The Richmond Virginian., July 07, 1910, CITY EDITION, Image 12

About The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920

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VIRGINIAN PHONES:
BTTHTNE83—Madbon 17SS,
EDITORIAL—M«Hbon 1921.
SOCIETY—Miuiioon 1923.
JULY V
F tILl
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IRE RICHMOND VIRGINIAN COMPANY. Us
RAMI'EL W. MEEK.
5. B. WOODFIN. Msoseo-S E.liov
Rntim CBies: Tbs \ ir«ioi*n BuilU.ui. Govsraor »a J Ray <,*™**‘
RICHMOND - - - • URU
P»fly on# ye»r. po*t**r p*id.
Doily *di month*, po*t*«* po»<J.
Doily throe month*, po*ta*R po!d..
Entered a* *ttcond-cla*9 matter. January
the poitofflce at Richmond, Va . under act
im____
. $4.0)
.•2.03
.11.00
28. 1310.
of March
at
Let the Virginian Follow You.
If you intend leaving Richmond for a vacation,
have The Virginian sent dally to your cottage
or hotel. You may then enjoy the mountain
or seashore air and at the same time keep In
close touch with all that is happening In the
dry and State, and country political, social,
business and sporting circles.
PROMPT ACTION ON THE Pit TI RES.
The prompt action ut the Richmond Hoard
of Police Commissioners in directing Chi* t .of
Police Werner not to permit the exhibition hen
of the Johnson-Jeffries prtz*-tight picture' is
in every way to be commended. It shows that
tite city administration is in sympathy with the
better sentiment of the people at large, m*w
: finding general expression throughout the
«wuatry. It indicates a purpose before evidei.i
to protect the people of Richmond, so tar a- may
be possible, from debauching influences through
tbe medium of places of public entertainiw nt.
’ It is to be ho {led, and we believe, that tiV a*
- lion of the authorities will he cheerfully con
curred in by the managements of the various
moving picture establishments. I hey owe smd
concurrence to the community au*l to themselves
Even upon a purely financial consideration, 1s t
ter judgment would scent to advise against tit*
production4 of the pictures. At the lies!, “tlx
tight” would draw crowds for only a brief period
It would draw objectionable crowds and giv*
the houses a bad name. It would drive awa\
regular and resjiectable patronage f<>r a class ■
'people irregular and not respectable. 1 he bouse*
that carried the films would not soon recovei
from the effects of having exhibited them.
Aside from this consideration, however, tlx
prohibition of the pictures is responsive to a n
markable ami gratifying sentiment finding ex
presston throughout the countrx at large. < it'
after city has spontaneously taken similar a*’
tioti. Governor after Governor, Mayor att* t
Mav'or have recommended their suppression
Among these Governor Mann and Mayor Rich
ardson have sjioken for \Tirginia find Riehmon*
promptly and effectively. The genera! protest
in fact, indicates not only a consensus <*f opinim
that the pictures in themselves ar** dangerous am
mxltsirable. but what is better it proves a rovul
gion of feeling against the practice of prize-fight
, jog, upon tlx* latest manifestation of which tb
pictures are based. While it may be admitted
that in some jurisdiction the question *>f lega
right to prohibit such pictures is a close **m
while it is true ihat the picture syndicate ha
invested largely in the films, the situation i
one which should be resolved in the first instanc
jn accordance with a clear public sentiment
That sentiment is against tlx* pictures. I lie
^should be certainly suppressed until the court
say that there is no way by which this mu
legally l*1 done. We have no idea that the court
will say any'such thing, since the police p<>\ve
ought to be broad enough to cover the ease, bn
in the meantime the picture syndicate shoul
be left to make such a legal fight as it. consider
worth while. It has blindjy spent much nemo
upon the theory of giving the people an ettieriaii
nSbnr that they did not want. If it chooses t
throw good money after bad. \Nat is a matter h
the syndicate, with which the public has nothin
,to do, and in which it is not interested.
