Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-04
Not Riclrmond's "Hottcst Campaign"

= HARACTERIZATION OF the mayoralty
- campaign just now in its dying throe3,
as the hottest" in the history OF Rich
mond, will serve as figure of speech, and.
so far as the younger generation is con-
cerned, may pass without question, but to
an older generation it is far from the hot
test" To them, in comparison it is hardly
warm.
Just q haf-century ago Richmond was
in the midst of what was in truth its hot
test mayoralty campaign History OF that
contest as carried in the Fifty Years
Ago" column on this page. even now is in
tensely interesting not only because of it's
various thrilling and picturesque incidents
but because the student OF government
sees in il the initial clash, following the
Civil War and the transition of Virginia
from Military District No. / to a member
of the war-created indissoluble union. be-
tween the Federal and State jurisdictions
That clash has come down through the in
tervening years in differing phases and
varying results. Fifty years ago Virginia
was returned the victor. but, unfortunately
for the States, its victory has not been fol-
lowed honestly as precedent and today
State individuality is submerged almost to
extinction in Federal domination. But Vir-
ginia was fighting for its sovereignty then.
as it is now and always has. with the
representatives deserted the standard and
helped to make possible the eighteenth
amendment
In that famous mayoralty campaign the
outstanding figures were George Chahoon.
military district Mayor. and Henry X Ely
son, first Mayor under the enabling act,
which restored Virginia's sovereignty over
its. own affairs. Ellyson received his cleo
ton at the hands of a Council appointed
hy Wall No,
OF the black-and-tan Federal Judge. loath
to surrender his authority refused to
recognize the validity of the election aud
held on to his office. Thus the issue was
joined. Orders and counterorders. injunc-
tions and counter-njunctions followed in
rapid succession. Ellyson appealing to the
Circuit Court. and Chahoon to the Federal
tribunal Struggle for possession Of the
city ragged furiously, each declining to be
governed by the dispossess orders of the
respective courts. Richmond seemed al
most on the verge of a civil war all its
own, and national attention was conferred
on the controversy. Wiser counsels and
fears of the possible outcome prevailed and
the litigation was permitted to take its
course, the fatal climax of which came
when at a hearing in the hall OF the House
OF Delegates removal from the courtroom
having been made necessary by the i'm
Wehse croWu OF eNclteu spectators, the floor
gave way and many of Rchmond's citizens
were precipitated to death.
These few incidents of that campaign
and the tremendous issue involved therein
are rected now, fifty years later, for their
historical Importance Happily those
strenuous days Of political hatreds born OF
armed conflict, have passed. and the present
campaign by comparison is like the breath
of a May morning. but the issue on which
1t was fought still exists. and II will exist
until the precedent established then is ac-
ccpted and the States restored TO the privi-
lcges guaranteed to them under the Consti-
tuition. or is thrown into the discard and
yielding TO the assaults OF the Constitution
changers. all Of their. once self-governng
functions are transferred to Washington.