The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-11-02
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monopOlized by politics. For several
months past the necessities of the can
vass have eXacted unusual attention and
caused us to devote the greater part of our
space to the discussion Of issues and poll.
cies more directly affecting State interests
than national. With this number we will
cease the almost exclusively political char.
acter of the matter which has filed our col
umns and We shall direct attention to cues
lions more general in their nature, and less
calculated to excite feeling and disturb
eQuanmity.
1t is not in the way of apology, however.
that we make these illusions. We have
been governed by a sense of duty to the
public in the course we have pursued and
the earnestness with which we have en-.
deavored to expose and explain meas ures
and policies. When we look back over the
years since 1870. when the Conservative
party was first invested with power, and
study the legislation which it enacted and
the effects which followed. and compare
them with the State adm inistration from
1873 to the present time, we would have
been false to our duty and the people had
we justified the first and opposed the last.
There was no measure of prominent i'm
portance adopted and supported from 1870
to 1879, that did not work disadvantage to
theStat e. The legislation relating to the
public debt was a positive wrong to the
constituent body. 1t impos ed unjust bur
dens upon an impOver ished people, wrested
from them the control of their public
finances, and subordinated all the interests
OF the State to laws which were enacted in
the interest of the creditors. regardless
OF the condition and necessities of the pco-
pie and the dign ity and sovereignty of TIE
Commonwealth.
After having hastily inaugurated the
Public Free Soho OF system and put it in OPP
Grafton, the legislation the Conservative
party enacted insidiously robbed the
schools Of their sustenance, and brought
them to the verge of destruction.
1t provided for amendments to the Con-
stitution for the clear purpose of vio-
lating the plghted faith of the people in
relation to the elective franchise, and not
only placed an unjust and unconstitutional
restriction on the ballot, but perverted the
election machinery to defeat the popular
will. 1t resurrected the whipping post and
re-established it as a glaring and bloody
disgrace to the Commonwea It'll.
The debt legislation, instead of settle
ment, operated to unsettle everything. 1t
increased the public obligations by failure
to meet the interest accruing at rate that
would have worked out, in few years, alb
solute reputation because of want of abil-
ity to pay, for the very party that enacted
it, positively refused to frame tax bill to
meet the demands it created.
II robbed the Public Schools of the funds
dedicated to them by the Const tuition, in
addition to creating default in the Treas
ury each year of nearly 100000, 900.
1t robbed the public charities and the
colleges of their annuities, essential to their
usefulness and healthy existence.
1t filled the common jails with the unfol.
Inmates of both races, who had been de-
prived Of their reason, because there was
neither room nor means for their care in
the asylums.
1t excited and inflameG the hates of sec
tion and race, to tie end that through the
passions and prejudices of the people its
own power might be perpetuated, regard
less of the welfare OF the people and the
future destiny of the State.
1t thus drove from us capital and enter
prise that otherwise would have located
here, and from the stagnation resulting,
caused much of the best of our own popu-
lation to seek employment, as well aspo-
litical freedom, in other States.
Implicit obedience was equired to the
mandate of machine politics, to resist
which was resented by the most intolerant
and barbarous prosecutions aud privations
in social and business relations.
1t was this catalogue of or mes against
the body polite, that eliminated in organ
lied revolt in 1S77-79, and the overthrow of
the monstrous despOtism that had perpetul-
ated them.
The result Of which has been a correction
OF every one of these wrongs.
The debt quest ion has been settled, with
the assurance that all the demands upon
the State will be met, from a reduced rate
of taxation, and leave surplus in the
Treasury.
The Public Schools have been rehabili-
ted, vitality infused into them and useful
ness and efficiency directing every depart
ment OF them.
The ballot has been made free or will be after
the 9TH of November, and methods adopted
which will protect it from the corrupt ma
nipulations and plots of partizans, of either
political organ ization.
Capital and enterpr Use are coming in and
taking hold of our natural wealth to utilize
it, create taxable values, and give employ
ment to labor and enrich the Common
wealth.
1t is between these two policies that the |
people will decide on the 7th of Novem-
Der. II they vote for the Bourbon candi-
lates, they vote, in effect, to restore to
he control of the State government the
,arty which imposed the wrongs enumer-
ated, for success now will be followed by
success next fall, when Legislature is to
De elected.
To vote for the Liberal candidates, is to
endorse and sustain the legislation which
he Liberals have enacted, and the reforms
t has effected.
We ask every honest voter to calmly look
lpon the records of the two parties to this
contest and as citizens interested in the
'ublic welfare, in the prosperity and de-
elopment of the State, in the successful
nd efficient administration of government,
eterm inc what his duty is, and as a man
narch up to its discharge fearlessly and
ravely, in defiance OF all the political
runners and curbstone politicians who
uled the State for ten years almost to its
ln.
The cry of "Bossism" is merely sneak
ng preteXt to divert attention from the
earful wrongs. Bossism has inflicted upon
he Commonwealth. If. Liberalism has
rOught about the results we have stated
as brought order out of chaos, and cared
n and consulted every interest of the peo- ,
lie, as the history of the past two years ,
. h,, Sho,, s,.r f<,f no,.