Newspaper Page Text
TAZEWELL REPUBLICAN
VOL. 21 TAZEWELL, VA., THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1912 NO. 17
POLITICAL METHODS
IN VIRGINIA REBUKED
Honorable George N. Wise Vigorously Assails
The Democratic Party in the Old Common?
wealth and Asks What They Are Do?
ing to Provide for Honest Elections
Newport News, Va., April 19, 1912.
To the Editor of the Roanoke Times,
Roanoke, Va
My Dear Sir:? I read, with great in?
terest, in your paper the letter of Hon.
C. B. Slemp to you of April 13. 1912,
and your editorial on the same. 1 was
startled by this statement in your edi?
torial:
"The democrats of the district
and of all Virginia are in earnest in
trying to secure honest elections, in
removing from Virginia tht> disgrace
and degradation of bribing which
have dragged her old and honored
name to the filthy abasement of
Adams county, Ohio."
And the further statement that it ?as
the rule of the dominant political party
to select the judges and clerks of elec?
tion. I should like to know on what ev?
idence you base these two statements.
Where in Virginia are the democrats
IN earnest in trying to secure honest
elections; and what have they done that
would tend to secure honest elections?
Do you refer to Norfolk? Do you refer
to Lynchburg, where, I am advised,
every registrar, or every one save one,
testified that he paid no attention to the
law in registering voters and permitted
them to register upon typewritten ap?
plications? Or do you refer to the First
district of Virginia, with which J. am
more familiar?
I do not believe that I overstate the
question when I say, that wherever it
is presumed to be necessary or desir?
able, so far as I know, outside of my
own city, in my bumble judgment, the
elections are as corrupt and as far from
expressing the will of the voters now as
they were prior to the new constitution.
I am proud to say that in this city the
people accepted the constitution as do?
ing away with all necessity of fraud in
elections and permitted the republicans
to select a judge and clerk of their own
choice and have continued this policy
with the result that it is believed, I am
sure, that the vote in the city of New?
port News is counted as rast. But out
nide of the city of Newport News.?in
county after county we are never given
a clerk, but one man to watch four.
You know, or slight investigation would
inform you, that white republican or?
ganizations recommend good men for
judges of election, that negroes are ap?
pointed in preference to these white
men ; that in many cases they are not
even good representatives of their own
race, and sometimes not even qualified
voters, and that after they are appoint?
ed it sometimes happens that the re?
publican party does not receive in the
count even the rote of their own elec?
tion judge; that sometime these mer
have been discharged from the federa
service for falsifying accounts,?anc
that this is done not to secure fair anc
honest elections in Virginia, but for th?
sole purpose of making the republicai
party as objectionable as possible.
In the last election for governor, in
vestigation will show that many bal loti
were stamped with the name of Colone
James as candidate for secretary of thi
commonwealth before they were eve:
handed to the voters. And it is a sin
guiar fact that more people apparentl;
were returned as voting against Mr
Locke, the republican candidate for sec
retary of the commonwealth, and for i
dead man, in Newport News where h
lived and was best known than in th
rest of the state combined. This i
hardly an accident. In the election o
treasurers to succeed themselves, ii
some instances the republican judg
was some negro whose position was d<
pendent upon the county democratic ma
chine as school teacher, or otherwise
and the j'idge of election, with a mark
ed ticket, stood in the booth and nc
only prevented a secret ballot and it
formed the voters how others were vol
ing and gave assistance to the votei
who wished to vote with him, which wt
contrary to law, but refused to give ii
formation to those who wished to voi
against him.
No man, I believe, with any re?
knowledge of the facts could say thi
the legislature of Virginia, contralle
by the democrats, or the democratic o:
ganizations in the counties, as a rule tl
anything to show 'hat they are in ean
est in tryirg to secur? honest election
You compart? thi* bribery condition wii
Adams county, Ohio, but so far as I r
call there was not an intimation in an
paper even in that bribe giving ai
bribe taking community, that the vot
were not counted as cast. I belie'
you will agree with me that nothing
tends to promote bribery as a full kno<
ledge of the people that there is no ho
esty in their government officials. At
it must he apparent to you that wi
the secrecy permitted in the registr
tion of voters with a secret ballt
counted only by men chosen by the del
ocratic party and without a vigoro
protest by the people and men likeyot
self who stand for decency and hones
in election,?there is little evidence th
the democratic party is in earnest
trying to secure an honest count.
