The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-07-26
A HARVEST OF HARMONY.


ASHES IN THE FRUIT-THE FARMERS I
AfEETING-wHAT THEY DIDN'T DO, AN
HOW THEY DID IT-vIEwS OF vARIou
MEN FROM DIFFERENT STANDPOTNTS-
TUMULT, CONFUSION AND UPRoAR-TH
MEETING BREAKS UP IN GRAND DISCUS
-ADJUSTERS ORGANIZE IN COURT VAR
AND PASS RESoLUTIONS-THE MOST DIS
ORDERLY OF ALL MEETINGS YET HE'LL
number of the farmers Of tue county cam
to town on Monday for the double purpos
of attending court and participating in tn
meeting. which for over month, had bee
advertised to take place at that time. l
May last, when the first meeting of tn
Augusta Farmers was held, and their reso
buttons published to the State, it was elaine
that those who endorsed those resolutions i
no. wise represented the views of the farm
ers of Augusta county, but simply expresse,
the opinions OF few office-seekers, VIII
were in reality repudiationists, under
sugar coating of "Adjusters." And S
another meeting was called, and all who fcl
an interest in the question of the State Deb
were urged to attend. BY some this secon,
meeting was regarded as in opposition to tn
first, and as gotten up by few ''last dollar
men not averse to being ravislled with al
office, whist others claimed that its only OBJ
ject was to obtain fair and full expression
of popular opinion ON the Debt question.
Whether either or both of these view
were correct, we shall not attempt to say
Certain it was, though, that the meeting
was as large as any we have ever seen il
Staunton-the courtroom, up stairs an(
down, being crowded, not less than 500 per
sons being on both floors. *
ORGANIZATION.
At one O'Clock the meeting was called t.
order by Mr.. Absalom Koiner. Mr.. Jno
Paris, President of the Board of Supervisors
was placed in the chair, and, on Mr.. K.'s
motion, the editors of the Conservative pa.
pers OF the town were requested to act as
Secretaries.
On motion, the chair appointed commit
tee consisting of one from each District in
the County and one from each Ward in the
City to draft resolutions.
The Committee as appointed was as fol.
lows:
| Absalom Koincr, from South River.
VIM. T. Rush, from Riverheads.
| S. A. East, from North River.
| Geo. W. Swoope, from Beverly Manor.
Jno. II. Crawford, from Middle River.
| A. B. Lightner, from Pastures.
| W. A. Burke, from I'd Ward.
| Davis A. Kayscr, from LIST Ward.
| Before the committee retired. Jno. II.
Crawford came forward and said that If this
meeting was intended to be in opposition to
| that held in May, he would decline to have
anything to do with it, as the resolutions
adopted at that time met with his heartiest
approval, and, he thought, were in harmony
with the opinions of a large majority of the
farmers.
mo! No No'' sweetly said Mr.. Koi-
ncr. 1t isn't an opposition meeting"
When the committee Withdrew, Augusta
| county manhood asserted itself in cries for
Hanger! Hanger ~ "Craig! Craig ~
"Jno. G. Bell % Snowman r' ssAllenIr'
''Fulcher % "Skinncr" and various others
"too numerous to MENTION
Maj. Hanger and J. D. Craig came for
ward and asked to be excused until after the
committee had reported, and Col. Skinner
said that his views could be obtained at al
most any time, but he did not regard that as
the proper occasion for their expression.
And then came the cries of the loud
mouthed again, when suddenly
VIM. FRAZIER
mounted the nnl.,t q nd hoo -.
He said that twenty-five years had elapsed
since he had appeared in public life, and it
required no little nerve for one who had
passed the meridian of manhood and had
well-nigh rounded the allotted three score
and ten years, to present himself uncalled
and unprepared to such an audience as faced
him. lie was almost a stranger to many in
the house, but the time had been when there
were few people in Augusta county to whom
he was not known. The time had now
come when all the claims of good citizen
ship demanded chat each and every one,
however humble he may be, should come
forward to the rescue of his native State,
and do whatsoever he can for the protection
of her honor. Virginia is now in thai con-
dition when the honest effort of her children
must be made. The public faith is at stake,
and the issue is made up-sllall the States
| untarnished honor be preserved?
In 1912, when the speaker was member
of the General Assembly, the whole country
was reeling under the effects of a monetary
crisis, and 4 general business paralysis en-
sued. Before the Virginia Legislature were
| two issues-should there be an increase of
taxation, or should stay laws be passed !?
The tax Vas then 10 cents on the 300, and
the increase proposed to increase it to Is
cents. His first speech was made in favor of
the increase, and in opposition to the stay
went down, but when it was decided to
raise the taxes, they advanced to par and
| upwards.
| The course of an honest man, when diff
cultes surround him, is either to pay, or
give up everything to pay with. Are the
people of Virginia less honest as mass than
individuality They now enjoy the benefits
for which this debt was contracted, and he
would never believe that they would refuse
to meet their just obligations, and if they so
decided in this meeting, he never wanted to
be present at another.
The farmer should not complain of oppres-
sive taxes. They pay only so cents, whilst
/ the people of Staunton, who are consumers
and not producers, pay $3.50. Certainly
they could stand an increase, il it should be
deemed necessary; but the speaker did not
believe it would be necessary, as the revenue
from whisky, and, possibly stamp tax,
would be amply sufficient to meet all re-
quirements. Only $4,000, 900, at best, can
be regulated, and is it worth while to sacri-
flee the honor Of the State for such paltry
sum?
The speaker then referred to Rockbridge,
and closed with a glowing tribute to the
peasantry of France, who, by voluntary Of
ferings, paid off the immense war indemnity.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Fiazier's speech,
WHICH was aheered,
|