Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-26
BYRD MAKES CAUST|C
COMMENT ON CENsURE
Attorney for Jitney People "Come.
Back" at Alderman Barton
Ii. Grundy.
NO APOLOGIES ARE MA
MADE

otatefnent Discusses Aldermen RcSO.
luton Taking Former Speaker to
Task for Reflection on Members of
Council.
In statement received from Noun
tam Lake yesterday. Richard Evelyn
i8Erd, one of the attorneys for the
independent jitncy owners who are
nEhtlnG tn" new regulations adopted
| by the city. comments on the resolu-
ton adoItcd by the Board of Alder
men consuming him for criticisms OF
the Council i'll connection with the
passage of the jitncy ordinance.
This chapter in the jitncy contro-
VerSN opened with an interview. given
by Mr. Byrd. at the beginning of the
| legal fight to test the validity of the
ordnance. He charged the Council
with yielding To the influences of tho
virginia Railway and Power Company
IN pehalf of tn" new regulations for
the jitney traffic. MIR. Byrd asserted
that those members who had support ell
the contentious Of the street car com =
panH should he retired to private life
as UNFIT for public service.
DIRECTS HIS FIRE
AGAINST COLONEL GRUMPY
presumably because he was a patton
OF the consuming resolution i'm tho
board Mr. Byrd. in his statement. di-
| III
fruhdN, of Lee Hard. The resolution,
which was adopted by "a unanimous
vote, rcpudiatcd in strong language
and denounced with scorn' MIR. Ryrd's
foul aSpersionS."
In his comment on the boards cen
! sure OF him. Mr.. Byrd stands by his
GUNS oHerng no substantiation of his
ch'rSes ana no apologies. Colonel
irundy declined last night to make
any comment
Mr.. Byrd's statement follows.
nave been in the mountains OF
southwestern Virginia for some time.
ana only yesterday did have the
pleasure or reading Colonel Barton
Grundy's somewhat violent defense Of
his political chastity.
! VI am informed that the colon,l
sells to railway companies lubricotInf,
! oils. made by a subsidiary ar ,ho
standard Oil Company Being q vcrv
eilclcht salesman. he has creased his
way 10 considerable prosperity With
s"ch aliiliations il IS most creditablc
TO the colonel that. when he is mot
selling oil. hut is performing rho du-
Ties or municipal statesman he can
act With perfect impartiality in deal
ing with the interests of his customers
! lhat he can do this | gather from tho
Yer! energetic certificate Of character
which he has given himself in his
resolution.
REPEATS HIS CHARGE
OF UNDUE INFLUENCE
said that the Passenger and
Power Company exercises in munici
pal afairs control which is to the
disadvantage of the people Of Rich
mond. only said in public for pub-
hcation what hundreds Of men are
SAVING IN private not for publication.
! Any obServant citizen of Richmond
with an intelligence slightly above
that OF an English sparrow, can see
7 this. ] do not include Colonel Grundv
in TINS general statement, because the
coiohei while he is much more in :
telllgent than an English sparrow has
one or those rare and beautiful M :
lures which is so simple so trusting.
so unsophisticated, that he is some
times the victim. but never the accom-
plice of cvildoerS. Being of such an
! innocent and confidine mind. it is nm
thinkahie to tn" colonel that rail
way company would try to put any
thing over on the Board of Aldermen.
But, after all, why these Mysteries ?
said that members of the Council who
supported the contentious of the Pas
senger and Power Company should be
retired TO private life.
C0UNCILMEN ELECTED
TO REPRESENT PEOPLE
Why not? They were elected to
corporation. Did the colonel support
the contentious of the Passenger and
Power Company? did not say SO and
if the colonel were not such a pure
and passionate patriot 1 would be
minded that it is the CALLED Jade that
winces.
II note that the colonel. in drawing
the resolution. contents himself with
its passage. instead Of adopting more
drastic action l am properly terri
fed at the possibilities of this dark
threat. What sort of drastic action
is contemplated? Can the Board of
Aldermen fine and imprison for con-
tempt of their majesties? Is the coll
onel himself, with one hand on a
Standard Oil tank and the other on a
railway car, so great figure that
he cannot be criticised without com
uniting the crime of lesc majcsts?
The words drastic action" invoke
other pleasant possibilities. The col
oncrs military career antedates my ac-
uuaintance with him, but he doubtless
achieved his title by deed of martial
valor upon some stricken field. He no
doubt understands the use of the
weapons of war as we'll as he does
the qualities and virtues of his own
lubricating oils. Am to he led out
10 military execution. with the coloncl
| acting as lord high eXecutioncr? Or
am | to take the threat | am in
clincd TO take the coloncl--in Pick
wickian sense?
''1 cannot return to Richmond tor
| some weeks. but these things will wait;
and when do return | will take oc-
casion 10 submit such remarks To 'he
public in relation TO the resolution
as ] am advised are proper.
(SigncdD "R. f. BYRD.
Mountain Lake. August 90, 1915"