The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-24
ELECTION-DAY:
TUESDAY NOVEMBER A, 1878.
WHICH TICKET TO SUPPORT.

The question which naturally forces
itself upon the inquiry Of our people dur
ing the present canvass, is the very peril
nent one: Which of the two political
parties will e most likely to secure the aid
our state now requires in order to complete
or successfully forward her great works of
public improyementin the next four years
This inquiry is one which the most intelli-
gent voter will be likely to PROFOUND in his
own mind as the canvass progresses, and if
he reaches satisfactory conclusion at all,
it will certainly not be in favor of the party
which plants itself in opposition to the vital
element Of labor in Virginia, without which
no great work of internal improvement
will be likely to progress, whatever may be
thcd isposiion of the Federal government, or
the moneyed men of the North, to aid in its
Advancement or undertaking. The malign-
est of all policies upon which a political
party can embark. is that Of opposition,
in any form, to the labor interests of the
country. And this is as true under one
form of government, or one system of
labor, as another. The productive indus
try of a people is the thing of all others to
be encouraged by legislation, for it not
only furnishes what is necessary for the
general subsistence, but even the dry ma
chinery of government has to be set in
motion by it, and the vital breath of the
people drawn from its own energizing
action. These are the high offices and
functions of labor in state, whatever may
be the color of the hands by which it is
wrought.
1t is impossible to draw the ''color
line" in respect TO the products of labor.
A blade Of grass or an car Of corn grown
by colored hands is impressed with the
SAME commercial value to the state as If
the most peerless of Caucasian blood had
flowed in the veins of the producer, and
no intellect would be keen enough,
and no political classification suffi-
GENTLY subtle, to detect the presence
of color in single product of the
soil upon which Gods benefcence and
sunshine may have rested while in the
process of growth and culture. SO far as
grand commercial and economical results
are concerned, then, how absurd the
hostility that would distinguish the
products of white and black labor in the
state, or seek to attach a specific value to
the one which the other did not possess.
Nature is just as subtle and cunning in
her husbandry when tickled by the hoe of
colored man as white one, ard
refuses to draw any line of distinction in
her admirable product which would show
the superiority Of the one race over the
other.
How absurd, then, the prejudice, still
more the legislation, which would dis
tinguish between different classes of la
borers on the ground of color. and vet
here is party wholly based upon this
senseless distinction, and virtually max
ing war upon nine-tenths of all the la
borers in the state. The very men. in
fact, upon whom we must rely for the
digging of our canals, the working of
our railroads, the advancement of our
public improvements, and the develop
ment OF our material industries gene
rally. A party so bigoted and intolerant
in their prejudces and legislations as
this, can have neither the conf
dence of the Federal government nor the
moneyed men Of the country. in any APP
lot 4,
forward the great enterprises in question.
All these must stand idle for the next
four years, if this party of Carnac mum
mics and old petfitied fossils is to be con-
tlnued IN power in Virginia. The Ncgley
bill, appropriating nine millions Of dollars
towards the completion Of tho James river
and Kanawha canal, VII sleep in committee
during the continuance of such marty
IN power in the state, and no statesman
IN the country will be found so financially
mad ss to offer one dollar to such pr rty
Tor purposes of public Improvement. The
very slightest knowledge of human nature
is all that is require to reach this popular
Judgment in the mind of Virginia voters
The success of the Republican ticket. ON
the contrary. will inspire such confidence
IN the general public mind of the country.
and lend such promise to the grander
future of the state, that all the
aid which our people can reasonably hope
or expect, will be forthcoming at their
powerful instance when placed at the head
of our financial and political affairs. They
are gentlemen in entire sympathy and
accord with those at the head of affairs in
the national government, to say nothing Of
the great monoyed interests of the country
which naturally affiliate in the same health.
iui direction. To those seeking tho highest
and best interests of Virginia-her material
prosperity, grandeur and advancement nc n
sta'e-ihe Republican ticket offers ready
solution TO all the problems they wopld
reach, while the Bourbon ticl.o+ -