The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-06
PLANTER ATTACKS
RICHARD {. BYRD
Prints Singing Editorial Regard
ing His Position on
Lime Bill.
ION BOTH SIDES" THE CHARGE
Digs Up Auditors Report Show
ing He Received $4,000 as
Governors Counsel.

Making vigorous attack on Speaker
Richard EVELYN Byrd, the Jnly issue OF
the Southern Planter. issued Yesterday.
reproduces fac-simile leiterheads in an
effort To prove that Mr.. Byrd was at
one and the same time counsel tor the
Farmers Union ANA FOR the Associated
Lime Manufacturers who arc contest
ing the recent farmers lime dill in the
courts The first letterhead photo
sraphcd is that OF the Farmers I5luc;-
tional ana Co-opcratlve Union, the let
terhead giving as the executive COM
mittee the names of G. ). Gordon.
chairman, j. ". Cauthorn. Ir.. I H.
Steele T. Il. Wray. George II Bowles,
concluding, Hon. X. T.. Byrd. dttor-
ney.' ON the opposite page is a pho
tcsraphic reproduction OF the last page
OF thc bill hled in court by tho lime
manufacturers. the last lines reading.
Charles w Pricc-A : Lee X Sons,
Icy T. T. Byrd and BraNton X Eggle-
sion. their counsel The article also
states the amounts received by the
speaker from The state Auditor as
counsel for the Governor of Virginia.
Text OF Article.
The editorial is entitled - Defender
Of the CONSTITUTIONS ana reads as fol
lows
~The suit of the Associated Lime
Burners TO test the constitutionality of
the state lime grinding law has brought
to light some things that are sure 10
interest the farmers OF the state and
members OF the Farmers Union in par
ticular. 1t is the fact that Richard
Evelyn Byrd is the principal counsel
for the lime burners
This simple statement IS in itself not
$50 startling. He most assuredly has
tho right to choose his clients Tor him
self But he is also counsel FOR the
Farmers Union. AT least. the letter
heads of that organization carry a leg
end to that effect d,
The Farmers Union desired to rem
der assistance 10 those defendi-g the
lime grinding act. against which, hr
the way. Mr. Byrd voted Now the
Farmers Union has been forced to look f.
elsewhere for legal assistance in its
time of need. Perhaps Alr byrd cAu
square himself with that organization.
But what does he really think OF /
this Constitution which the farmers OF
tito State are ruthlossly seeking T.
trample under FOOT Let US see On
March Is. 1910. the following act OF
the General Assembly became law
1.-THE Governor shall have the pow
e. to employ an attorney vy contract
al any time 10 represent the State OF /
any department Of the state. and the
agreed compensation OF such attor-
ney shall be paid out of any moneys
no, otherwise appropriated not to eN-
coed nve thousand dollars in any one
YEAR
1T was freely stated "a, tina, time
that this unnecessary Job was in
tended to take care Of Byrd. who
was then. as now. speaker OF the
House OF Delegates. In Vehement de-
malls from presumably authentic |
sources it was claimed that this WAS
not and could not Oe true because OF
It's unconstitutionality Section 80 OF
the constitution reads as follows.
49, Ana no member during
the term for which he shall have
been elected shall be appointed or
elected TO any c.-al Office Of profit
In the state except offices hlled by
election by the people
Notwithstanding the tact that mem
bers o. the General .ssembly are ex
pressly prohibited from accepting ap-
pointive or elective positions OF en-
olument. this great defender OF the
Constitution was the principal bene-
nciary under THIS act, a will De seen
from the following record from the
Auditors ONCE
September 90 lslo-Fraudu-
lent Fraternal Insurance Compa-
MICS before Bureau OF Insurance
K. f. Byrd, $3.50.
December o. lsio-Raafora
Normal School Case-R L. Byrd
and W .. cardwen $500.
January 2. l9ll-s,ate Female
Normal School Us. Mary T. Bur
ger-R. +. Byrd $500
October 9. loli-Aadtord Nor
NAL School case-R. F.. Byrd.
$500
January >. lol2-cese c. V.
Darlington vs.. S r Donohoe ..u-
dnltor Public Accounts-R. Z.
Byrd. $3.50
Thus we see tina, ms law was.
after ALL apparently to take care
OF Byrd
Here. then. We have the pitifully
Inconsistent record OF public SER
want, elected TO the legislature By
farmers. made Speaker OF the House
by farmers. honored by farmers
organization by being selected as their