The dominant party might conte
that it should control the elections, b
not to girt) the minority party an c
r>'>rtunity to see that they control it
hon?*stIy, is to my mind testtl isive that
they don't purpo??e to do i? h-mestly.
I know of no republican state in this
Union where the minority party h not
permitted to choose its own judges and
clerks, and where it is not given equal
representation with the majority,?but
in Virginia it is only exceptional cases
where we are given any and then not
enough to see that it in honest save only
in my own city
In Ohio for years they have b?en giv?
en equal representation. In Iowa they
h ,ve been given equal representation.
In New York they are given equal rep?
resentation?in all cases of their own
choice. I do not know the situation ?r
Pennsylvania, but judging by th? rro r,i
returns, even there the vote seems to
be counted as cast. When it is so ?*h->
to give the minority a judge and clerk
of their own selection at every precinct
that they may, at least, know that the
election is conducted in accordance with
law, and when it would be so easy to
require the applications to register to
be endorsed by an assistant registrar,
of the opposition party, certifying that
it was made in accordance with law
with an appeal to the courts in the
event of a difference of opinion between
the registrar and the assistant,?it is
absurd to say that the powers that be
that is, the democratic party of Virgin?
ia, are in earnest in trying to secure
honest elections.
There is no uniformity in the tax lists
prepared by the treasurers no uniform?
ity in the rule as applied as to who
t-hall he helped and who shall not in
marking their tickets, and in fact, if
there is a single provision of the law or
ihe practice which even tends to secur?*
honesty at the ballot box in Virginiii, I
should be glad to know what it i?.
What is the use of a statut?* to punish ?
judge of election with no method of
finding out which of the three judges ts
Kuilty of irregularity?
You must admit that all of Mr.
Slemp's suggestions contained in his j
letter look toward honest elections and ;
you must agree with this statemi-n;,
that if both sides wsntit, it will be e:isy
enough to find a way to get it. And it
is f?ir presumption that with the **lr*o- ?
tion machinery in the hands of the op- j
position party entirely, that Mr. Siemp ;
is the man who wants fairne?.-?, SS be '
has everything to gain, if for no otiier
reason.
Finally. I don't believe that you ran
produce a law in a single republican
i-tate in this Union where theminori'v
:*arty is not permitted to select, at
least, as much as a judge and clerk of
its own choice. There is a maxim in
equity that YOU MUST COME INTO COURT
with clean hands. Do you think un?
der the circumstances herein set out
and under the law as you and I know it
to exist, that the democratic party in
Virginia or the Ninth district is in a po?
sition to call Mr. Slemp to the bar of
the court for any purpose?
I hope that you will understand that I
am writing this that you may know the
conditions in other sections of the state
and may give me the benefit of anv
knowl?*dge you have as to anything the
democrats are doing to prevent fraud in '?
election and in the hope that you will :
join Mr. Slemp in his effort to prevent |
?'mud. This is far more important than j
to punish it after it haa been encour?
aged.
Very truly youra.
GEORGE N. WISE. |
? ? !
? LOCAL AND PERSONAL. ? i
?? ?
Preaching at the Christian church
next Sunday at II a. m.
Attorney George W. St. Clair, was in
Bluefield on business Tuesday.
Your poll taxes must be paid by May
the 4th it you ?rant to vote this fall.
There will be services at the Presby?
terian church next Sunday at 11 o'clock.
James R. Laird left Monday on a
? business trip to New York and Pitts
? burgh.
Rev. S. O Hall will preach at Mays
! Chapel on Sunday afternoon at 3:30
j o'clock
I County Surveyor John R. Gildersleeve
: is at English, W. Va., this week on
! business.
I Prof. T. H. R. Osristie, of Bluefi-ld,
was in town this week and gave us a
! pleasant call.
W. C Gibbons, of the Virginia Real:y
i Company, of Bluefield, spent Sunday ii
? our little city.
Mr. and Mrs. Barns Gillespie and son,
j Charles Pepper, left Monday for a vi.-ii
! to Wellington.