A The ground upon which the piotur. s are pr*
bibited in Richmond is that their exhibitio:
Will tend to promote race prejudice atui rio
While that is certainly the tendency, the r*
a#traint shown in this city, where there are th*>i
of negroes, at the time of the figlr itself
all the more admirable in contrast with what <•*
<urred in othtr places. We do not la lievo tin
the pictures would create a trouble which tl:
fight itself did not, but there is the chance ih;
they might do so, and it is the function of tl
police to prevent the chance of trouble, a
as to suppress trouble after it has occurred. Tl
better ground is that the pictures are the repr
sentation of actual acts which, if committed i
Virginia, would constitute a crime. The statu
against prize-fighting was net, we coneeiv
passe* 1 to protect the thugs who might lie incline
M engage in it so much as it was io protect f]
iple front the debauching sight of such co:
lilts. The pictures furnish «uch a sight am
irt from everything wise, are in violation <
.^spirit of the Jaw. if not of its actual lerre
i* matter for congratulation that anyone vns'
4ig to see how a prize-fight looks will as sure!
k&Fe to travtd out of Virginia as he would
be wished to set1 the actual fight itself.
NEEDS A CHANGE OF HEART,
movement among South and Centr
Republics to protest against the eoun
States in its Central America
of course, little, if any, politic
The right of protest is (hr rag wi
weak make shift to hold their sel
is a right which the strong pay li
In the case of a small, natio
is practically like unto the wi
corpus to a friendless victim of tl
police. The right i* guaranteed. But exercise
of the right is practically deniad.
Barring the Republic of Mexico, uo one of the
nations to the South is strong enough to put
nj> th*> show of a tight against the great, Republic
of North America. .Mexico could only tight to
a failure, ride bravely to a fall. No one of the
others could make even presentable pretense of,
resistance to. the will of this government, how-:
ever unjustified that will might be it* substance,
or however reckless it might be in execution.
Anv resolution which Sou'll ajul ( entrai Amer
ica max come to is, therefore, nothing more
political!v than the fulminate of an insignifi
cant minoritv. It i- a harmless att<j impotent
defy.
There is phase of the situation, however,
that ought to apjM'ul to the one principle that
seems to remain to the W ashington diplomacy . the
i principle of selfish commercialism. It should
be remembered that a great •coutfnent, without
armament is for that very reason growing the
more rapnlh in resotiree. Mexico is prospering
as never 1 ietore. \ eiiezuola. arid i bile, and
Peru, and other South American Republics arc
entering rapidly upon commercial life. Hi'her
to thev have been practically ternn incognita to
the eomtnendal life ot this country. 'l niikee
indtisirv has but just now begun to spy out ibis
now field of expansion. American trade has
only just now begun'to take the first steps in an
almost virgin ground for exploitation. It has come
!•» a revelation to America, as we consider it.
to discover that here is another America »«.
i ji b jn resource and rapidly becoming as lieh
it’ jiroduction as itself, flow foolish, at the mo
ment when these two great and long separated
continents are but beginning to look one an
other squarelv in the face,—-when the great
canal that is to make them neighbors is taking
form- , tor America, tor the sake of the in
flated pride of an amateur diplomat in Wash
ington. to endanger the first fruits of site!) a new
contact!
For it must lie remembered that'the weakest
nations, unlike the weak individual, are fre
quently the richest. ll must be recalled that
toeii impotent political proto.-1 is -o ite Ctuxib!
