The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-19
Virginia and Others

Comparisons are odious and self concet and
ser satisfaction are very dangerous. But self
defense is proper. We have here in Virginia
extreme Republicans who chronically
and who speak and print all kinds of insinua-
lions against the honesty and efficiency of our
state government We have, Also. Democrats
VINO make many accusations against the admin
istration of our affairs Some OF these are
defeated candidates or bafIied aspirants for iobs
and their friends Others Of the kind who
would like to be distinguished or to have
pleasant places to supply them with support
for themselves and families which they are I'M
able to earn or unwilling to give the sweat and
WORK necessary to earn. Others fantastic
dreamers, their more or less brains crowded
with exciting ideals. wild theories and notions
in which there is common sense or under
standing of facts. We have read and heard
|of our executive and judiciary assailed. of our
local officials constituting ''plunderhund" and
corruptly controlling our legislative department
Before the Farmers institute. at Iynchburg the
other day some infamed citizen, whose name we
regret to have forgotten as it is not familiar
in our public affairs, stood forth and barred his
heroic breast to an imaginary storm and asserted
that the last general assembly was composed
the lime grinding bill.
Not matter of politics. but as a subject
for some thought on a quiet summer Sunday
lis Virginia so very bad?
! Figures show her to be among the Southern
States second in wealth only to Texas. Really,
that does not look like decadence, neglect. OPP
violence in the West. We seem to avoid scan
dal. social and political and to deal with our
iaWbreakers with reasonable rap1dfty and
frmness. In the imperial State of New York
the great progressive and reform Democratic
governor Is threatened with impeachm for
stealing the campaign funds of his party
and presents none of the prompt denial and
challenge an honest man with clear conscience
would be supposed to offer on the other side
Mr.. Murphy leader of Tammany. Is reported
to he hiding on his Long Island estate. guarded
by twenty trained bull dogs, several wild bulls
and little army of guards. afraid always for
his life We read of the assassinations by gun
men in the city of New York. of plots and coun-
ter plots and deadly crimes Of murder and
wholesale plumber and robbery, in which the
police Join, at the center of civilization and ad
ivancement. We East and West social and
political crime and scandal, gaudy displays of
excessive wealth, miserable manifestations Of
desperate poverty and degradation There are
riots, killings. strikes with bloodshed and fire
and destruction. We seem to have none of this
in the unprogrcssive and unbalanced State of
Virginia: and to be able to send criminals
to the penitentary the electric chair ex-
lpeditiousy.
Incidentally It ia found that much. II not
all of the progressive and advanced schemes
sister States have been our statute books
for years with no fuss made over them; and
that some of the measures now under general
discussion have been considered and rejected
here socialistic and destructive.
We are not advising contentment, No com
lmunity has the right to be contented short OF
perfection, which none OF us ever will attain
We do advise against general and unguided sour
Iceptance of loose and wild talk and of expert
mental visionary quack remedies, We sug-
gest that when talk of triCkery and cor
lruption In legislature or executive or judi
lciary departments they he called on for names
dates and facts branded ISLANDERS II unable
ia give them and as towards If kr owing them
and afraid to tell them. When our friends from
East and West come here to teach us morality