Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-05-24
~ ET WE'LL ENOUGH ALONE"


cinian- Pilot of Norfolk, in lengthy
edit6rial en- the Congressional CAM
naign in this state. in which refer-
ence is made to the Democratic deie-
cation from Virginia now IN Congress
has the following to say:
Each holds important committee as
s;rnnoe,,ts to which no new memoer
con]d qualify, while their team WORK
has given Virginia weight IN the
,,a4;onal councils which she has not
nn;oved always during the post bel,
Inn period. Why this prestige saoula
he disturbed is not clear. NO interest,"
~ The state lacks loyal and capable
advncacv at Washington. The pres,
ant representatives know the general
and snecial needs Of their districts
and have been successful IN Proiiio'-
ing them.
These views. as we. have mentioned
above, appear to command almost uni
vnrsal ac:eptance among the people
If Virginia and to be acqulesced IN
bv rersons who under other conditions
might legitimately entertain poiltlcai
ambitions. But in the Eighth district
Mr. Elijah White is making canvass
70 succeed Mr.. Carlin, appealing, so
wc understand, to the farming ele-
ment for united support on the ground
that he is one Of themselves ana so
more competent to speak and act III
their behalf than person OF anotnef
calling. It is certainly nothing to VIZ.
Whites disadvantage tnat among ms
numerous activities as capltallSI,
banker and industrial promoter, ne
should have invested part OF his wealth.
in land and give more or less personal
attention to it's cultivation. But that
is no suiiicing reason why ne should
offer for office distinctively as an agrl-
culturist. devoted primarily to the
service Of that element with which ne
is partially identified. No such DIFF
eercntiation should be made. Inc I'M
nl;cavion is unfortunate. The one vital
dcs;deratum now is for men in Con-
rress committed first to those patrl-
oti, objects in which all Americans or
whatever pursuit in life have a com
mon stake--men broad enough to hold
TIE balance square between all trades
AID professions, between all sorts ana
conditions of men, laboring to gain for
each all to which it is entitled and to
none extra or exclusive privileges. The
plea is specious, unless it could be
shown that Mr.. Carlin, lawyer, had
dedicated his labors unfairly to favor
ING the legal fraternity, and had in
vidiouslv failed to foster and advance
the welfare of all other classes OF his
constituents, the farmers included.
But aside and apart from and aboveA
all other considerations we are tlrmly
persuaded that the voters Of the
Eighth district have no valid reason
for discarding a servant who has
proved equal to every call of country
in time of extraordinary stress and
peril. In comment on previous artl-
clcs TO the same effect we have a let
ter from a worthy individual in that
district asking what the Norfolk Vir-
ririan-pilot has to do with the selec-
ton of Congressman" from any
other politica! subdivision than its
own? II is matter of grave mo-
n,ent to every citizen of Virginia that
the phalanx of loyalty now presented
by Virginia in the Federal halls Of
legislation should not be broken by ex-
detrimental changes in IT'S composition
while the existing crisis in national
affairs continues. None can be made
without at least the risk of "going
further and fafrag worse" The com
biration, as we have it. the two Sena-
tors contributing their full share to
It's efficiency, can scarcely be improved
on. 1t can easily be weakened by the
introduction of raw and INFESTED ma
terial. To the electorate of the Alex
aniria district we are commencing the
same wise policy which we have i'm ;.
pressed on the voters of this and every
other in the state, not without salutary
effect It is not of local concern alone
that the Sixth district should return
Mr.. Glass, or the third Mr.. Montague,
or every other that spokesman of Vir-
pinia sentiment who has been weighed
in the balance and not found wanting.
Personal ambition can be we'll post
poned 20 a more convenient season,
when the Ship of State has been
steered to safe harborage with The
7ag of victory flying peacefully from
her masthead. In the meantime we
'eel guilty Of no intrusion in advising
Mr.. White TO subordinate his aspira-
ions 10 the concurrent opinion Of an .
majority Of the rank
md file of.Virginia' loyal democrats;
y if he is determined to challenge the
;oun1ness Of that judgment, we feel
perfectly warranted in urging the
democrats of his bailiwick to reserve
lis abilities and eagerness to exercise
hem in the halls of Congress for fu-
.urr use in some era when in the alb
scnca of stern cxigencies, time can
1e allowed for neophytes to learn the
business to which practice as well as
natural endowment is essential. Not
that We hold the gifts or acquire
nentS of Mr.. White in low esteem, or
estimate Mr.. Carlin by a partial STAN
lard. Were these positions reversed,
ye should still inculcate the wisdom
# holding fast to demonstrated 6del-
ty and serviceability. The hour is
:5t o2portune Tor swapping horses.