Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1913-07-11
LYNCHBURG NEWS SMOKED
OUT AT LAST.

shed by the effusion, clipped from
the Lyncbhurg News and copied
here, than was the editor of this
paper. That our few remarks of
mild criticism, and plain ques-
ton could have called forth such
an ebullition of sacrasm, irony
and gymnastical linguistic per-
Torrance, Yas q great and re-
freshfhg surprise. We repro
~duce it here, Notwithstanding its
great length, in order that the
unsophisticated readers of this
paper may see how things sizzle
in a big newspaper office, remind
ing them, however, that our lit
tie editorial which called forth
this wonderful literary produc-
ton of the News was not given
except as to one paragraph, so
that just what we did say will
never be known to the "large
number of satisfied readers"
who read the Lynchburg News.
Had our entire editorial been
quoted it would have been APP
parent that much of the persi-
fiage, as well as much of the
more sober reflection of this won
derful editorial did not apply
and that the real import of our
article was never discovered by
this erudite publication of the
Hill City on the Jeems, whose
appropriate name should perhaps
be "Screamersville."
However, we succeeded in
running a heretofore hidden in
dividual from the bushes, or
partially so, at least, viz: the
elusive, vaporous, slippery, in
definite Individual, known in
some quarters as a Progressive
Democrat" This was all we
were afterAwe got it and a good
deal more. Who is he? What is
he? What does he loook like?
Narrowed down, a Progressive
Democrat is imam on the outside
squalling, kickin g, bawling
and "cussin" those on the
inside. In simple terms, as we
gather it from out the great heap
OF verbosity, it is the same old
hoary headed varmint" we
have seen and known before,
viz: An "anti-machine" Demo-
crat. An organization Democrat
is a Reactionary. An anti-Or-
ganization Democrat is Pro-
gressive, and that's all there is
to it. Leaving out of the ques-
ton the right or wrong of either
the one or the other, this is,
after all, the real meaning of
the terms Progressive and Reac-
tionary, in the political code or
belief of this bright and noisy
Fourth of July deliverance of this
aspiring and perspiring apostle
OF a new Democracy. This is all
of 1.-THE milk in the cocoanut.
the colored Individual under the
pile of kindling wood. Hereafter
we shall know. Any man who
wishes to be considered Progress
sive must kick his way to the
goal, and any man who has not
great use of his right boot is a
Reactionary. If he wants to get
himself elected to office his first
business should be to hunt up
somebody or something and back
up and let both heels fly. This
is the inevitable, unmistakable
earmarks, coupled with an en-
cyclopedic supply of adjectives,
figures of speech and the like, of
a Progressive" Democrat and
the absence of these, of a stand
still Reactionary Democrat. If
this is not a correct interpreta-
ton, then our neighbours belabor-
ed attempt at illumination has
failed to illuminate to a dis
couraging degree.
And now, seriously, the Clinch
Valley News believes in and
hopes for the best possible for
old Virginia. There is much that
might be or should be changed
or improved at once. The state
government might be-can be,
better administered. We are far
behind in the matter of schools.
a tax system and many other
things perhaps. AS time moves
on new laws, new men and all
are needed, and we stand ready
to give what aid we can along
the lines of progress and advan
cement. But what we protest
against is, destruction instead of
construction. Discord and divis-
ion instead of harmony and
agreement. When we write pro-
gressive with a big "P," we
should write reactionary with
big r." and this gives us two
Democratic parties in the State
This is not only unnecessary but
unwise. Its destructive instead