Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-03-01

act. So they offset each ether pretty
much. A man can't allow himself to
be worried by criticism in a place
like this; its part Of the price"
So for four years he had gone Il
head. War had come to us, and the
| navy which he had been accused of al
lowing to go to seed was called into
immediate service against submar-
ines. To the surprise of Mr.. Daniels
critics and delight of the country, it
began to get results almost from the
first day. If there is anything the
matter with the equipment Of our
ships and the craftsmanship of their
crews, the commanders of the sub
marines have not discovered it.
The commission of Congress in
vestigating the conduct of the war
said very flattering things about the
businesslikc fashion in which the navy
had been prepared for war. News
papers changed their tune almost
overnight. Il was anxious to see Mr..
Daniels again and ask him how it felt
to wake up and discover himself SO
popular
"Criticism doesn't hurt me as much
rs it would some men," he said. "I'vc
been used to it all my life. Only" he
4
ways gave more than | got.
81 remember talking with the Gov
ernor of North Carolina several years
ago." he continued. "Thc Governor
was Il very conscientious man, new to
public office, and he was being very
severely and unjustly criticised. He
called me over to the Executive Man
sion one night, and showed me a long
typewriter answer to his critics
which he had drawn up. read it
through, and passed it back TO him.
That's very good | said; I'm
glad you got it off your mind
But you don't think | wrote that
out just to get it off my mind, do
youY he gasped.
"'Why, of course, answered.
What else did you do it for?'
TO give it to the newspapers he
told me.
81 reached over and put my hand
on his knee.
"'Now, see here said. you will
give that to the press: it will be print
cd in all the papers tomorrow. Your
friends will read it and say it's fine
Your enemies won't read it at al;
or, if they do. they won't believe it
they'll he too busy preparing an an
swer to it. Their answer will be pub
lishcd, and then you'll answer them
again. So it will go on, until you are
dragged into an undigniiicd contro-
versy that will disgust the people of
the state and get you nowhere.
""rhc thing for you to do is to go
ahead and give the state good add
ministration. Then, when the conven-
ton is held next year, you will be
invited to make the keynote speech.
That's your opportunity; put into your
speech all that you have written here
or as much of it as you want to.
Meanwhile, go ahead and do your best
and don't worry"
WELL" Mr. Daniels continued, "thc
convention came. The Governor made
his speech. 1t was received with
great applause, and printed in all
the papers in the state with approx
ing comment And he left Office with
the reputation of having given the
State an able and efficient admin
stration.
The Secretary Of the Navy laughed.
"A public officer can't afford to en-
gage in controversy" he concluded.
"If he can't stand criticism, public of
ice is no place for him. If he has
! enough faith in his convictions to 20
ahead in spite of it, the public is pref
ty just in the long rum And Il man
who can stand the racket can have Il
lot of satisfaction in public Office; and
IL lot OF fun--a whole lot of fun.-EX.