Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-11-14
THE RESULT IN VIRGINIA.


The loudest cannon and largest rooster
that appears in Southern paper may al
ways be understood as being for victory in
its own State. and SO the loudest and
largest in this journal last week were for
the Democratic victory here at home. We
in the Southern States know we'll what it
means to be defeated at home, and we in
Virginia know by bitter experience that
defeat here means our surrender into the
hands and mercy of One Man who during
his brief reign in this State proved to be one
of the most merciless autocrats that ever
infested American politics. The vote last
week was one that was decisive of the
status of the State in national politics.
It was straight and direct fight without
side issues or outside entanglements be-
tween Democracy and Republicanism. 1t
was fight waged with every advantage
to the Republican party in the way of
machinery-the whole election machinery
of the State, with the exception of this
county and perhaps two others, being in
the hands of their appoiutees. To the
same party the U. S. Internal Revenue
Department contributed numerous and
thoroughly trained corps of political
workers To the same party was furnished
by its National Committee handsome
campaign fund estimated at $685. 900. The
canvass was orderly, peaceful. and un-
marked by a single act of violence in the
State. With such field if the Republican
party can ever carry Virginia it should
cratic party took the field with an empty
treasury as far as the National Commit
tee was concerned, that committee not
having furnished dollar to this State.
Its campaign fund consisted of about
$4,000, contributed in Richmond, Lynch
burg, Danville, Norfolk, Alexandria and
Stanton, and up to within few days of
the election only part OF this fund was
available. 1t had no Revenue Department
and no official aid worth mentioning from
any source. But it had, as a rule, the in
telligence of the State at It's back, it's con-
gressional candidates were for the most
part as strong as their ticket, its canvas
sers were generally excellent speakers and
in nearly all cases we'll informed men
abreast of the times, aud above all it had
that admirable political organizer, John
s. Barbour, at the head. Such was the
contest which resulted in a majority of
5000 for the Democratic party in Vir-
glnia.
On looking at these figures it becomes
us to commence lew system of politics
in Virginia. We must remember that the
old times, before the division of the party,
when we could rcll up Democratic MAORI
ties anywhere from 80 600 to 10000 have
passed a way. and with them we must see
that the loose and stumbling style of Or
ganization which prevailed in those days,
and which was equal to the emergency of
that time, should be discarded. In less
than year the Democracy of this State
will be voting for Governor, and legis-
lature which is to elect u s. Senator to
succeed Senator Malone. 1t will be the
life and death struggle of the Republicans
in this State for, returned to private life,
Mahone's leadership will cease, and with it
the aggressive existence OF his party. We
should hold ON to the clubs and other or
CARNATIONS that we now have in existence
and which have just aided so effectively in
securing the State to the Democracy. We
should preserve these organizations and
hold them in readiness to be modified for
campaign duty. Reviving an organization,
wit known officers already elected, is in
fnitely easier than creating new one, and
the troops are put in the political field
with far greater celebrity and Lunctuallty.
We trust the organizations in the coun-
ties will take these things into considera-
ton.