The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-07-31

! COURT DAY-PoLITIcs-TH CRoPs &C.-Mon-
day last being court day, considerable number
Of the citizens of the country were in the city.
Political affairs were generally discussed, and as
pirants for legislative honors were not wanting.
We metin crowd four at one time, two ofwhom
declared their purpose to submit to the action OF
q Convention; one that he had an idea of rum
ming, convention or no convention, and the fourth
left before an expression of his opinion was at
| tanned. One of the gentleman announced that he
was in favor of retrenchment, and thought it
aught to commence with the members Of the leg
islature, by reducing the pay to 81 day. Two
of them mentioned that So was little enough, and
thatthey were not afraid is submit the question
to the people. These wee all country gentleman,
either one of whom would make very creditable
representative. A lawyer in the crowd mention
ed that one dollar twelve and half cents was
enough, but he was willing to allow him $l.60
per day. That is, countrymen was worth a.
worth $6. This is about the rate of pay each
RECEIVERS for his labor, and we presume the idea
would be to keep it up in the Legislature
Kemper seems to be the general favorite for
Governor with the conservatives. It was ex
pected several Oranges would be found on
Monday, but the representative Of the order. Col.
Curtis, who, We believe, is travelling correspon-
dent Of the estate Journal" not being present,
the matter was postponed until next week. 1t
requires the initiation of ten-six men and four
women. or probably all men, will do-to form
a Grange. The members thus created cad quail
among those we conversed with, to favor the.
movement. Weare not prepared to pass our o.
pinion Upon the new order, butHwill venture the
assertion. that aspiring men will attempt to con-
vert it into an agency of party purposes, and a
collapse must follow. 1t is well enough for far
mers to unite among themselves to protect and
present their Interests just as the mechanics, law
yers and doctors do. The danger will be in its
becomi ag political machine. If it can steer
clear UP this it may be the means Of accomplishing
some good. But we are not sufficiently informed
as to its objects to express deliberate and con-
sidered opinion. There is this much about it
there is no class of our fellow citizens among
whom is more generally diffused a spirit, of bust
ness and honesty. and good common sense. The
farmers Of Augusta are generally Intelligent and
well read and if they find that the Oranges are
not what they promise to be, they will abandan
them It is well enough probably, to give the
matter trial but we have not mnch faith in it, In
the west it has fallen into the hands, in many in
stances. of designing demagogues It has been
used as an instrumentality to control judicial
elections, and to that degree has brought reproach
upon ITSELF We will learn more about it hereaf
ter.
The general opinion we heared expressed in
thebrief conversations we had with the farmers,
was that the wheat was not as good in quality
nor as prolific in yield as had been expected
Many of the farmers had threshed, and the pre-
dominate belief was that the crop would be short
for the acreage sown, and the quality not SO good
as last year.