of becoming an efhetive commercial one. It
• <mld -ink into ;!■ though' >i poll coally ut
gr* s.-ed Washington that tie r - ■- no Sheri iar
law against a national boycott. Keen ( luna f
few vears ago retaliated against necessary ini
migration law with a boycott that cost Amor
Jean trad- its hundreds on hundreds of million:
a year; and South America is potentially a eus
o oier much more valuable tban ( hiua. 1 o nag t<
.Nicaragua, to put a constant finger in the Venc
zuclan pie, to flaunt this nation’s strength be
, fore the eves of those too weak to resist is t<
deliberately *throw away a commercial birthright
1 Of course it were better could the diplomacy
which was responsible for the “Panama ravolu
i tiun"; which is not above conniving with any
1 South or Central American taction that promise
a government subeervi^nt to Washington: whiel
violates every tenet of international Itnv am
i everv decent usage of civilization to department
] ally bully a little dog like Nicaragua, rise to th
| plane of justice to nations in accordance witl
the justice which American citizens are sup
. posed to obtain from their own Constitution
i,1 Not to do so is. of course, to establish a front
? awav from the principle of fundamental right
which will surely weaken tin- rights of individ
c mil- through the habit of disregarding the right
s of nations. But lacking this motive, it is surr
t ]v time that the people of tin country ongh
s forcible to suggest to the atlniiuistration tfiat tb
r commercial vicory which i' is constantly pn
t posed to achieve temporarily through a shi
1 snbsidv i- to Ik- won permanently and broadly
s not hv (piaek legislative treatment, but by th
v complete reorganization of a whole course o
- dealing. What is needed in the ease of th
a I’nited States, so far as the countries to th
r South of ir are concerned, is not a law, but
g change of heart.
, FISTTfTPFS AM) LITHRATCRK.
i Noting the fact that the recent mill at Ren
. whs reported bv a number of men who hav
• gained contemporary fame as writers of fictior
i among them Jack London and Rex Reach, tli
s St. r.ouis Times is forced to the conclusion the
■- the jirofessiou of writing i- not what it once wa
t and ask-: “What, for instance, would the Knj
e fish public have thought if Charles Dickens ha
it consented to report a ring combat—or Thacker'
< or anv other writer who represents Knglish le
II tors'" Continuing, the Times says:
e How would such a proposition have
' rtruek the writers in the 1 nited States
n n score of years ago' How indeserih
e ;ihly delicious is the thought of asso
, elating Ilenrv Janies with a descrip
d tion of an uppercut, or William Dean
e Howells with an analysis of the ef
t- foots of a solar plexus blow!
!. ’Messrs. Howells and James are still
if at work, but they cannot bo said to
r. represent the popular taste in author*
i- ship. They write no “best-sellers, " as
y Messrs. London and Beach do.
if We can answer some of these queries of
hand and make at the others a guess entirely i
keeping with the tradition of men who write, i
opposed to the work they produce. As to ho'
il such a proposition would have struck the writei
>e of the United States a score of years ago, it tna
n: be regretfully stated that, had the price the
il i been what it is now, the gredt majority of thet
h 1 would have been only too glan to eke out thei
f- literary fortunes with such honest if undi|
t-.nified returns,. As a matter of fact so able an
a,'brilliant a man as the late Senator Ingalls wt
it | hired by ono of the New York “yellows” t
i© report a prize light in the West. Another ci
t<*rpri&ing Xtrw York paper one* .carried under
f!itiiiin^ head lines a graphic story <>f a ring
content “Uv Julian Hawthorne , a mait who at
least hail every natural motive to k ep him from
dragging in the dust u famous literary ntMue.
When the present Czar of Russia "'as crowned
a show more harharie and Moodier than all the
prize tights of history rolled into one—it is
true that neither Mr. Howells nor Mr. James,
hut Richard Harding Davis, had the call; but it
was scarcely because neither of the first named
would take the commission, but rather because,
in the estimation of the New i ork publisher,
Davis had the punch ami the others did not.
Ail of which goes to prove that literary lights
iia\e appetites, and money hunger in particular,
even as other mortals. Shakespeare would have
furnished a first-class prize ring story, and
Homer would have been entirely competent to
vididly describe the delivery and the effect of
an upper-cut. had the battle-axe at that period
given way to the five ounce glove. Unless we
are much mistaken, both Homer and Virgil did
actually describe a species of prize fight -even
more brutal than that at Reno, or even than
those in the palmy bare-knuekle days of Jotin L.
Sullivan—light*. in fact, in which the hands of
the eontVstants were covered with the coestus, a
sort of iron glove, not to keep the combatants
from injury, hut to preserve the hands of the
fighters.
