The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-29
The Paramount Issue

Candidate Gordon Cumming has challenged
aEain in Joint discussion Of the great issues Of
the campaign, rs outlined by them in their late
debate in Lynchburg In stating his reasons Tor
sending the chellenge for this second Armage-
don. Mr.. Cumming says:
II want to give Mr.. Pollard ample opportun-
10y 70 ans answer .ne -. 1scr nc .1nersnc. IN
the higher courts State and federal where the
duties OF attorney general require that ofhcer
Mr.. Pollard answer why It is that II he favors
taking the schools out Of politics, he helped to
frame the constitution 50 that the governor and
attorney general. both OF whom are elected Of
dcers, were made members OF the State board
OF education. and right on the heels OF that
voted against allowing the people to elect their
trustees and division superintendents.'
This is distinctly disappointing Tor II 10 still
fresh in the public mind that the question OF
greatest interest raised in Lynchburg. certainly
the question most talked about since the battle,
was whether or not Mr.. Pollard has made twice
as much money Mr.. Cumming in the prac-
tice of law since each of them came to the
bar, to state the proposition in different
terms. whether or not Mr. Cumming mas col
lected in attorneys fees only half 20 mucn ~
Mr.. Pollard. 1t is the same in the score, either
way.
pref IT, is this: II Mr.. Pollard has collected in
/ fees twice as much as Mr.. Cumming has col
iected Mr.. Pollard Is twice as GOOD lawyer
as Mr.. Cumming and doubiy QuAlned Tor the
office they seek: or, following the above analogy,
| II Mr.. Cumming has cashed in only half as
much fee money as Mr.. Pollard, then Mr..
Cumming must be only half as good a lawyer
as Mr.. Pollard and only half so we'll qualified.
These two propositions are also equivalent 10
each other at the home base.
! We say that 1t is distinctly disappointing that
Mr.. Cumming has left this important question
out Of the schedule interrosatores to be dis
cussed in the second tournament or course a
candidates private affairs of business are not a
proper subject of discussion In a political
campaign as general proposition. But the
candidates in this contest have voluntarily
raised the question and made It an issue They
owe 1t to the public, therefore. to determine 1t
| hofor inns ali how shall know
The books should be opened and an exhibit
made OF the cash receipts.
We say nothing OF the further question
raised by Mr.. Cumming that he has appeared
in the Court OF Appeals OF Virginia Ave times
to Mr.. Pollard's two. or that Mr.. Cumming has
Of the United States and Mr.. Pollard has not.
These are interesting issues. to be sure, but they
are Insignificant as compared with the para
mount issue OF the standing OF the respective
cash registers Of these two distinguished at
torneys. 1t is an issue that was sprung upon
an unsuspecting public without warning. No
intimaton was made when the entries were
closed that this startling issue would be raised
True, 1t was well understood that the fees Of
| fee system of candidate attorneys and the
question Of the ability Of each to earn fees and
especially to collect them and more especially
these several abilities as the determining quail
iication for the attorney generalship-we say
that 1t was never contemplated by the general
public that the fee system would take this
peculiar turn. But politics moves in n won
drous way its mysteries to perform. and now
that the issue has come 1t cannot be waived
Mr.. Cumming. and Mr.. williams too. why
should he be left out? Is he not attorney
and has he not collected fees and Is not the
score Of his cash register also an indication
Of his abilities as lawyer and his qualinca-
ton for the once OF attorney-general?
/ Come, gentlemen. one and ALL open your
ncations, that we may vote for tho best man.