The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-06-26
A Moments Pause.

ormal opening OF the campaign, ana the
Democracy has not yet settled down upon
,he men who are to lead its forces, it is as
good time as any for the people Of Vir-
sinis to take brief glance backward and
forward. !;
We believe that two-thirds, if not three
fourths, of the voters of this State are
to-day Republican at heart. Many who
have opposed that party are Democrats
only in name. Their sympathies, their in
berests. their convictions are at war with
their political professions They would
regard the national ascendency of the
party as a public calamity.
Looking over the record of the two par
ties AS that record is reflected in legisla.
ton which reaches down to the business
level, they see, on the one hand, a long
series of great public measures which has
laid the foundation for national grandeur
and individual prosperity. On the other
hand, they observe the party with which
they are allied arrayed in almost solid
pbaianx in opposition to those measures,
and championing wild, theoretical schemes.
the enactment of which into law would
have paralyzed the arm OF industry and
retarded the development Of the country
for decades, ii not generations.
The business men Of Virginia know
these facts. They know that to the national
banking act; the resumption act, and the
tariff. the State and the Nation owe their
wonderful development and advancement.
They know. too, that these measures are
OF distinctive Republican origin and sup
port. They know that at every step, from
introduction to final approval, the Demo
cratic party has exhibited its hostility by
every means In its power. They know
that had that opposition proved success
full, the great natural wealth with which
Virginia and the South have. been en-
dowsd, would have remained undisturbed
by the pick and the drill, and the State
have still been vainly striving to cover up
the scars of war.
And yet consistently and persistently
they have voted to strike down the only
party whose supremacy is aguarantee that
the interests of their State and their in
terests as individuals would be promoted.
They have done this with their eyes open
and in the very teeth of their judgment
and conviction. They have deposited their
ballots for Democratic candidates and
almost prayed that Republicans might
triumph. In obedience to the promptings
of an unreasonable prejudice against a
name, they were willing to run the risk of
a material sacrifice. If this danger had
been encountered for the sake of a con-
viction, it would deserve commentator.
Such was not the case. j 1t was in the very
face of conviction, and was unworthy of
men who have the intelligence to appre-
ciate the full significance of their acts.
And for what are these men indebted to
the Democratic party? Ii its policy had
been successful they would have been
robbed of their dues for years to come.
The farmers already feel the effect of the
Democratic majority in one branch of
Congress. They are paying the price of
their party loyalty at the rate of. 500 for
every hundred pounds of wool they have
for sale, and a depreciation of nearly 20
per cent. in the price they receive for
mutton. But that is but one item. Had
the most pronounced measure that has
been advocated and supported BY their
party in Congress triumphed over Repub-
lican opposition and presidential veto, it
would have been but short time before
half of the furnaces now in operation in
Virginia would have been closed the ore
banks deserted the coal mines abandoned,
and the forces at work in developing these
industries would have been compelled to
seek employment in other sections. In
both the Morrison and Hewitt bills, as
originally drafted, ore andcoal were placed
on the free lists, and although this old
State of ours is one grand deposit of min
eral wealth, the enactment into law OF
either of those bills would have dried up
thewell-springs of prosperity that were just
beginning to send forth their long pent-up
volumes. Who ayerted that calami ty
Was 1t the party to which our business
men have given their support No! 1t
was the party that has been maligned and
abused as the enemy of the South !; the
party which In spite of the prejudice
against it, in spite of the ingratitude Of
those whom II benefited, has pressed
forward to the consunmation of it's grand
purpose of making the Union the fore
most nation of the earth.
But this ia not the only recent instance
of Republican friendship for the South.
In the early part OF the present session q
Republican senator introduced to BE.
publican Senate bin which provided for
the distribution of tens Of millions Of dollara
throughout the South In the education Of
poor children. Whoopposed this bene6cent,
measure Was it the men
who have been denounced as the oppressors
of our people and the haters of our section I
MOI twas left for southern senators to
fight it with bitterness and malignity
that could scarcely have been surpassed
had it been proposed to strangle instead of
our children. But In spite Of this
the bill passed Republican
Senate by Republican votes. and was sent
to the lower House, where the Democratic
is overwhelming. There it has
slept for months, and there 1t will sleep
until Republican Congress is elected.
Let any man point to one single act
Of National legislation that has con-
bributed to the upbuilding of the coun-
Try, and we will show him measure of
origin and support, and which
became law over the most persistent
protests of the Democratic party.
How long must this continue? Isn't it
lime the people of the South were casting
heir ballots for the good of the South?
Isn't 1t time they were rising above the
,etty prejudices and passions that are UNI
worthy Of generous. manly people ?
lsn t it time they were taking their own
business into their own hands, instead of
it to the keeping Of narrow
minded politicians who are either too
tupid to comprehend the magnitude Of
he trust, or too selfish to think of ought
,ut keeping up the strife by which, and by
uh;a nh o,,lx, fhnu com rido 70 ,,oxrar . I Of