All this, however, is in a measure aside f/om
the point which the 1 imes raises. Literary
standards shift, manners shift with them. Lit
* rature is manners and life. In the old-time
literary sense neither London nor Beach is ad
mirable. It cannot* be denied, however, that
they are virile in description and that they have
the power of holding their readers and of paint
ing tlw scenes in which real characters move, (or
the characters which their imagination makes
real), in a way to carry conviction. The best
icommentary upon the essential worthlessness of
the recent prize ,.ght, oven as a spectacle, is the
fact, thf>» r,either Beach nor London was able to
write a story with red blood in it. Tho tiling
was a disgusting farce, to magnify which they
labored in vain. Henry James or William Dean
Howells, however, would have fiddled a bon' with
adumbrations until the prize fight would have
read like an old woman winding up a bail of
yarn: they would have fiddled and fiddled away
like a man smoking a pipe, and it would have
been all over before either bad made a feint.
Before criticising London and Beach too harshly,
it ought to be remembered that there is nothing
the same to-day as it was yesterday: neither of
the lights named could deliver a literary upper
cut in present day fashion, any more than he
11 could fail to make a inns,® of describing tlie braru
■’that is favored in fistic circles.
A PEDDLER OF OPINION'.
, The name Alfred Henry Lewis once guaran
j teed that what was written under it would hi
[ read by the American people. Tin- man com
..bined ideas with a style. They were not alwav:
>! original ideas, and the style was not alwavs pleas
i Jing. His thought, however, was bold; the ex
. Ipression of the thought was fearless and direct
Who, lately, has heard of Alfred Henry Lewis
i What doe,-* he suggest when, as now and thei
< happens, he again shows a head above the oh
. scurity in which he ha* Mink 1 Nothing, excep
® as there may come a thought of pity for tin
. thing he once was in the light of the thing In
i is. (t is like meeting a human derelict that on
» remembers in the days of a youth before ship
- wreck came, this wreck of a man who once bn<
5 influence, who once carried conviction, who wa
once “worth while”.
* For Alfred Henry Lewis made inerohandis
f of his mind. He measured his brilliances a® s
> much cloth, selling to who would lmy, fitting hi
■'stuff to its wearer, rummaging the shelves o
i his mental store house in order that he migh
please a client. Having made a name, he sold it
Having enlisted in the < aiise of the people, h
[attempted to bargain the influence he had gaine<
:to those arrayed againM the people. Nothin;
. that anyone wished written was Alfred Hear
| Lewis too proud 1<> wriie. Nothing that he hai
ever once written shamed him against writing th
11 other thing. The one name that fits his ea«
s is that name which is applied to the woman whr
.. | having nothing else t0 sell, sells her soul, onl
j to discover t*>o late that there is no one to Inn
Having made a name and sold it. Lewis spetdil
. discovered that no one wished any more to put
chase so worthless a thing.
So Lewis, after having been the tool of mono}
oly. the apologist for insurance frauds, the pah
. advertisement wrirer for all those interests whip
he gained fame by attacking, now comes back t
-peak for the people. L is a question whetlie
1 he fact suggests more of” disgust , or ridicule
Rut we find him saving:
"InrifT—protect ion—makes for mo
nopoly. Monopoly i< robbery arranged
fur by law. Any one who would-be a
monoplist would be a pickpocket could
hr be safe. The politicians in Washing
ton have cheated and betrayed von.
I hey owed you revision downward and
n paid yon with revision upward, prom
s bed you bread and gave you a stone.”
v Not badly said. There ia the ghost there o
sjtlie old style. The faker remembers bis trick.5
v But how futile it is, how worthless and how in
q!potent! Who cares what Alfred Henry Lewi
n thinks about the taritf, about monopoly, abou
r anything else ? He has proved himself incapabl
r- of taking a side and keeping it. lie has rlecte
rl to-pose as a teacher of lwth sides. He lias fot
s gotten that, infinitely beyond ability, entire?
o apart from equipment, independent of any grac
i-'of argument or diction, the one thing deinanc
e<l of any one who would load is sincerity. As
effectively as if he were already long since with
the great majority, by his own act this near-1
literary and near-political peddler has reached;
the point where his “words to scorn are scattered,
and his mouth i> slopped with dust".
THE NET
BY JOANNA SINGLE
(Copyright, 1910, by Associated Literary Press.)
