Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-11-16
BOSS MAHONE'S OVER
THROW.
CAUSES THAT LED TO THE DOWN
FALL OF HIS AUTOCRACY.


NOUS USE OF PATRONAGE, UNITED
FOES AND DIsAFFECTED FRIENDS
PROVE HIS RUIN-THE READJUsTER
PARTY LIKELY TO BECOME A TRADI-
TON.
Washington telegram in the NY Sun.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8.-Department
clerks who went home to Virginia to vote
have begun to come back. Some of them
bring reports from districts remote from
the telegraph. These reports show that
Mahone's party was overwhelmed even in
the sparsely settled country where there
was little campaigning. TIE revolution
is thorough, and in all probability perma
nent. So, at least, those who have been
with the Virginia people report. They say
the Malone sway is ended. and that it will
pass into history as sudden craze. the
outcome Of which shows that the power
of public plumber is not always cohesive.
All that will be left liz a few months of
this cident in Virginia politics will be
the soiltariness Of Malone in the Senate
and Readjuster Governor serving out a
power less term in the Virginia State
| House. It IS believed that Riddleberger
| will ba found acting with the Democrats
| before tie session Of the Senate ends.
| Malone is reported by those who have
seen him to be stunned by the unthought-
of and crushing blow. He seems hardly
to realize it yet. His quick apprehension
is blunted, and he acts like one who re-
ceives suddenly the news of some great
bereavement. He mumbles his doubts to
his friends. He cannot tielieve that what
he hears is true, and be brightens up now
and then with the vain hope that his Re-
turning Board may yet bring him some
comfort.
This is Malone in a new light to his
friends. Heretofore he has been COM
placent in defeat. AZ In his reveIses has
DO ind men to him by the exercise of what
was thought to i" ali ilCn Will. That h-
should now be su Dr. ken shows how much
he had at stake. Il. that he sees in de-
feat the wreck of great hopes.
The defeat is explained by those who
ought to know as duA to several causes
First of all, Mahone's overbearing, i'm
porous use of his power has brought about
a reaction. This is especially true in
Washington. The clerks whom he has pat
in departments have borne with his
arbitrary commands until many of them
had determined to resign rather than put
: up longer with it He assessed men and
, collected his money like tax gatherer =
Some tact and cOaxing are used generally
in raising money from clerks. Malone
issued his orders like an officer to trooi
5 of soldiers. Clerks had to pay or go. Ma
2 hone was greater in some of the depart
ments than the head thereof, and chiefs OF
divisions found that his commands respect
3 ing the appointment or dismissal of clerks
: were no more to be disobeyed than though
they had been issued from the White
, House. Few are the regrets one hears II
the departments for his defeat. In the
l course of three years he has driven many
: who first supported him away from him
| by this very course, and their friends
formed the nucleus of the opposition that
| was developed against him in his folio W
ing.
Then, again, Malone is reported by
those who have seen something of his can
vass this year to have displayed little Of
f the organizing capacity which counted for
so much when he set out to build up a
new party. In place of organization be
has used force, and has been blind as to
5 the demoraliZing effect Of some of his
2 steps. While he held the negroes he rap
. idly disintegrated his white following, and
was too imperlous and wllful to see it,
Malone three years ago showed tact, and
@ his bitJerest enemies in Virginia admitted
his ability as an organizer, and feared hin
< on that account. Success seems to have
unbalanced bin, and he worked through
D out this canvass with his party as he did
: with those upon whom he bestowed pat.
0 ronage. He allowed his aids no voice.
: He was first, and there was no second
= Riddleberger was driven to his home in
the valley and kept there. while the less
conspicuous helpers were mere servants
: Many Of these helpers had come to him be
q cause they complained CT severe treatment
= by Democratic leaders some years ago.
Now. when they found Mahone's tyranny
equal or more exacting, they became luke
warm, but simulated zeal they did not
have. Malone was too blind to see that
he was alternating his helpers, though Gov.
q Cam eron and others realized it, The re-
. suit was that his canvass was carried on
= in shiftless, Indifferent way, though
there was stimulation of earnestness
{ which would not have deceived man less
Q weakened by mis- sense of power.
. Again, Malone lacked the tact to fore
stall condition of things that he has pre-
vented before. He rather forced the race
a issue than dissipated it. His appointment
e of an Impertinent and airy negro for school
trustee in Richmond, man who had no
qualifications for the place, cost Malone
large support, and was the first cause OF
the race feeling that became so bitter just
before election.
There was still another reason. Many
white men who voted with Malone for
; three years feared that he was getting
> ready to deliver his party and State to the
Republican party next year. When he and
Cameron and the others were asked on the
stump if this was not SO, evaSlve answers
were given. The fear became conviction
with many men, and they decided to cut
loose this year.
There never was any real cohesiveness
in his party. The power of patronage held
the whites and blacks together for while.
but the power had been dissipated Ey the
: abuse of it, and because it had gone as far
as possible 1t had been bestowed on
thousands only to be taken away from
them thus producing sore that was con.
, Stantly extending.
The failure to repay the Administration
for all the favors shown deeply grieves and
disappoints that Administration. To the
President the result was as surprising as
it was to Malone himself Malone had
, represented SO often that he only needed
, the patronage to deliver the State that he
was believed. The use of the patronage
for this purpose was justified by the Ad-
minlsration and its organ openly.
But there was another potent cause of
defeat. The Democrats committed their
canvass to superior man. Congressman
Barbour consented to take charge of it,
An active business man. the head of a
great railroad corporation, he threw his
business aside for four months. Mr.. Bar
bour is a man of great executive capacity,
an organizer as able as.ever Malone was
thou hit to be. From the day he took hold
of the canvass the party felt that they had
at last got what had long been needed.
His organizit alton was systematic, thor
ongh, and extended to the smallest detail.
| Mr.. Barbour took the offensive. He car
ried he battle into Mahone's black belt.