Miss Sallie Greever, of Graham, wh?
? was stricken recently with heart trouble,
j is reported some better.
! Miss Jean Graham returned Satunr.y
from Norton, where she had been visit
, ing her sister, Misa Jessie Graham.
! Mary Martha, the nine-monthso!<*
daughter of Thomas Smith, colored,
I died Saturday?a victim of measles.
Charles Larimer, manager. of tlit
': TazeweU Street Railway was a bu*>in?*Hs
j visitor to Bluefield, W. Va., on Tuea
d?y.
Mrs. J. D. Altxander, who has b?-?*r
?luite ill for some time in, h?*r manj
friends will be glad to know, much im?
proved.
Saturday, May the 4th, is the last day
os which poll taxes can be paid if you want
to nil this fill.
-
TOWN AND COUNT/ NEWS.
G. T. Slade, of Cove Creak, has sold
out his mercantile business at that place
and moved to Smyth county, having
purchased a farm near Marion.
Mrs. S O. Hall returned Saturday
from Abtafd ,n where she had been at?
tending the sessions of the Woman's
Missionary Union of the I'resbyterian
church.
Sonny Harris, colored, twenty-one
years old, of North Tazewell, died on
last Saturday ?a victim of pneumonia.
His remains were buried Sunday after?
noon in Maplewood cemetery.
The school at Bearwallow on Stoney
Ridge will close on Monday the 29th.
There will be appropriate exercises by
the pupils and a cordial invitation is ex?
tended to the patrons an i ?M public to
attend the same.
The work on the new macadam roads
has been progressing slowly during the
past week, due to the excessive rains.
The forces are well organized now and
in shape to make a showing if the
weather will only give them a chance.
The little child of Hob Thompson liv?
ing at Springvill-% in some manner, on
Tuesday, secured eighteen tablets each
containing a grain of a-cetanilide, and
succeeded in swallowing all of them.
Prompt ms lical attention saved the lit
tl- one, who was rep irted doing well
yesterday.
One of the most pW :m! social fuac
tii? s fo the season was tins md-q.ierad?
party given by Misses Maggie Rose anc
Minnie Hirnen on I.is' T i ? ? - ? 11 y i ''?'ht.
v ?: UM y >ung p ople of iht
town participated, and th? costumer
worn were uniqu:-. They gava the DM
pie :' tii.. eity :? tarant by an impromptu
parade after leaving the Herman bonus
Mrs. W. G. O'BrMO r.-turned Tues
day from Aningdon, w>i- r < sha had be?
; g the MUMIU of the Woman?
Missionary Union ?if the A' ir.gdon l'res
bytery. She came by way of L? banon
sptnd.ng Sunday ar,d Monday there ai
thagnwal o? Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Jenks
Mrs-. ( i'Hrii n was elected second vice
pr?sident ol the Union at the Abingdoi
mooting.
A vendetta, begun yeais ngoin Sunn;
Italy over a smiling daughter of tha
balmy land, had its culmination in ;
shooting affray at Cedar Bluff on Satur
day last, when Gregory Sorocio en
deavored to wipe out the old grudsre b
killing his boyhood chum, Tony Locotts
Th ? atfiir st:*.!. <1 with a drunken braw
in which thi n!d grudge was revivec
an i resulted in Locotta being shot i
the side, but not seriously woundec
Sorocio was arrested and lined $25 fc
carrying a gun. He was lodged in ja
here Saturday night to await action 1
the grand jury on the charge of shoo
ing Locotta.
SPECIALS
For N-ext Week,
SAILORS ARE
STILL GOOD AMD WE ARE SELLING
LOTS OF THF.M
Hut is it not now a ; >ut time
to buy that real
DRESS HAT
We want to insist, upon you
coming ii to s?e what we have
waiting for you in spring
FASHIONS
HONAKER'S
DEPARTMENT
STORE
BLUEFIELO W. VA.
OPPOSITE OVERHEAD BRIDGE.
TOWN AMD COUS i Y NEWS.
Dr. John E. Jackson returned Tues?
day from Richmond, where he had been
attending a meeting of the State Board
of Pharmacy.
'Squire A. P. Brown, of Graham, is
quite ill. His son, Robert Brwti, of
Johnson City, Tenn., is with him and
will remain until there is a change in
his condition.