As the young foreman heard the shriek of the <>
o’clock whistle he saw that the employes left things!
in proper order, and as they filed out into the hot j
spring evening, came himself into the dirty, smokey j
factory yard, his cap far back on his curly dark
head and his blue shirt sleeves rolled to Ids muscu
lar shoulders. He, had bright, dark eyes, and a Quick
smile. As the men passed him, each hud a word, a
Jest, a loving sort of recognition for him. He was ,
fuir arid square, quick to take up their interests. ,
although no alarmist. He could have been their ;
leader au.w.htre. Off to one corner a fat. gross
looking man stood smoking and watching him—a
man who was no stranger. But young Willis, the
foreman, had not yet observed the politician
Jerry Willis had pulled down his sleeves and
remarked forty times on the unseasonable heat of
this early April when Bill Dugan and a half dozen
jqthers stopped him. The city elections were due
foj next week, and candidates were ”in the hands of
their friends.”
“Whose yours for mayor, Willis'."’ Dugan asked
the question carelessly enough, but he really wanted
to know. He had rfo initiative of hts own, and the
others were much like him.
“J“hn Preston for me—a clean town, tight shut
and the 'machine* out of commission. Ain't that the
ticket for a storking man? This town is getting ho
a poor girl hasn’t a chance—if she keeps decent, and
the ‘machrine’ has spread like a net over the work
h^iman,' replied Willis “I know a dozen—no. a
hundred—fellows who can’t vote as they like because
they fire under some obligation to some of the city
hall gang Not for me"'
“Guess you’re right.' asked thee others, but Dugan i
finished heartily; “I’m caught in the net. but I’ll be
blessed if I don’t break loose if you do. Jerry. The
South end. being wide open, is getting something
fierce, and Maine, my girl, has to g<> through there
to get to her work twice a day. It ain't safe—you're
right.”
They passed on. still arguing that and other .mat
ters. Some of them went straight for the nearest
saloon; others hurried t<» wives and children
The politician, casting an eye after them, decided
to let them alone for the present. This Willis was
a better capture just now—jte could easily swing the
workingman's vote in his precinct And a man with
a wife and two babies, and a little home not yet half
paid for—on the installment plan—has an eye “pen to
“bettering himself.'' He came forward and hailed the
young foreman, who was now aware of him for the
first time.
“How’re ye. Willis? (Join* home" Let me drive
you—got my mare tied out here. Have a smoke”'
Willis nodded and took th* cigar, following the man,
wondering what had brought him to the factory.
“Fine mare, Ryan, he remarked, climbing in. The
politician followed him heavily.
Then Ryan “approached" Willis, in the manner of his
kind, and with infinite skill. He: had overheard,
he said. Willis's remarks on the mayoralty, ami while
it was none of his business, he was on the inside and
knew h thing or two. He hated to see. a bright young
fellow like Willis make such a mistake. He would
“put him wise.’’
This he proceeded to do. putting the “machine” in
the light of a heaven-ordained necessity, and its parts
as the protectors of the city, and the especial angels
of the working man. He did it well. He knew- better
than to offer this young man more than a 'casual
stein of beer—fae was no drinker. But he hit the
sensitive spot when he spoke of the family' and the
. little house. He asked Willis if he was working for
his health, or whether he would “know a good thliuj
when he saw it?"
By the time they reached the little cottage and the
V:ipng mother with the baby In her arms came to the
door to see who was bringing her husband home in
such style Ryan had made the foreman a proposition.
It was flattering and advantageous. Jerry was to
swing the labor vote the “right way "—not for Preston
and decency— and. as return favor. the machine would
give him a “soft job.** Ryan knew of a position where
Willis could double his present salary1—with a bonus
on the side sufficient to pay off the remaining pay
ments on the house. It wa6 a perfectly fair thing. The
, interests had to be protected; these workmen were
like sheep, not knowing what was good for them, and
Willis, a natural leader, could bring them into the fold.
It was the best for the city and everybody, and so long
as human nature was as it was. it was no use of
putting the lid on too tight Nobody wanted an ex
plosion. Decency was a personal matter, and so forth.
