Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-07-10
JUDGE NEWMAN
DEFENDS BYRD
Woodstock Citizen Adds Word to
Defense of Senator

Commenting on communication
in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the
Harrisonburg News-Record says:
mo man in this section of the
state is better qualified to give an
unbiased statement regarding the
moral and business character of SEN
ator Harry F. Byrd than Judge E. d.
Newman of Woodstock. Judge New
man himself is a high, clean man,
a leader in the Methodist Church,
and he would never have given his
endorsement of any man, no matter
who he is, unless he knew that man
to be worthy of his appraisement.
Judge Newman has known Senator
Byrd since he was boy. He acted
as treasurer and member of the
Board of Directors of the old Val
ley Turnpike Co., when Senator
Byrd, as its president undertook the
task of rebuilding that famous high
way for automobile traffic. For a
dozen years or more he has had am
pie opportunity to study Mr.. Byrd
personal and business character at
close range. Knowing, as thousands
of people of this section of Virginia
know, that Senator Byrd has led and
leads clean, wholesome life and
has met his private and public re-
sponsibilties in a courageous and
honorable way, Judge Newman re-
sents the attacks that have been
made to impugn Mr.. Byrd's moral
character, and when he speaks his
resentment he voices the feeling of
thousands of people in this section
of Virginia who have been brought
in everyday contact with Mr.. Byrd;
as Judge Newman has"
81 notice that there is an inclina-
ton on the part of some opponents
to the nomination of Senator Harry
F. Byrd as candidate of the Demo-
cratic party for governor to resort
to adverse criticism as to his char
acter," says Judge Newman in let
ter to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Were the campaign confined to
this part of the state, where he is
best known, his character would be
sufficient refutation of any attack
upon him, and it would he consid-
cred unnecessary to say word in
his defense, as a man of sterling
character and worth, whether III
church, business or political life
Il have known Senator Byrd in
timately ever since he was old
enough to vote.
HE had, before he became of age,
become sufficiently known by reputa-
ton in this section of the Valley of
Virginia, to attract the favorable no
tice of the people.
when it became necessary in the
opinion of number of our people
who were interested in the main
tenance and development of the Val
ley Turnpike, to secure a reorganiza-
ton that would place it in the hands
of a manger who would be able, with
the limited resources at hand to de
velop it into a modern highway to
meet the requirements of the auto
mobile traffic, then beginning, we
turned to Harry Byrd, then a youth
in, as l recall, his twenty-seeond
year, as the man best equipped to
head the company at this most i'm
portant time in its history
He was elected president of the
Valley Turnpike Company without
any intimation from those of us who
brought it about, of our intention, to
him, and without intimation from
him of a desire to have the position.
He proved true to every trust,
and capable of meeting every re-
qurement of the position.
From that day to this, l have
been very close to Harry Byrd adds
Judge Newman, ''and he has grown
on me from year to year, as he has
on all who knew him we'll, as a
young man of the highest type of
character, honorable in all his deal
ings, with due regard for the rights
of others, and of remarkable ability
1T was because Mr. Byrd had
shown himself to be of the type and
character, disposition and ability that
was so sorely needed in public life
in this state and in the whole eoun-
try, that myself and others of his
friends felt called upon to urge him
to become candidate for the State
Senate from this senatorial district
twelve years ago, although he SEEM
ed at that time to have no desire
to enter political life
I'VE have never had cause to re-
greet it.
If all the people of the state could
know him as we of the Shenandoah
Valley know him, there would be no
need of word of defense of him
against any attack. The people of
the state, regardless of party, would I
be glad to have him serve them in
whatever capacity he might be will
ing to serve"