correspondent, Calling Him
self Progressive" Drops
A Few Suggestions.
Editor of the News:

Editor of the News:
Your political convictions are in.
ciined to point first one way and ther
another, and it would seem that YOU,
mlnd has become political weather
cock. In one issue of your paper YOU
seem heartily in favor of an instruct
ed delegation from this county, and
before the ink is quite dry with
which you give expression to that
good democratic doctrine, the whirli-
gig of politics has made so MANY re-
volutions and convolutions (aided and
abetted perchance by Tom Martin s
Democrats. Underwood checaue-
accompanied literature and Judge
Graham brilliant reasoning) that
you find it feasible and convenient to
change front entirely and throw such
influence as the News has against
the policy of instructing county dele
gates. have no desire to dictate, even
To influence your editorial opinions.
but ask for space in the News that
may challenge the sophistry of your
own and your correspondents pleas
for an uninstructed delegation from
this county.
The Democratic voters of Tazewell
have the right, and should be given
the opportunity, to express their pre-
terence in the selection of a candi-
date for the presidency, and it is
contrary to the democratic spirit and
to the principle of representative
government to senu uninstructed
county delegations to State conven-
tions. If the influence which is at
work in this State to assemble at
Norfolk heterogeneous gang of un-
instructed delegates, is permitted to
deliver the goods" the floor of the
State convention will be stock ex-
change of hysteria and confusion.
majority rule will he an impossible
thing, and the reactionary politicians,
led. let us say at a guess, by the
editorial head of the Times d ispatch,
will walk out with the vote of this
State stolen and sealed ready for de-
livery.
Has any democrat in this county,
or in the State for that matter, mis-
understood Senator Martins purpose
in making a personal appeal to the
voters of this State to send uninst-
ructed delegates to Norfolk? | do not
think SO. His purpose is political and
not patriotic. He wants to do our
thinking and our voting for us. Why
is he opposed to instructions? He is
opposed to instructed county delega.
tions for the very good reason that
instructed county delegations are
sealed by the wish and will of the
people and bound by the might of
majority rule, and are thus placed
out of the reach of designing political
;ugglers who expect to profit either
in pocket book or prestige by unscru-
pulous manipulation.
The writer who signs himself |
Democrat" in last weeks News |
says, "There are some fears, though |
apparently very slight, mot SO
slight, however, as to escape his
notice." an instructed delega-
tion will be sent from this county,"
1t reminds me very much of the fell
low who was terribly scared over his |
spiritual condition; he prayed to the |
Lord tc save him from his sins, and |
then after moments reflection says
to himself, "Now, to be safe l had |
better pray to the devil also, for ! |
don't know whose hands may fall
into" rather suspect that he
q" fears" that somebody's plans are
going to be spoiled, and l rather
more than suspect that this writer is
a reactionary in sentiment. These fell
lows want an uninstructed delegation,
not so much as matter of good
political policy, but because they
know the sentiment in this county is
overwhelmingly progressive, and that
their only chance of working the
game" is to ingeniously dupe the
voters into believing that it is not
"expedient, not "good politics, +"
to instruct. If they can by playing
Wilson and Clark, the one against
the other, or by any hook or crook,
prevent instructions. they will have
carried their point-because they are
for neither; they are for Judson Har-
mon. but if they get away with this
shell game, let it be understood that
we voters who are taking our first
lesson in "good politics" are not to
be let into the secret until it is too
late to do anything but "cuss."
The correspondent referred to above
called attention Richmond's refusal