The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-07

Scriptor Dares.


demands. with some apparent heat.
that scriptor tell II he dares" what
he would have done IN the Whipple |
case.
Sure, srriptor "dares"
Indeed he "dares' only in quo /
rational sense. He has not tho slight +
est sense Of daring, seeing there Is
nothing 10 be afraid Of +
Lest his friend should waste valu-
able time looking for q hidden All
mus Scr!ptor hastens to reassure him. :
Scriptor is no fire-eater. He is only
a philosopher Neither is he the son
Of fire eater. His great great
grandfather was only a major in
MorRan's command in the Revolution. !
His father and mother were both
Southern Unionists during the Civil
war They were not rabid abolition
lists. They were not fire-eating South
rons. They maintained their integ-
rity held quietly TO their convictions.
and lived in all good repute among
their netghbors. They were Virgin
isns and Americans. In ne Valley OF
the Shenandoah. for generations.
They were philosophers, Scriptor
ia proud 10 inherit some of their
philosophic spirit, That is why he
Is not moved by an "animus," but led
by his philosophy TO conclude that
tho late unpleasantness at the uni
versity was really, much ado about
nothing next to II. And he dep
recates very greatly the fact that what
he has been accustomed to call our
great university should lose its Sc
renity and poise over a matter so
really insignificant.
Scriptor's idea OF a great university
is body OF thoughtful people search
ing for the truth % things quietly and
thoroughly, allowing for initial error
som etimes, IN order that truth may
| be found at last.
Scriptor does not know Mr.. Whip
pie. lie never heard OF him before
He has no sympathy with his pub
lished ideas He ia not a Socialist:
Neither is he n Tammanyite. As be-
tween New York Socialism and New
York Democracy Scriptor chooses
} neither AS to whether Mr.. Whipple
IS guilty OF sedition or 'near-sedition,
! Scriptor leaves to the government to
decide Until the government brings
lin an Indictment and esta blishes a
. case Scriptor's little common sense
philosophy bids him keep an open
! mind.
But ono thing scriptor is sure Of:
0 A political mob is not q university,
V And a university Is not a political
mob And until the United States
courts had indicted Mr. Whiprle for
II sedifion the action OF the university
was simply a political action under
n orders from the two recognized po
n utleal leaders OF Virginia For m,
friend with the classical cognomer
o Will remember that two gentlemer
- wrote letters to the university. anC
that those two gentlemen we're thu
l. recognized political leaders Of tn
- t.t4-t4sst-tr immediately on re
lceipt Of those two letters presiden
-. and board of visitors. without decen
| delay or form of trial, executed sum
| mary Judgment upon the offender.
- Scrtptor IS frankly chagrined tina
a the University Of Virginia should hav
~ acted with such undignified haste 4
a. a matter OF politics pure and simple
- and quite small politics at that
:" II SCri Jtor had been president. fac
ulty and visitors OF the university
he would have said: "Ho. our adjune
ys professor OF journalism has been get
H. ting Off some pretty lively clatter u
among the school girls at Sweet Brie
n, He seems to be taking himself quit
- seriously His stuff isn't quite orthc
1ox, but It Is really OF small const
n quence II we take official notice {
>, II II viii at once assume greatly 81
tatgerated importance. II we let
alone II will he forgotten in twent!
four hours. In three days il will
no as dead and dry as a last years bird
ce nest BY the end Of the session "
can hint to him that he can prol
ably fnd more congenial surrount
- ings somewhere else" or words
that effect.
Yes. scriptor "dares" TO say franI
--- ~ that # he had had the manag
ment OF the Whipple case, he won
IN have managed II without sounding
iii truuspets or beating OF tom-tom +
would have passed it by IN diguif'
lstlence, whereby eonsiening II to ii
Inocuous desuetude" over night Scri
tor even "dares" to think that
ne would have had the good sense 10 s
ar. that any damage done by the II
timely utterance of the professor
'e- Journalism. would be augmented
hundred fold by hasty agitation al
drastic action, and that tho Flea
said the soonest mended."
no Now while Scriptor makes DO
sometimes to speak his mind on pu
rec lie issues. he really dtslikes very mut
"a, newspaper controversy. Therefore.
his friend of the classical cognom
elf desires further Information or sat
faction. he can get next" by lett'
duly prepaid. in care Of The Rio
mond Virginian. Scriptor has info
- nation In quantity upon a variety
SUBJECTS. II ms lIltIiu ueSiT sat
ria faction. Scriptor is getting up go
muscle by daily practice on a Fl
hu old No. 6 Remington. He has al
i've well selected armory consisting
two Indian tomahawks (stonel min
the handles an ancient fintlock p
tol from Greece, an old horse pist
from the battlefield OF Frederick
I've burg, a seven shooter Remington
e. the vintage of 1850, recently acquir
in exchange with a colored broth
ich for n serviceable oyercoat with bull
rnolds and powder flask to mate
iN Also a ferocious looking knife on
owned and carried by a member
the famous Louisiana Tigers
Americanus VirEiniensis can have ]
os- choice of weapons--tust so he does
carry II away with him Scriptor
es- very particular about his ancie
ors arms and viii try to. see that no
OF them get away.