The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-09-25
CAUSE AND EFEECT.

49,
Of Rockingham county last week he express
ed his purpose to support candidates for the
legislature whose sympathies were with the
farmers and who are acquainted with the
wants Of this class of our fellow citizens.-
He spoke of the depreciation of lands, that
he had purchased several large tracts after
the war, expecting tc make at least $40 600,
by the increase. Instead Of that he had lost
SO, 600, aud urged that it was the result Of
the operation ola policy that had to be chang
ed. We told him that soma good might be
effected by electing such men, but the dis
ease was deeper than that. It was the alb.
sence of money and enterprise, and the I'M
productive resources OF the State lying where
nature left them We stated to him that it
required capita. and energy to come in con-
tact with our natural advantages, to develop
them, and until these are brought here, things
must either remain as they ares or grow worse.
There are many others who know that there
is. something wrong but what it is, they can
not determine. We tell them, that is the
sectional, xeusive spirit, manifested By their
political leaders Virgiaia will stand isola-
ted so long as this spirit prevails. The only
way for the farmer and the mechanic aud
the laboring man to be benefited is to iber-
alze our State policy, attract immigration
al opd tha,, of
things will be inaugurated in Virginia. This
will never be accomplished until the Conser-
vative party, che party of prescription, is de-
tested. People will not come here with their
money and capital, when they cannot exer7
else their political rights and be respected, if
their views happen to be different from the
political leaders Of the State. The solution
of this whole matter is liberal policy in
! Virginia. an opening Of the doors for all good
men to come in and live at peace. When
people 10 other states see those Of their TEL
low. citizens who come to Virginia to settle
denounced as carpet baggers," apd natives
of the State, stigmatized as ''scalavags,'
simply and solely because they chose to sup.
port the government which protects then,
| they Will not come here. The Conservative
party must be thrust from power, an eaflght-
en- ID policy of progress and enterprise pro-
claimed, aud generous spirit of cathollcity
manifested before we can reasonably expect
/ a change 10 our financial and material condi-
| ton. This is the solution of the state OF
| things that seemed to press npon the aten-
ton of our friend Let him and others
think about the matter seriously, ard they
will agree with US. Let them bring the ques
ton home to themselves, whether they would
| be willing to remove into strange commu-
nifty, take their property and their families
there, and submit to being denounced in
harsh and vulgar terms, and their social and
business relations prescribed, because Of the
exercise of their honest judgment IN politics.
1t is this spirit that lies at the bottom Of the
paralzed condition of our State, the decrease
in the price Of lands, and the want of gener-
/ al prosperity which is felt through all the
avenues of trade, affecting the Interests of
the farmer, mechanic and laboring man.
When this sentiment is formally proclaimed
at the ballot-box in the election Of men who
partake of it, and who are controlled by it,
men OF enterprise, capital and social standing
ia other States. who might otherwise desire
to come to Virginia, will not subject them
selves aud families to the disadvantages, if
not degradation. Of encouutering sectional
ism SO intolerant, aud a higotry SO insufera
BILE
We ask the people to take hold ofthis line
IF thong and ponder over it, put them
selves IN the place Of those who may wish to
come here. and determine what would be
/ their own course under such circumstances.
| What is to be gained by such policy as
that protested and practiced by the Conser
vative leaders. Of stigmatizipg every non ma
tive as carpet Dagger" and every native
as .sscalawag," who will not act with them
Nothing What is the object Of it? 1t is
the selfish politicians who are exciting these
prejudicss, in order to keep the Offices of the
State, and receive a support from the peo-
pie whose interests they are warning against.
These men know as we'll as they Know any
thing that the cry Of negro supremacy, ne
gro rule, taxation, &c. which they raise to
frighten the timid, is as false as false can be.
They know that the candidates on the Re-
publican ticket have, as Individuals, more at
stake than their opponents, that either
F.! Hughes, Ramsdall or Fultz, has more prop
| erty TO be taxed. than all three Of their OPP
ponents, they know that in Augusta county,
the largest tax payers we have, are Repub
lcans. they know that in the cities it is the
same Look at the men, too who are rais-
| ing this cry, who are visiting every cross
roads and trying to excite the people, what
have they at stake'2:. Nothing They are
generally brleaess LAM srs, who have very lit
tie business to trans 10 their prof ssions,
and avail themselves ~ political contests to
talk about matters they really do not under