Prof. E. C Board, who last week
closed a successful session of school in
Burkes Garden, is spending several
days hete before going to his home in
Phillippi, W. Va.
Miss Bessie Crockett, who remained
at Middlesboro, Ky., to finish her course
in music when her mother moved here
several weeks ago, came Tuesday tc
join her mother and sister at this place
and again become a Tazewellite.
William Leckie, of Welch. W. Va.,
has resigned as manager of the Jec
Coal and Coke Company at Jed, W. Va.
in order to give his time to the othei
mines in which he is interested. H?
will be succeeded by C M. Kounoff ai
manager.
Major Samuel Walton, of Falls Mills
and Lee J. Barbee, of Graham, hav?
returned from a two weeks visit ti
Nashville, Tenn., where they bad beei
to inspect some double-track work whicl
Major Walton is doing for the Louis
ville and Nashville Railroad betweei
that city and Birmingham, Alabama.
The Jed relief fund, being raised fo
the benefit of the families of those wbi
lost their lives in the recent explosioi
in the mines of the Jed Coal and Cok'
Company, at Jed, W. Va , has passe
the $10,000 mark. The feature of th
fund is that it h?s been contribute?
mostly by other miners in sums of $1.0
and $2.00.
Rev. J. N. Harman, of this place, ha
accepted a call to the West Grahan
Christian church, and will preach to thi
congregation at 11 o'clock in the morn
ing of the second and fourth Lord's da;
in each month. The congregation hope
soon to make arrangements for Rev
Hrrman to fill the pulpit on each Sun
day in the month.
We have not got any better men ii
this section of country than Patricl
Henry Williams from Tazewell, wh
paid his neice Mrs. J. H. Stinson a shor
visit this week. We say this notwitr
standing tha' he whipped OS every da
for three years when he was Principi
of Crab Orchard school in Tazewe
County.?Sandy Valley News.
J. H. Neely, formerly a postofiiee it
spector on this division but now conned
ed with the postal savings departmer
of the government with headquarters i
Washington, was here on last Saturday
It speaking of experiences encountere
while acting as inspector, Mr. Neely r?
. :
WITT'S AMERICUS SHOES
FOR WOMEN OF REFINMENT
Whether you want a shoe for street or ''party" occasions,!!
AMKRK'US SHOES will meet your requirements, because
they are not 01 ly stylish and comfortable, but extremely
durable: fact is, they will wear lsnger and look b3tter than
any other shoe for the same money,
holding their style and shape as
long as they last. We wouldn't
oiler them to you it*they were not the
best, and
YOU CAN GET
THEM AT
#3.00 AM)
13.50 in
ALL STYLES
AND
ALL LEATHERS
m
y^v
^VKZasa)
SEE THAT WITT'S TRADE MARK
IS OH THE SHOES YOU WEAR IF YOU
WANT SATISFACTION.
WiTTEN'S MILL
SUPPLY COMPANY
WITTEN'S MILL, VIRGINIA
I, x
lated a thrilling little encounter with a
lone highwayman a'most within the
- borders of our own county, but which
he confided to no one save his brother
inspectors. Recently while crossing
the mountain from Richlands to Grundy
and at one of the loneliest points of the
: road he was confronted by a masked
bandit, who leveled a big gun at hit
' head and ordered him to shell out bit
I valuables. Being unarmed at the time
' there was nothing else to do but complj
I with the highwayman's request, anc
| this Mr. Neely did, gracefully handing
I over his bank roll, watch and such othei
| articles he possesssd that the "knigh
| of the road" demanded, leaving hin
j only his commission as inspector ti
j show him an employ of the Federa
! government. Tne bandit then backei
| into the heavy timbers skirting the roa
? and so far as Mr. Neely knows, may b
going still.
Week of Prayer.
Week of Prayer observed by Woman'
Missionary Society of the Methodis
Church begining Monday April 29th
Monday afternoon 3 o'clock at Parsoi
age, conducted by Mrs. E. E Wiley.
Tuesday afternoon 3 o clock at Mn
: C. R I'.rown's conducted by Mrs. Mar
i OKeeffe.
Wednesday afternoon at Mrs. S. h
B. Coulling's conducted by Mrs. J. (
St Clair.
