The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-12-06
The Election of Speaker.

vote OF lU6 1Or CdrilSlt. Vi AtltuCh}- q
for Randall, of Pennsylvania, and 80 for
Cox. of New York. a triumph was scored
for the free trade selement of the Demo-
cratic party that will have u positive in
fiuence in shaping the Presidential con-
test OF 1884. 1t is well-known that Mr..
Carlisle. very 'able--and spure man, hon
estly believes in II tariff ...forl revenue
only a 1t is equally well-known that Mr..
Randall favors a iif.policy that. will.pro
tect American labor against the pauper
labor of Europe, and the building up of
American industries, as one Of the Surest
means of establishing the. Independence
of this country..and advancing. the inter-
ests of all branches of enterprise. The
position of these two gentlemen on the
tariff question was distinctly announced,
and appeals made to the sentiment -sof the
party to determine .hetween them. The
vote shows that Mr.. Carlisle was the
choice by two to one. sbetween them,
and as Mr.. Cox. is in sympathy with the
views of Mr.. Carlisle, his support.m be
taken as that much stronger evidence OF
the predominant opinion in the party.
The large majority by which Mr.. Car
Isle was made misrepresentation of the
Democratic party on this important
question was a.surprise to the country
While it was well-known that the. Demo-
cratic party in two National Conventions
had Incorporated in their platform res
olution declaring for ga tariff for revenue
only,'' the adverse verdict of the people
in both instances, had.induced many Of
the leading men of that party to deprecate
a repetition of the folly in the approach
ing Presidential contest, of which the
speakership in the present Congress was
regarded as preliminary. 1t was certainly
more courageous to meet the issue fairly
and frankly, than to follow the advice OF
John B. Gordon, and others of the prom
inent membership. and avoid "a decla-
ton of policy until after they had gotten
possession of the government. That
would be policy Of false pretense and
deception, and therefore we commend the
friends of Mr.. Carlisle for bravely facing
the question and uncovering before the
world. We now have the distinct an
nouncement::of the Democratic party, in
the election of Mr. Carlisle as speaker,
that all DISCUSSES are to be, thrown off
that the questions of Free Trade and OF
Protection are to be discussed on their
merits and the American people called up
!
The caucus decision also presents the
solid Democratic South in an aggressive
attitude. Knowing its power, it has de-
termined that it shall be respected, be-
lieying that the effect cannot be more dis
astrous than that which has heretofore
attended the trimming tactics OF the
Northern Democracy, to which the South
has complacently yielded. The South
promises a solid electoral: vote Tor the
Democratic. Presidential nominee, and by
reason of this it has asserted the right to
dictate the policy and Eshape the issues
which. are to.enter into the contest and be
decided at the ballot box in November
next. The Democrats ofsthe North are
notified to follow and obey orders, and are
expected to furnish the necessary As cleo
toral votes to give the party success.
| With that achieved, then the solid Demo-
cratic South viii. assert its power and III
fluence and give direction to the admins
tration, as in the olden times. The1whole
field Of national politics. is thus opened up
for Observation-Disclosures feven IN
advance of the. actionrof the National
Conventions of the respective parties
and forces can begin at once to form FOL
the great conflict OF parties, which is td
determine the policy.of the government
for four years after March,llss5
1t is possible, in the excitement of the
contest which resulted so fayorably to Free
Trade and solid Democratic South, thai
the active participants therein did moi
properly weigh the public sentiment thai
stands between them. They sevidently
overlooked the fact that's there is pro
nounced opinion in the South in favor OF
the protective policy-that railroads and
furnaces and factories have been educat'
ing the people out of the old Democratic
ruts and quietly matchmaking them into
the belief that the policy of the national
government should, with constitutional
sanction, give encouragement to Amerl-
can labor and those industries which utll-
ize the natural wealth of the Southern
States. 1t is not violent conclusion
that the farmers, the mechanics. the cap
italists, the laborers of the South, may see
in the policy of Protection and the build
ing up of industrial enterprises, a market
for their products, employment for their
skill. profitable investment for their
means and more remunerative values fol-
their daily toll, than in the Free Trade
theory. which would transfer it's patron
age to European fields of endeavor. If all
signs do not fail, many protests will come
up from the Southland against the reckless
folly of the Democratic leaders. who have
committed the South, in the election OF
Speaker, to the tariff for revenue only
policy. and thus defed the progressive in
fiuences which have so auspicously OPP
Grated to Southern development under the
present tariff laws.
One thing may be assured with reason
ably certainty, and that is, that the choice
of Mr.. Carlisle and the sentiment it re-
fleets, will give to the country Il Republic
can administration in national affairs, for
four years more. after the 4th of March.
1885. The capital, the skilled labor, the
producing classes, the vast and varied
business interests of the Nation. will be
marshalled in solid column to defeat the
politicians who have thrown down the
gauntlet and invited contest in which is
involved the material progress and pros
perity of the whole country. They will
not stand idly by and witness the arrest of
the currents which have brought such
Astounding benefits to all classes and cOndi-
tions of the people and given to the gov
eminent it's high place among the powers
of the world.
The address of the Democratic State
Central Committee, in reply to that of
Gen. Malone. is SO partiZan and unfair
that we cannot publish it without accom-
panying it with suitable comments, and
this we have not the space this week to