The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-08-26
The Virginia Campaign,

The animated contest between the Vir-
ginia Funders and Readjusters aud the ex-
citing canvass conducted by Daniel on the
one side and Cameron on the other, arouse
lively interest in the minds of all men who
are concerned in the fortunes of political
parties. The action of Virginia Republi-
cans who have no candidate of their own,
but whose votes may decide the result is
esoecially the subject of speculation.
Were the debt question the only one
at issue no doubt could be entertained of
the disposition of their ballots. They would
be found in Virginia, as in Maine and else
whe re, strenuous upholders OF State as well
as National credit, insisting upou prompt
abstraction of pecuniary obligations and
honorable dealing with public creditors.
But the treatment of the Virginia debt is
not the only issue between the parties now
contending for power in the Old Dominion.
Neither of the political organizations bear-
ing the inappropriate names Readjuster and
Funder, is sound on this question. The
one proposes to "scale" the debt, the other
offers to pay it while scaling the interest
but emphatically protesting against the on
ly method by which it can be paid-an in
crease of taxation. Neither intends to pay.
Naturally Virginia Republicans find it a
hard choice between the rogues. They are
unable to elect ticket of their own NAM
ing The most they can do is to choose be-
tween two evils, and of course Their choice
is the lesser. They perceive that so far as
the preservation of the State credit is con-
cerned both the Daniel and the Cameron
men are at fault. There is little difference
between them. The Funders are more COM
mendable in profession than the Readjust-
ers, but quite as tardy in performance.
So Virginia Republicans for the most
part dismiss the debt question and
turn their attention to the other issues in
the canvass. They see in the Malone move
ment revolt against Bourbon bigotry and
prescription, chance of sproutiDg the New
England free school system on the soil of
Virginia, an opportunity to break down
class prejudice, erase the color line, and
open the State to Northern enterprise and
industry. This is the case with most.
Some of them, however, still believe the
debt question to be paramount, and prefer
the discredited promises of the Funders to
the frankly brutal declarations of the Read
justers. They hate in any way to incur the
stigma of reputation. They know that the
game is made on whichever color they stake,
but they object decidedly to the name. The
sincerity of their motives ought not to be
impugned, and it is to be regretted that
some Northern Republicans have questioned
it. To most of us it seems that as to the
question of State credit there is nothing to
choose between the factions, and that as to
other questions the organization which has
put Cameron in nomination is in the right.
That, however, is matter for Virginia Re-
publicans to pass upon. If any of them be-
lieve that the success of the Malone ticket
will lead to repudia iation and the success of
the other to honest payment of debt they
should vote for Daniel. If, on the other
hand, they believe that the success of either
faction will make no difference in the MAIN
tenance or destruction of the public credit
they should turn to the other questions at
issue. If the last stated be their view they
will certainly vote for Cameron.