The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-06
PEOPLES FORUM

Editor of The Nirginian;
sir-Being lsritisher and ore Of those
against whom you directed an editorial under
the caption Of ''Britains Sense of Fair Play ="
in your issue OF August 4th feel that your
courtesy will permit Of a reply You say
chat had fa& play been necessary to an
English idol Mr.. Roosevelt certainly would
never have been it May / say, as an English
subject that Roosevelt was regarded as "it''
IN England at he time of his African trip and
that the English people regarded him sit
because of the reports about him by the Ameri-
can newspapers, which were then lauding him
as their greatest citizen. and because they
wished to do. and did, extend their hospitality
and courtesy to the man who then repre-
senting the United States? Was England hesi-
tant in its courtesy? Was the Mother OF
Virginia less hospitablo than the Virginlans
were In the days when King Edward visited
Richmond when he was Prince of Wales?
Was 1t not more Englands desire to show her
courtesy to the people Of the United States
rather than to a single man?
on say, 1T il Il curious fact that the British
should have stood for his unfounded criticism
of their own administration in Egypt, only to
desert him because he thought TO add Taft
10 tho list of his victims" The election Of
Taft Is not an issue IN England. The English
people have nothing to do with who ia elected
the next President of the United States They
take only kindly interest. And, besides II
You viii pardon me- England. the English
papers VIII show. did not stand" for Roosevelt
CRITICISM OF treat t5Fltafn9 administration In
Egypt Evidently II / may say So you did
not read the English papers of that date and
have not followed them since. The English
papers, notably the Times and the Daily
Mail, X l. am not mistaken, did take exception
to his remarks, but did not make OF the mat
ter one - national import. They desired 10
rememher- only the American people and Il,
extend TO them. through their representative.
their courtesy.
You say that the English are too fond Of
talking about fair play and refer to the
Irish Upton" in the international yacht races
as the one who started "a scandal of charges
and exceptions Sir Thomas Upton was
commended by the American newspapers OF
that date for his sportsmanshp The files OF
the local papers will prove my statement. 1t
was my fortune 10 witness OF the races and.
as the New Fork papers OF that afternoon and
the next morning stated he was a game loser
You continue In your editorial that "at the
recent Olympic games the English made them
selves obnoxious TO the world" You base that
statement presume, on correspondence from
American newspaper men. Is England OBJ
noxious to the world? If 50, then why do the
Nfrgtnians of today boast of their English
ancestry From where came your most noted
names--Wa Washington, jefferson, Madison, Mon
roe, Marshaf and a host OF others! II fair
play has gone from the English. then has it
also departed from the American people, And
think II has really gone from neither.
"BRfTISIER,"
(Note; Our correspondent is in error in sup
posing that criticized Sir Thomas Upton.
In fact. named him as exception the
editorial In question reading, Before the race
for tho American Cup began to be contested
by the Irish Upton every international race
followed by its scandal of charges and
exceptions" Surely, critic remembers Lord
Dunravenl-Editor.)