Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-27

1885.
THE COMING ELECTION INvIRGINIA
The Prospects I'm the Valley and Neigh.
boring Counties.
ESTIMATES OF THE MAJoRrr1Es ON EITHER
SIDE IN THE DIFFERENT CouNTIEs-THE
GENERAL RESULT IN THE sTATE-cLosELY
CONTESTED ALL rHRouGH-NEIrHER PARTY
TO Rave wALK-ovER.
Special CORRESPONDENCE OF THE EVENING STAR.
WOODSTOCK. VA, october %, 1885.
A STAR correspondent has spent ten days in
careful and candid inquiry into the probable
results OF the election of next Tuesday week in
the counties Of the valley, and in counties af-
fected by influences, associations and traditions
analogous to those operating upon valley poll
tics. These observations have extended from
Clifton Forge near the West Virginia line, to
Winchester, q distance of about one hundred
and fifty miles. and embraced lateral observa-
tions in neighboring counties. They have also
included inquiry of editors on both sides, and
of numerous gentlemen prominent in the man.
agement of the respective parties to the contest
besides public meetings From these various
| sources Conformation, and with reasonably
fair general purview of the counties of Allie
Greene and Rockbridge, there is no slight clue
to at least one of the commanding geographical
sections in present Virginia politics.
Taking this section as q basis of calculation,
should say that there will be no cyclone of POI
NnSa revolution In Virginia on the third Of
nave seen I'm the valley was at Harrisonburg
on court-day. Both parties were present in
meetings were held separately. There was no
unhealthy excitement. Prominent men of
both parties were present, including Judge Jno.
raul OF the western federal circuit; MT. Yost of
prominent republicans, and Hon. John r
from this district; Ex-Judge Staples, of the
supreme court of appeals; Mr.. Ayres, candidate
Tor attorney general, and other conspicuous
democrats. Judge Staples is making an active
canvass of the state, which gives the democrats
satisfaction and the republicans no pleasure
GINA situation that Judge Staples, in the event
OF the election Of a democratic legislature, is a
gossinle CHOICE by way q compromise, for the
gresSmen Barbour and Daniel. Harrisonburg
Is the county seat of Rockingham, q county
which elects two members of the next house Of
delegates, who will vote for Malone s successor,
and the county, in q total of $500 votes cast
last year, gave Cleveland one majority. These
FACTS gave the meetings there great interest, and
observers were present in force from surrOun
Ing counties. Your correspondents observation
tnere warrants reasonable belief that Rock
ingham will elect two republican members of
the legislature and give Wise small majority,
tnough intelligent democratic authority claims
the county as doubtful.
Shenandoah county gave Cleveland little
more than one hundred majority in q vote of
something less than four thousand. Even more
than Rockingham is Shenandoah q field for
close calculation, and both sides are claimants
OF its member of the legislature, and the repub-
claiming the county for their gubernatorial
candidate. The republican candidate for the
house OF delegates, an experienced political OBJ
server in Shenandoah, is sanguine of his cleo
ton by a comfortable majority, and thinks he
Will lead the state ticket by a small vote. A
defective republican organization in Frederick
probably gives that county to the democrats by
slight Increase over its abnormally large ma
tority of eleven hundred for Cleveland. There
this week of a normal majority for Lee in
Augusta of about one thousand. These calcula-
ake NO serious change in the four Large
sive of the cities OF Stanton and Winchester.
Going up the valley again in the direction of
Allegheny. and, Highland (the three latter
being small connties), all signs point 10 close
result especially In Rock bridge. In Madison
republicans for two years have steadily lost
strength, and there is no expectation of remedy
has not improved, while democrats are conf
dent and vigorously at work. Below Madison,
Culpeper is confessed to reveal democratic dis
sensiOn, and Chairman Barbour has lately ad.
dressed himself assiduOusly I'd healing the local
troubles OF his party in that county, historic in
the political ashievements Of the Barbour fam
bours election to the United States Senate by a
democratic legislature. Orange, an adjoining
Barbours as Virginia orators, scholars and poll
ticians, will give, according to general state
ment, its usual democratic majority, or some
thing in excess of it. Rappahannock will re-
peat the performance of Orange, and show its
close political and sentimental kinshipwith Eau
quier and the adjacent region, where the ro-
mantle legends OF the war and of previous Vir-
ginian history are as much part of the pride
Of the people as the legends Of Connaught in
Trfc Gnnfi 1onf Tn oil hot
ment for Lee will vigorously assert ITSELF and
will be stimulated by the neighborhOod tradi-
Black Horse cavalry, and these and Kindred red
names will arouse that region to
"Jine the cavalry
in the present contest.
Keeping east of the mountains, Warren will
join its trans-montane neighbor, Frederick,
with an increased democratic majority, while
Page among the counties of closest valley kim
ship, will reverse its slight majority for Cleve-
land and elect the republican legislative ticket
and give the republican state ticket a fair ma
1ority: In the territory mere described hastily,
of the state, there are few signs of abrupt de-
partures from the party affiliations of the past
Ridge it has already been pointed out in a let
ter to THE STAR that General Malone has never
is
General Lees name and its traditions should
swell his party vote in region where sentiment
abideS. Whether the aroused democratic senti.
ment in parts of the seventh congressional dis
trict %. Ferralrs) and nearly throughout the
eighth district (Barbours), will compensate for
the expected increased republican vote in the
Black Belt, is a question. So is the attitude of
the southwest, where 1t Is understood reliably
that Malone claims q reversal of last years
democratic majority Of about twelve hundred
Now as to the issues. The personal issues of
candidates are familiar to the country. "Hard
times" the Blair bin for popular education and
the tariff are urged by republicans, and the
democrats answer vigorously and skillfulIy
enough on these points, while they are with re-
publicans in expressions of fidelity to the settle
ment of the public debt They answer republic
can caricature and rdicule of Lee with sufficient
abuse of Malone and Wise. Meanwhile have
met no republican OF judgment who is willing
to say he believes in Wise's election by a great
majority. have found only one democratic
leader in the valley protesting faith in a walk
over for Lee, and under his race both sides ex-
press doubt as to the legislature. There is a
greatly diminished terror OF the former magic
leadership of Malone among democrats and
among republicans confidence Is felt i'm the
wisdom of MahOne's Instructions for organized
work, with hurrah as an auxiliary OF secondary
value.
Stricken with Death While at Break.
fast.
A NEPHEW OF THE LATE JOHN w. FORNEY DIES
SUDDENLY