The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-06-23
Bourbon Gorgons.

The Culpeper Exponent has had its fears
excited by an extravagant Imagination
Because, as it assumes, that every railroad
in the State is under the control of fore ign
capital, it is apprehensive that the power
titus assured is to be directed to political pur-
poses and the destruction of the Conserya-
tive party. l. sounds the alarm now in
order that the Democratic party may be on
the outlook in time" When it is remem-
bered that the railroads and other public
Improvements in Virginia would not be
worth cent to the State, if dependence had
been placed upon the Democratic party and
that but for ''foreign capital" there would
be little material development and little
hope for the future OF the State, this fran
tic demonstration of our contemporary may
be properly appreciated. Referring to the
coming Democratic Convention, and the
possibilities which have been conjured up
by other apprehended complications, the
Exponent says: "What if the convention
dominates ticket composed of men under
the contfdeof these foreign capitalists and
the Republican party holds convention
and dominates similar ticket with Gen.
Wickham at its head? Then we would
have three tickets in the field; the Orange
men ticket headed by Cameron the ticket
of the Democratic party composed both of
Orangemen and monopolsts. and the Re-
publican ticket composed also of Orange
men and monopolists. Such state Of
things would compel the Jefersonian Dem
ocrats TO repudiate the candidates Of the
August convention thus surprised, call an
other convention and put into the field a
ticket composed altogether OF Jeffersonian
Democrats. who would necessarily be anti
monopolists. Retween the other three tick
cts, in case the August convention should
nominate monopoist ticket, there would
be but little choice"
This is the cropping out OF the old Bour-
bon enmity to progress and improvement
Many years ago The Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad asked for charter through the
Valley of Virginia from IIarper's Ferry to
the Tennessee line and offered as a consid-
on each person so carried over the road
This would have yielded revenue ample
for all the purposes of State Government,
and relieved the people of the great bulk OF
tile taxes necessary for the demands Of
the commonwealth. But 1t was rejected
because foreign capital" and "foreign
CONTROL would direct the improvement and
manage the railroad that would have dense
ly populated the whole Valley, added to the
wealth of the people, and placed us quar-
ter of a century in advance Of our presen t
condition. Party spirit and party rule,
subordinating all other considerations, have
been the plague of Virginia ia the past
Must it ever be so? Must the scheming pol
itcans forever direct the destinies of Viz
ginia, and the people be made to suffer that
they may flourish? The spirit Of the age,
tile progress and development OF the State,
the interests of the great mass of the peo-
pie. are at war with the Democratic party.
and as the power and influence emanating
from material advancement, begin to re-
ceive shape and open the currents of
advanced thought, to that degree are
the supports of Bourbonism weakened
Intelligent enterprise, industrial progress,
the enlargement of fields of usefulness,
and the expansion of the BUSINESS grasp
of the people, are the enemies of fossilized
constipated and selfish politicians, and
will work out the good of the people in
Snit nf ha 1c
which departing power will inspire.