Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-10-25

'''N' 49, IL - III express
sion. These statements would b.
offensive If they we're not harmless
they are as devoid OF any relation e
the issues involved as they are cues
tinuablc in taste. Aside from thcs,
impaSSioned uttcranCcs. the efforts q
which are destroyed 10y their intern,
pcrancc Of language and obvious pur.
pose 10 obscure the issues. this much
h"raldcd address is largely "A coInuen.
dunn of confusing statistics. whic,
bear upon their face conclusiv. cvi-
d"ncc that they were prepared 10y
the various departments OF the state
E"Ncrnmrnt In their own justifiCa
ton and defense TO any one aC-
qUaintcd with modern business af-
fairs these statistical details are ia
mil!ar. but not convincing. No bust
ness ever fails that the management
responsible for the failure canno,
present elaborate statistics tending To
relieve themselves from all blame
hut these ii.urs afford but little con
ISOLATION To those who have los, their
Investment or are being ruined by
bad administration.
So In tho affairs o! the state. our
state government has expended dur
ing the past Twenty-Five years over
$lN0.0oC,000 of til" money OF the pco-
pie i'm addition Ia city ana county
revenues and contributions by IN"
Federal government to various ac-
'iNitics amounting to many millions
more. NO or" has suggested that
even the present Democratic orrani-
.Z'tion could cxpcnd these enormous
umS and not show som. results,
81. has IL been doubted that. with
The records Of the government in
heir possession they could furnish
laboratc and confusing statistics ~
hesc expenditures. But these statiS-
les. and arguments TO Justify the
management. mean little in IN" face
Of the facts known TO us all. that
hav" political system in Virgins,
which is denying 10 tw"-thirds OF its
white citizens any participation in
their government. and destroying III"
citizenship OF the state: which has
already transferred the voting mower
from the taxpayers To- the tax re-
ccivcrS. that We are burdcncd with a
cumbersome system OF government.
with an cvcr-incrcaSiug army OF of
hccholdcrs and employees: that our
school system is inefficient and in =
adequate: that our highway system
is rcproaCh; that our tan system Is
an oppressive burden which is de
StroyinE industry. aud driving our
young men from tho State: and that
with larger natural resources every
branch OF our political and industrial
life Is falling behind those Of adjoin-
ing states. These are the general and
essential results. ana no amount OF
statistics can chang" them. or JUS
tty the management by which they
nav" been produced. These are the
broad facts out OF which arise prob
lens which press with dcad"ning
weight upon every homo within this
which show the need
and support tho ovcr-rrow de-
mand for "A change of management in
virginia. Yet the Democratic party
has no platform. II stands for a con-
t!nuance OF these conditions
Convention mud Primary.
! have in the past RETAINED from
any reference To the recent urinary
hu' since the Democratic candidate
mas gone out OF his way To attack the
norfolk Convention. composed Of
over one thousand patriotic Virgin
ihhS. as not being representative of
MS party. while claiming that he was
nominated 10y the free suffrage of our
Democratic citizens, in Il primary
which was open To all Democrats"
IL cannot pass unnOticcd That pri-
mary was supposed to he held under
a state law, which must mean the
same ana Il" equally binding as to
every citizen or section. Yet in some
sections II was construed To exclude
persons who voted split" tickets in
the last election; in others IL was
construed not to exclude them: Will.
IN many other sections il is generally
known that Republicans were So
iiciied To vote. and did in fac, vote
IN the primary with the understand
ing That IL would not affect their
rlEh' TO vote the Republican ticket
at the November election His CON
certion Of Il free and valid express
sion OF the popular will. a fair pri-
mary open 10 all Democrats" differs
from my own.
law thus administered has no
binding force upon any one. \ con
test thus conducted would mean moth
lnE III the ordinary affairs OF men.
nut when held 10y thc Democratic or
ganization. affecting the government;
as free expression OF the Will OF
the people.
The Political Machine
The distinguished candidate Of ,bo
Democratic party seems somcwha,
amazed at the suggestion that tbora
IS "a political machine" In Virginia
N"t unnatural!y. for the power OF
th's machine lies ~ the fact tha'.!t i,
IAN invisible and irrcs pOnsihlc 'rov.
trhinonI controlling II part, and
through that controlling the state
make the same distinction between
tn" Democratic organization and tha,
great hoGy OF patriotic citizcns who
N"i" the Democratic tickot that ,ho
ir'"id"nt made between the German