The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-10-11
The County Canvass.

Inc C0unCy CauVabS.
On Tuesday last the friends of the cand-
dates for the State Senate and House OF Del
egatcs running against the farmers ticket,
met to determine which of them should draw
off. We understand that six gentlemen con-
vened, representing Messrs. Skinner, McCue
and Koiner, candidates for the Senate, and
by a vote selected Mai. A. Koiner as the
candidate, Col. Skinner and Judge McCue
to retire. In regard to the House OF Dele
gates, sixteen met to consult, and selected
Gen. Echols, Maj. Hanger and Sheriff Light
ncr. w. T. Rush, and p. B. Hogshead re-
firing. Capt. Opie and Mr.. Blauth, we un-
aerstand, are still in the field.
We cannot understand by what line of
proposed State policy, in regard to the pub
lie debt, the arbiters were governed.
It Is difficult to understand politically.
where Mai. Koiner stands. The gentlemen
who met in caucus are supposed to have
been opposed to readjustment, and the OBJ
ject was to defeat the readjustment ticket,
as represented by Messrs. Seawright, Craig,
Williams, and Van Lear. Several years ago
Mr.. Koiner assumed that the debt as It
stands under the funding bill infamy had TO
be paid, and if it came to the worst, the
stout hearts and brawny arms of the people
OF the Valley would be equal to the entire
burden. More recently, and during this can.
vass, he assumed that the s'let alOne'' policy.
should be observed, and that if in the course
of Is or 80 years, when the debt reached
snch proportions by deferred interest, as TO-
render it impossible to pay it, itAwould adj
Just itself. In other words the time might
arrive when public policy would demand
wholesale reputation. More recently still,
he conceived the original expression OF
Encouragement" Of the debt. Readjust-
ment was too commonplace for him, so he
suggested Encouragement; )" but whether
he clearly defined the precise manner OF re-
arrangement we do not know. The truth
is, we do not think that Maj. Koiner has any
very definite ideas of the State debt, and
could with equal readiness accept a nomina-
ton from the incorrigible flinders, or the re-
arrangers, whatever that means.
Mr.. Lightner is one of those astute, wire
pulling politicians and acrobatc public men,
that can adapt themselves to the necessities
OF the case, riding either. or both sides OF
the sapling as may suit the occasion. He is
not oppressed with any very stern convic-
tions of public policy, although he is classed
with the extreme fundcrs, who stand by the
inviolability of that fraud.
Mai. Hanger is out-and-out in favor of in
creased taxation. He contends that the
funding bill is right in itself, boldly declares
that he voted for it and would do so again
were it necessary, or at least that is the pur-
port of his speech delivered in the Court
house several weeks ago, which we presume
has not been modified. He is at least point
ed and manly in the position he holds.
These three gentlemen have all been in
the Legislature, and quietly sat by and seen
the burdens OF the people yearly increasing
without doing anything for their relief. 1t
is hardly probable that they will have the
privilege of doing SO again in the next Leg
islature.
Gen. Echols is an out-and-out readjust-
er-he stands upon the platform substan-
TALLY Of the farmers of Augusta and recog.
nizes the necessity of a prompt settlement
of the public debt question as the first essen
tial means OF her progress and prosperity.
He takes the only practical common-sense
view of the situation. He accepts the fact
that the people will not submit to increased
taxation-that the present revenues are not
equal to present demands, and that to con-
tinue In policy of yearly default must not
only bring ruin upon the State, but loss
upon her creditors. He believes an adjust
ment, honorable to the State and acceptable
to her creditors, can be effected.
These are the gentlemen who have been
chosen by a committee of presumed funders,
to represent them. They hold diverse views
of what the State should do-they differ
any two of them are in declared harmony.
They are professedly brought out to an
tagonize Messrs. Seawright, Craig, Williams
and Vanlear, who are pronounced against the
funding bill, and ia favor OF readjustment
of the debt so as to bring the expenses OF
the State within the capacity OF the reve-
nues derived from the present rate Of taxa
ton, and eventually to modify the rate Of
taxation 50 as to lessen the burdens of the
people.
The Inconsistency Of the funders is made
transparent in the selection OF Maj. Koiner
over Col. Skinner for che Senate. 1t shows
a decided weakening on their part Col.
Skinner lie the representative man OF tie
views they profess. He is in favor of an in
crease OF the rate of taxation so as to cover
all default in interest. He stands square
and unquestioned on this point. Maj. Koi-
ner is for SIRE. arrangement" and various
other shifts, which have neither point nor
sense in them. He is on neither one side
nor the other. Yet Skinner had to be slaugh.
tered and Koiner preferred.
As their ticket now stands, it represents
nothing-it reflects no consistent purpose,
no defined policy. It is combination Of
antagonists and incongruities. Protested
funders, they threw over board two of their
most pronounced champions-Skinner and
Husband selected an avowed re-adjuster,
Gen. Echols, and an indefinite and indef-
Fable abstraction, Mr.. Koiner.
To present such'a ticket for the accept
ancc Of an intelligent constituency, in cri
sis like the present, is a serious reflection
upon the discrimination of the people OF the
county. They arc ate: results, and there
is not q man chosen, except Gen. Echols,
whose sympathies are with the purposes and
ends Of the great mass Of the voters and tax
payers of the State. I. is not the men the
people particularly care for. No objection
will be urged to either OF them as citizens.
But there are great interests at stake-there
is vital State policy to be determined
there are grave rights to declare and main
tain affecting the very groundwork of gov
eminent, and it is with reference to these
that the verdict at the polls will be rendered
at the November election.
A Graceful Act.