; This would swing Willis up out of the sweating crowd
with no future but slavery.* it was his chance. The
1 man was clever enough riot to ask for a decision then.
As *he let the young fellow' down and complimented
Mrs. Willis, who had come out with her baby, he
remarked:
, “Think it over a day «»r two, and I'll come over and
fix things up.”
“Their he dro\ e away, and the little happy family
went into its simple evening meal. They had little
save necessities, but they owed no man: they had
. health and love-and honesty.
. NVver so much as on this night had the young head
I of -• family realized his blessing. And as the
, fti . <] ,,n the porch a while after supper he did a
L.t of thinking. The “proposition" seemed square
enough. Perhaps Ryan was right, politically*. And if
he. Willis, did political work it was surely no bribery
to be paid for it in favor and Influence. Hs thought
of the little place debt-free the chance of a fuller
life f<«r Molly, and a better prospect for educating the
' babies, and a better position for himself Perhaps
[* this was indeed his chance. He would think about
it.
t But tile night brought little sleep. Willis was
restless, ami the restlessness spread to the others. Four
' year-old Hobble fretted and wanted frequent drinks.
1 and the baby was wakeful. Jerry wanted to talk
I tilings over with Molly, but a queer something held him
' bark. It was a doubt of what she would think—or,
r rather, a knowledge that she would not think about
1 I It at all. She would promptly call It dishonest, and
there would be an end to It. He knew what women
1 folks In general thought—that anything political could
not be pure and undeflled, and that explanations would
• make no difference. What he did warn was to talk
with some' one w ho would assure him that it was
all right. Resolving to “be fair and square." he
managed to go to sleep toward morning.
Next day at his w-ork. the thinking went on. When
‘ asked about the election he was less sure about his
choice. Rut he avoided questions. If he was to
“■wing" their vote he must keep still until he knew
exactly what position to take. His face was wor
| rled. and at night when he was ready to start for home
Ryan and the little mare were again waiting for him
The politician was gay and Impudent He had been
to Jerry's home, he said, anti told Mrs. Willis her
' husband would not be home for supper—he wanted
5 him to look over some property he. Ryan, had to
sell. He told Jerry he had “made it light" with her
1 Then he took him to his home In the suburbs, and
they had a dinner of quality. He reassured him, made
' him see. things In a new light. It was all really so
r plausible that, but for his old habit of caution, Wil
lis would have fallen In line at once. But finally, rather
• late In the evening, and over a glass of extremely good
wine, he promised to let him know the next evening
"for good." Ryan said he would drive over to Willis's
house In the evening. He hated the delay, hut dared
not urge the young man further. When Jerry reached
home the battles were asleep. He hoped Molly would
be, too, but she sal waiting, bright, as usual. But there
was a trace of anxiety In her tone as she asked lmn
w hat he had been doing She asked from real Interest
for she was nut the woman to distrust her man in
his goings and comings.
“Talking politics," he answered. Then he thought
he would tell her all about tt, but finally decided
that she would not Understand and that he had bet
j ter keep still and do his own thinking.
Again, he lay awake most of the night and by morn
ing had Ryan's answer ready for him. He thought ht
f would make It all a surprise for Molly. She would
■ of course, be„ wild with delight at clearing the place
and especially with better work, better paid, for him
- It would be best as a surprise, for he had a strange
reluctance about consulting her. He wa», after all
s the head of the house, and what he said had to "go."
f He went to work, and all day was silent and bu»y
No one could get an unnecessary word with him. Anc
p the moment closing time came he started for horn*
i and supper—and Molly. Molly regarded him with s
Wise and wifely eye ns he ate, and afteF she had
put the children to bed followed him out to the Unit
garden, which had Just been ploughed up for planting
1’ she began without preface.
s "What doe* that Mr. Ryan want? I don’t like him.'
I Jerry' laughed. How Jlke a woman that was! But
‘ 1 little by little, »he got It all out of hlnl—all but hit
* laming, mey waiKea oacK 10 me noun(
She catching his hand In hbrs and holding it tight.
