Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1912-05-10
DEMOCRATS URGED
TO TAKE WARNING
A "Mysterious" Letter Caus-
es CONSERVATION to Spread
in Democratic Camp.

The communication in last week s
News. signed Progressive Demo-
crat, " with reference to the local
political s'tratior. not only rung the
bulls eye, hut put in several center
shots. The preponderancc of senti-
ment in this county snnquestionably
for progressive candidate, such as
Wilson and Clark; and against a re-
dictionary candidate, such as Under
wood and Harmon; and if the major
ity of the democrats in this county
are in favor of a "Progressive"i is
imperative that they send TO Norfolk
carefully tabled delegation with
ironclad instructions NOT to support
either Harmon or Underwood, even
if it should be deemed unwise to in
struct for a particular candidate.
Why imperative? Read carefully the
following paragraph and the whyfore
will appear:
prominent democrat who lives in
the town of Tazewelr, and who has
been officially identified with the
party, (and who at one time was
known to favor Judson Harmon. but
is now in favor of progressive can
didate) this gentleman sometime
ago received confidential letter,
from a source that he very properly
refuses to divulge. urging him to do
all that he could to prevent instruc-
tion in this county. and asking if
money might be used to insure the
desired result. This is not rumor, but
fact, and your correspondent is not
betraying confidence in making
public this effort at bribery and cor
ruption However, in justice to the
gentleman who received the letter in
question, it is but fair to say that he
inadvertently let drop this significant
and revealing bit of information.
The source is not revealed and the
bulk of what that letter contained,
lit is said to be a very ingenious let
ter. suggesting ga cherub's face, and
reptile all the rest") the gentleman
has failed to disclose; but no matter
where it originated, there is poison at
the source; it discloses the menacing
fact that there is in this State cor
ruption fund that is being used,
whenever it is possible to bribe and
muzzle. to further a sinister, night
walking scheme to defeat the popular
will, and barter our delegated vote to
the disgrace and humiliation of our
people. 1t is an affront to the honor
and independence of our manhood that
should be clutched by the neck and
choked into the dust. 1t is political
pestilence that walketh in darkness;
and while only the outline of this
half-veled scheme is apparent, vet
there is not democrat in TazewelI-
unless there be one who draws his
mental stimulus from diet of "cur-
died ass's milk"-who does not know
that whe. the trap is sprung it will
reveal Progressive Democracy be-
trayed. both Clark and Wilson left in
the lurch. and the vote of the State
handed to the Boss by lot of half
drunk delegates who left home with
instructions to do as they pleased.
Are the democrats of Tazewell
going to stand for this kind of poll
tics? Are they willing that shrewd
and designing minority of re-pull-
ers and tricksters should be handed
the reins at Norfolk to drive rough
shod over public opinion? Are they
willing that gang of corruptionists
who have no political convictions of
their own-henchmen and sop licekrs
who take their orders from the Boss,
who in turn takes his from a power
higher up. figuratively speaking are
they willing that this set shall be
given the opportunity to misrepresent
Tazewell county at the National Con-
vention?
The ogfer of. corruption Doodle is
evidence of intended eraud The clo-
ven hoof has shown itself in Lynch
burg, Dickinson county, and else
where. Let the Democrats of Taze-
well take warning and refuse to walk
into the trap so adroitly set and con-
cealed. The only way of escape is to
instcrut our delegates NOT to support
Underwood or Harmon.