The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-10

| The letter printed above was re-
eeived BY The NiYgtnian in response
10 a request for information concern
ing 4 story which appeared IN the
Richmond News Leader of Friday. Au-
gust :. under the evident inspiration
81 the Local Self Government assocta-
zion. II is the explanation of ctu-
gen oe the state In Justification of
an act which ne had been held up 70
rahlic condemnation without even q
chance to explain that act, The story
given out by the Local Self -t'@NeFn-
raent league was not based On an In
vestsgatson Of the facts In the case,
No effort was made 10 ascertain Wheth-
or or not the letter addressed 10 q
citizen Of Gether and returned by the
postmaster of that place originally
had been sent TO that postmaster in
his capacity as a private citizen. The
league did not 70 out Of it's WAY 10 get
The faces In the case but animal ted
sotely by a desire To make capital out
of the incident, placed this reputable
man before the citizens OF the State In
en- absolutely false positioa
The News Leaders inspired story
made the assertion that The post
master nj Gether ia accused of having
opened q letter written on the Loc2l
self-e:overnment association station
cry addressed to citizen Of that
county, and after having read Il wrG''
on the back thereof the following nota~
ton will thank YOU not to send e9y
more OF this literature 70 this Office
II was signed officially by the post
master"
The same source of Information as
10 the real facts in the case were open
to the Local Self Government assecia-
tion as to the Virginian. but because
~ Soiv 70 rraata sensation over
the letter and arouse suspicion of what
II calls a High handed effort of pro-
hibitionists to take charge of Viz
ginia postoffices and block mails" that
organization chose to damage the rep
utation of an honorable man. In his
letter TO The virginian. Mr. Kidd
makes the very pointed statement; Il
thought / had a right to open my OWN
private mail and do with II as I chose"
Association Rebuked.
The fact that the Local Self Govern
ment association has been receiving
such replies AS that written on the
hack OF the postnaster's letter is COM
mon knowledge throughout the State,
Thousands OF citizens have written let
ters OF the most singing rehuke to
the association because of its methods
of work and the stand 1t has taken
In the present campaign. The Nir-
Einian has printed a vast numbbr of
these letters. 1t has on hand at the
present time great basket OF let
ters that IL has been unable to pub
fish because space and time have not
permitted. Almost daily there come in
requests from citizens for the publ-
cation Of letters which have been in
the hands of the editors of this paper
for long period of time but which
have had to wait their turn with the
great numbers ahead Of them.
Reacts for Good.
The Anti-Saloon league officials
have been Informed by men all over
Virginia that the wet literature of
the Local Self Government associa-
ton was doing much good in educat-
ing the people Of the State to
knowledge Of the methods by which
the liquor traffic ssis attempting to
maintain itself in the State. and in
formation SO far has been that this
work was the most effective sort of
argument in turning sentiment
towards the Statewide cause.
These letters have beef secured with
no effort on the part of The Virginian
to make q collection of the protests