"His impudence—to think he’d try to pull the father
i)f my hoy into that net! If we ain't (tot much for
Bobbie, we’ve at least got an honest name—ahd square
folks to stand behind him. The Idea! Did he think
you would sell yourself just to get the place paid oft?
I wonder at your patience, Jerry, boy! Ho must
think all men can lie bought just because he—why,
Jerry, there he is now driving irp in front!”
This time it was the man who took the woman's
hand and held it close, drawing her ulong with him.
They went to the gate, and Ryan greeted them gayly
enough. Would Willis take a bit of a drivg with him?
No, Willis thought he would go to bed. There was
a hard day before him to-morrow.
"And about the proposition? We’re got to get busy
to-morrow if we do anything.
Jerry" interrupted the man's veiled impatience.
-Vo’ I II Just jog along as I’m doin’ now. The wo
man here has put In tier vote, and that carries the
day in the Willis precinct. I’m much obliged to you.
Kyati but it’s no use. The closed town for mine.”
Ryan touched his hat to Molly Willis—she was pret
ty and a woman. He touched his tnare with the whip
and as he drove ofT he bit hard Into his cigar and
swore.
Virginia Comment
Stuart’* “Tyrraniaad Tenants.”
Democratic papers In Southwest Virginia are claim
ing that the Republicans of the Ninth District are
circulating the statement that Henry C. Stuart is tyran
uical and harsh in his treatment of the tenants on his
\ast estate in Russell county, hoping by such means
as this to accomplish his defeat in the Congressional
election this fall.
To illustrate the attitude of some of his tenants
towards him a personal illustration might be pardon
able. The writer was a few years ago employed In
the savings department of a national bank in a nearby
tftate Being In a section where the “stocking bank”
was very popular his duties included that of getting
in touch with people who had savings which should be
enjoying the safety of a bank. On one occasion he was
placed in touch with an aged woman who by strict
frugality and the sale of some property was in pos
session of a neat little sum. She had spent all of her
earlier years as a “tyrranlzed tenant' on *tr. Stuart *
place, and had only recently moved to that state. When,
told of the advantages of a barik account where her
money would be earning something as long as sh<»
wished it to remain, and where she could draw it when
she w ished, she replied that during her husband’s life
he had always gotten Mr. Stuart to keep his savings
ami had never failed to get it when he wanted it or
failed to get more Interest on it then the banks paid
and she guessed what was good eYioijgh for him was
good enough for her When the degree of safety
off-red by a national bank was pointed o^tt to her
she seemed to consider it a personal insult that any
one would consider Henry <*. Stuart less responsible
than a national bank .and said that as long aii she
could get him to keep her money for her. she guessed
she would not have any need for the banks.
His opponents would do well to gather around them
a tyrrannized tenantry " like this —Salem Times-Regis
ter.
Tenth District Association.
Tin- Buchanan News is in favor of organizing a press
association in the Tenth District, and expresses the
hope that no time will be lost iff getting the matter in
shape to do effective w-»rk for this section. The news
publishes in full the recent editorial in The Review*
bearing on this subject If the Tenth District is rep
resented at the coming meeting of the Virginia Press
| Association as it should be this matter will be discuss
ed informally and some plan agreed upon looking to
the perfection of the organization early in the fall.
And riifum Forge can secure the first meeting of the
Tenth district editors if the proper effort is made.—*
. Gllfton Forge Review .
The Rev. Jeff.
Rev. Alexis < Jeffries <father of the loser* when
he heard «.f ti> result of the tight yesterday said1 “It
is the will of the Lord: let us not be downcast " John
son's mother exclaimed, “I knew my honey boy would
bring home the bacon." The wife of the victor said,
“Oh: Jack. I'm so glad ><»u won." Telegraphic dis
patches to-day nlxuiml in opinions of admirers of Jef
fries, most of wh-*n advance reasons for the defeat of
their champion. In November, D72. when it was known yc
Horace Greely had been defeated for president the fol
lowing laconic dispatch whs sent from this city to an
editor in a neighboring t«*wr. “Everything gone to
eheol. Fartfculsrs unnecessary ’’ The sains can X*m
said by Jeffries's adherents Ah xandria Oaz^tta.
Work for the Caliphs.
