The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-10-27
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Consistency.

Consistency.
4 There is scarcely an intelligent man in the
Conservative Democratic faction that either
approves OF its past history on Of the posi-
ton Of the National Democratic party Of
the country on vital public questions. They
know that the platform upon which it is
now making this State canvass is insin-
cere, deceptive and abortive. There is no'h-
lag in it to inspire confidence or to COM
mand respect. 1t announces for the recog-
milton of the debt as it now stands, and in
the same breath declares for regulating
one-hslf of the interest charge the debt
imposes, implying foreible REIMBURSEMENT to
that degree, in the solemn assurance that
under no circumstances will this faction
consent to raise more revenues than will
meet this proposed reduced interest, While
declaring for the sanctity of contracts, the
canvass is conducted upon the hypothesis
that the recognized contracts are to be vio-
loted, the whole argument of their speakers
being for three per cent. interest. when
they know the contracts call for four and
six per cent They attempt to deceive the
people into the belief that the creditors will
surrender their contract six per cent. bonds,
when they know there is not one of the
bondholders who is fool enough to think OF
such concession. They dodge the capita
ton tax restriction upon suffrage in their
platform, and quietly denounce the repeal
OF it as an assault upon the peculiar priv
ileges of the "best people," They proclaim
for the public schools, when their admins
trative policy brought them to the verge of
-disregarding the constitutional con-
tract to bring them to perfection in 1875.
Yet this faction of broken promises and
abundant receptions rail against Repubi-
cans as inconsistent, who believe it to be to
the interest OF the State to give another
Democratic faction an opportunity to more
fully demonstrate it's devotion to the well
fare of the State-furnishing as pledge for
the future. record In the recent past that
should challenge the approval of every i'm
partial mind.
In national affairs the intelligent men,
bers of this Bourbon faction will tell you
they approve heartily the financial policy of
the Republican party; favor the national
banking system as the wisest and most be-
neticent that has ever been devised, and de-
clare for protective tariff as the surest pol
icy for the building up of Virginia and the
South. Yet they will turn right around
and support party that is opposed to all
these principles and measures, and whose
success would disturb the business relations
Of the entire country and check the growth
OF their own section
Such political parvenues are so Inflated
with their own inportance-so captiyated
with the concet that they are the ''real peo-
ple''-the best people, "-''representing
the virtue, the intelligence and wealth of
the State" that they cannot see themselves
as others see them. They virtually assume
that the great mass of the people are numb
skulls, incapable Of understanding public
questions and policies, and will take it for
granted that whatever is told them by these
self-assumed ''best people, is beyond uues-
ton true. Did it never occur to them that
there is a vast amount of common sense
spread about in this country, and that it is
constantly at work on questions affecting the
interests of the masses tits so, and if it
will give expression to its conclusion at the
ballot-boX it will teach lesson that will
not soon be forgotten.
They are consistent in nothing but hates
and prejudices. They either do not under
stand public intelligence nor care for the
rights Of others, or they constitute the most
bigoted, conceited and insincere faction
that ever aspired to the support of the peo-
pie, or afflicted the public with it's false
pretenses.
1t seems to us the common intelligence
OF the country ought to fathom the motives
and objects of such partizanism. They
seek power through the agency of excited
passions and prejudices, not for the good of
the people, but for powers sake that it
may be used for selfish purposes. The peo-
ple's interests lie in an opposite direction.
and these interests can only be subserved by
the defeat of such proscriptive faction.