Thursday afternoon at Mrs. T. ?
Munsey's conducted by Mrs. J. R. Kini
Friday afternoon at Mrs. J. D Ham
son's conducted !?y Mrs. J. D. Harri
son.
Sermon on Missions will be preach
the following Sunday at the Main stre
church, by the pastor E. E. Wiley.
-
Pleasant Hill Items.
I'leasant Hill, Va., April 23
Miss Hessie Reedy is very ill at tl
writing.
Mr. Mathis Red moved his family
Tug River last week.
Mrs C E. Altizer was the guest
Mrs. C. B. Rose Wednesday.
Miss Virgie Christian was the gu
of Miss R. A. Hazelwood, Saturday.
Miss India Stevenson was the gu
of Mrp. Caroline Rose, Wednesday.
Miss Riseie Hazelwood and little sis
Helen was the guests of Miss El
Reedy Friday.
Mr. Herbert Altiser and Miss Oa
Christian was married last Wedaesd
by Rev. Ed. Smth.
Mr. Newt White is having him a n
house built on Luther Rat]iff's pla
He will move his family in a few da
Emory and Henry News Notes.
Emory, Va., April 22, 191
Mrs. J. S. Miller is now fully recov
ed from a prolonged illness.
The Faculty Book Club will meet
Mrs. H. L. Bowyer's tonight..
S. E. Childdix. who has been quite
for some time, is now improving
Dr. J. S. Miller was at Abir.g
Tuesday the 16th on legal business
Mrs. T. R. Handy and little daugh
are now in Alabama for a few we
visit.
Pastor T. C. Shuler of Marion Mel
list Church visited on the campus Ti
lay the 16th.
Mrs. J. L. McGhee entertained
Ladies' Embroidery Club Thurt
afternoon the 18th.
Mrs. E. C. Everaole, of Rural Retr
Va., visited her relatives, Mrs. S.
Childdix and family last week.
Dr. J. P. McConnell goes to Cerea
Bland County tonight to deliver the
orary address for the high school.
Mr. Joseph Williams, of Knoxv
Tenn., is spending some weeks wit!
relative, Mrs. M. E. Jackson of
nlr?i
Emory and Henry (Toilette Executive
Committee, composed of Judge John L
Kelly, Judge J. A. Buchanan, Mr. Geo?
rge Stuart, and President Chas. C.
Weaver, met in business session here
Wednesday the 17th.
The Ball game between Milligan Col?
lege of Tennessee and Emory and Hen?
ry College played on this diamond Tues?
day afternoon ehe 16th, resulting in a
:icore of 2 to 1 in favor of Emry and
Henory. In this game each team made
I hits and 4 errors.
State Superintendent J. D. Eggleston,
:ind Dr. Roy Flanagan, of the State
Board of Health, from Richmond, and
:*rofes80r Chas. G. Maphis, professor of
secondary education in the University
of Virginia, made interesting speeches
before the student body and faculty
'Wednesday morning the 17th.
Our College Quartette, composed of
Messrs. Hogg, Eastwood, Carlton and
Graybeal. gave a musical concert at
Damascus. Va., Friday night the 12th,
Konnarc-ek, Va , Saturday night the 13th,
i pending Sunday and part of Monday at
the latter place, and visiting the famous
White Top Mountain while there.
Paint and "Paint."
Paint itself costs $2.10 per gallon ~
but remember that - Linsei-d Oil costs
.?nly $1 00 per gallon, and that "Paint '
' eady for une consists of 4 parts Paint
und 3 parts Oil. Constquently it is
:ilain that y.-u should buy Paint and
Oil SKPARATEI.Y mix them yourself -
?*nd so sive 45 cents por gallon. There
! fore buy L. & M. Paint (prepared ic
lemi-paste form) mix three quart? ol
Oil to each 1 gallon L. & M. and m?k<
, IS galls, of Paint ready for use at $1.6f
; a gall.
Call on J. A. Greever, Tazewell, Va.
! AFTERMATH OF
GREAT SEA DISASTER
Stories by Survivors of The Ill-Fated Titanic
I Tell of Heroic Deaths?"Nearer My God
to Thee" Played by Band as Great
Ship Made Its Final Plunge.