Beginning with Haroun A! Reschid many Gfihphs and
Sultans of the Eastern world have accomplished won
ders of government, one GaMph brought the Amazons
into subjection and another disbanded the Janizaries
: aft* r they had been masters of Turkey through several
j reigns, but the greatest of them all swore by the beard
of the prophet that the pne impossible thing which
had baffled the will and wisdom of all the commanders
of the Faithful from the rlnTNJhf Islam to the fail of
■ Abdul Hamid was to rid the streets of t'onstantlnople of
: the hordes of wolfish dogs that infest them. This being
so, perhaps we are unreasonable to expect that the
authorities of Norfolk shall in the future have any
better success than In the past of ridding our thorough
fares of the hobo canines which go about by night and
1 day set-king what and whom they may devour.
But they might try to have the law enforced.—Vlr«
ginian- Pilot.
Enterprising Journalism.
ruder the caption “Enterprising Jourallsm in Hot
Weather." the Lynchburg Advance of July 2d quotes,
with comment, an editorial paragraph from this news
paper and credits to the Norfolk Virginlan-lawulrmtrk.
We do not like to deal in “soft insinuations.” and
very rarely do it. but if our good brother wasn't pre
j maturely celebrating the Glorious Fourth last Saturday,
| then all signs fail in hot weather. Virginian-Pilot.
The Talk “Down Home”
Only a Difference in Taste.
The way Tin' Raleigh Evening Times talk* of the
luscious North Carolina apples just makes our mouth
water. Boh Phillips, of The I Sreenaborn Dally News,
would of course, have it that It makes his mouth cider
—but that’s merely a difference in taste.—Wilmington
, Dispatch.
A Too-Popular Name.
A thriving village in Davidson county 12 mile* from
; l.cxlngton is In dire Jeopardy of becoming very much
mixed Up ill Its affairs by reason of the fact that it is
| rejoicing In the name of Falrmount. Almost the same
"Uphonious title was pre-empted some years ugo by the
j town theretofore known as Aaitpole, in the county of
j Robeson. Two prospective towns located In the same
State and bearing so nearly an Identical name Is con
sidered inexpedient by the United State postoffice au
thorities. Information is not at hand as to the proper
arbitration tribunal in case of a possible contest be
tween Robeson and Davidson, but this paragraph Is
I merely for the purpose of suggesting that If the in
habitants of the two confer amicably and come to an
agreement upon the subject much confusion may bo
j avoided.—Charlotte Observer.
New Way of Killing Chicken*.
I Irving Black, a liveryman of Murphy, found a new
way of killing chickens last Sunday, when he battered
a neighbor's head with a pair of "broilers.'' The negro
came out the worst for the experience, the chickens
were killed and the Black fainIIv later enjoyed a de-i
lightftil chicken dinner. It appears that Black was
going towards the house with the chickens in hi*
right hand when he was insulted by the negro. Natur
ally the liveryman raised his right-hand and began to
Chastise the negro, forgetful of the fact that he was
j using the chickens as a weapon. Blow after blow
was struck on the darkey's cranium In spite of thu
! mountful sounds emitted by the feathered creatures,
the tight, and after the negro had fled TjJack took them
The chickens were alive but a short time after entering
home to his wife who prepared them for dinner,—
Asheville Citizen.
Death of Father of Fruit Induetry.
News has been received here of the death of Bald
Creek, Yancey county. Tuesday of Capt. J. Riley Neill,
one of the best known and oldest citizens of that sec
tion. Captain Neill was 88 years of age at the time
of his death and was very feeble for some time before .
i the end came. Howard Profltt. of this city, a step
• son of Captain Neill, went to Yancey to attend the
! funeral. The death of Captain Nelli removes from this''
section a splendid man. . He was a gallant soldier
during the war of the States, casting tils fortunes with
the Confederacy, and at the close of that memorable
strife resumed his farm life and devoted his time and
energy to the culture of apples Bnd grapes. Captain
Neill was one of the most successful fruit growers
In Western North Carolina and was known as ths i
“father of the North Carolina fruit industry.”—^Lahs»
vilie Gazette-News. —d