The great ship, Carpathia, having ob
' board the 702 souls saved from the
j wreck of the Titantic off the coast of
Newfoundland on Sunday night Apri'
14th, arrived in New York harbor a
week ago today. The stories told by
the survivors show great bravery on the
part of the passtngers who went d<>?*n
and gross inefficiency and lack of disci?
pline on the part of the crew of the Ti?
tanic.
There was an effort on the part of the
White Star Line, owners of the Titanic,
to prevent an investigation of awful
castastrophe. but prompt action oa tha
part of tha Senate of the United States
prevented officer* and men of the crew
from getting away until being question?
ed by an investigating committee ap?
pointa by that body. This investiga?
tion is now going on in Washington,
and will ultimately fix the responsibility
for the disaster where it properly be?
longs.
The tributes of the press to the con?
duct of those who now rest in their
ocean graves have beer, particularly pa?
thetic. Men like John Jacob Astor and
Major Archibald Butt, who for years
have been misunderstood, misquoted
and misrepresented, stand out, in vivid
contrast to what they have been pictur?
ed to be, bold and unafraid, and the
press, quick to appreciate the noble
traits of character exhibited by these
men following the crash of the Titanic,
have given tbem full credit for their
undaunted courage in this hour of awful
trial. Of Major Butt the .Cincinnati
Times-Star said:
"It was not unusual six months or a
year ago to hear hal?." sneering allusions
in the newspapers to Major Butt. He
was too military in appearance; he wat
too much impress?*? with the ideas ol
etiquette and precedent; he was only s
chocolate soldier anyhow, they said
People who knew practically nothing ol
the man they were criticising lightlj
waived aside the judgment of two pr?s
?dents of the United States, both ol
whom knew Archie Butt and liked hin
extremely well.
"Talk of this sort is, of course, for
ever silenced by the sinking of the Ti
tame. In that awful time off the Banks
Major Butt held to his own idea of th?
eternal fitness of things. He though
not only that the women should go first
but that the little courtesies of lif
should be extended to them while the
were being put into the boats. We im
agine that few, even among the mon
heroic of the men on the Titanic
thought of getting blankets to pu
around women's shoulders as they w?-r
put into the lifeboats.
"Archie Butt held to his ideals to tft
last. He may have had an almost fen
?nine gentleness, and a regard for th
formalities of life that the aversge ma
American does not understand. But, n
everybody knows today, he also po
sessed to an unusual degree the essei
tial qualifications of a true soldier and
great-hearted gentleman."
Commenting on the courage of tl
band that helped quell the incipient ri
on board the ship by sticking heroica!
to their posts, and went down with tl
Titanic playing "Nearer My God I
Thee," the Pniladelphia Press says:
"Through all its tragic story the lo
of the Titanic has again shown how tl
path of duty may be 'the path to glor
now and hereafter.
"The ship's musicians who stood
their duty and their instruments pla
ing 'Nearer My God to Thee,' did the
?hare and filled their place in the r?
and record of heroism on that night, b
with fate and death. For them and f
those who heard alike in that suprer
moment, faith and trust in the Divi
awoke, as it always does when mai
men together face the unknown. Doub
come in life's common and ordina
path; but when general peril faces me
they instinctively turn to th? support
the unseen.
"This came on the Titanic and it o
derlies the calm and courage with whi
this great company of doomed men m
the call of duty. Their lives were ma
and various. Their days and nights h
been as the days and nights of oth
men. There was about them no sign
what they would do when the last c
rame.
"But men and women live unconscious
tbat beneath them and about them are
the everlasting arms, that life itself day
by day brings nearer the unseen and
that each man and woman has more of
faith and trust, calm and courage, than?
they know. When the hour of extreme
danger strikes, some note akin to 'Near?
er My God to Thee' sounds in all lives
that in the end meet duty like men."
It has perhaps occured to many that
the rule of the sea, "women and child?
ren first," may not be economically
correct. That the relative value of a
person's usefulness in the world wculd
be a better guide for the eliminuti. n of
those to be left on board a sinking ves?
sel rather than the old order of things,
is publicly voiced by a woman in the
following communication taken from
the Philadelphia Press:
"An editorial in Thursday*? Press
(Continued on Fourth Pace.)
