The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-07-09

A Serious Question.

Die this month, there will be sameness on
III local questions, especially as to the
State debt and national aid to the public
schools. It is possible that such will be
The case, but it is not probable that the
people will accept the announcement of
each with the same confidence and assur-
ance that what may be formulated into
resolutions, will be expressive of the sincere
purpose of those who propose them. The
party, as now constituted III
Virginia, has record on the debt ques-
ton, and so has the Democratic party. The
Republican party of the Nation has a re-
cord on the proposition to give national
aid to the public schools, and so has the
Democratic party. They will each be held
to this record and judged by it; nor Will
the people be diverted from its considera-
ton and scrutiny by any attempt to draw |
attention to questions which are not ger
main to the canvass, and could only be in |
troduced to infiame passion and aggravate
prejudice. The whole article of our CO.
temporary is apparently intended to do
this very thing. 1t is substantially con-
fession that the Democratic party cannot
stand before the people upon its record
either on the debt question OF the propo-
sition for national aid to public schools
and that the attempt will be made to subor-
dinate these to discussion of irrelevant.
issues, involving no practical good at this
time and only calculated to embitter feel
ing and arouse animosities. We, In COM
mon with all fair-minded men, anxious for
the final disposition OF the debt question
and it's removal from the political contests
of the day, must regret this. not that
the Republicans are disposed to shrink
from the discussion of any national issue,
but that the introduction of foreign matter
into the election of this year would oper-
ate to defeat the very ends which each
party processes to wish to see accom-
plished.
But it will not do to pass the arraign-
ment and accusations of the VSladlcdtor
without notice, however inapposite they
NAV be to the practical matters which
call for consideration. The Republicans
of Virginia are not ashamed of the record
and the achievements of the Republican
party of the Nation. That it has COM
mitted mistakes no one will deny, nor
could it have been expected that some er-
rors of judgment and policy would not
have crept into the legislation which it
has been called upon to consider and enact
since 1865. 1t had to deal with an anon
alous condition of things, without pre-
cedent to guide in it's deliberations. The
whole Industrial, social and political rela-
lions of the South were in chaos. The
systems that had become part OF the
economy of society and of labor had been
swept away by the red hand Of war, and
out of the jarring and clashing interests
and the disturbing and incongruous ele-
ments. incident to such revolution, order
had to be evoked and the economies of
government adjusted to the fundamental
law Of the country. That mistakes were
made under such circumstances was not
strange. The wonder is that the interests
of society were SO well conserved and
the peace of the country so soon assured.
The history of no country furnishes a
parallel in craftsmanship and patriotism
to that displayed by the Republican party
in grasping and mastering the great ques-
tions upon whose wise solution depended
the prosperity of the people and the per-
petuity of our institutions. With a cour-
age that was heroic and a purpose that
reached to the loftiest plane OF statesman
ship-an ideal that partook of inspiration.
it marched to the work before it with un
faltering tread and singleness OF purpose
until all the great questions affecting gov
ernmental policy were adjusted to system
whose practical operation has placed the
country in the forefront of the nations
of the world. The record of the Repub
lican party is written in the Legislation
and laws which effected these CRANE
achievements consummations antagonizet
at every step by the Democratic party, an
reached over it's broken columns and scat
tered forces.
But this is a matter Of history and need
DO repetition here. 1t is to another poin
that we desire to address ourselves, Whic
the V5ndicator has presented in the most
sensational and infammatory sentences
1t may not be profitable to discuss it now
on the eve of an important State canvass
involving local interests vital to the pee
pie. But
s'They are slaves who dare not to be,
For the right with two or three"
and armed with conviction of right ant
pressed with sense of the responsible
that rests upon US as journalists, we woul'
be untrue to what we conceive to be GU
duty did we not utter a note Of timel,
warning upon so grave a question as tht
Vj7sdicator seeks to inject into the Stat
canvass, however foreign it may be to tina
canvass. 1t is question that reache
higher than mere party interests. 1t com
prehends the very groundwork Of our in
stitutions and duplicates the Fundamental
principle and conditions upon which gu
government framework is based-a princl
pie as sacred and inspiring as ever stirred
the emotions or engaged the endeavors o
mankind in all the tide of time, an
should be approached with gravity an
concern COmm6ilSuIdtc Will GuC uOfooio
and reverence we bear for our politica
system and it's cardinal law.
We refer to the equality of representa-
tion in Congress and the Electoral Colleg
of the South and North. The popular o
census basis of representation is substan
italy the same. The practical basis a
guaged by the votes counted 10 widely dill
ferent. In the cotton belt States. TIL
number of votes counted in district TO
a member of Congress is about half tina
counted in any Northern State, or in othe
words one voter in a district in one of tn
Southern States named exercises as muc
power and influence in shaping the law
of the country and determining the con
troll of the government as two in tn
North. That is in brief the condition a
expressed in the election returns for SOM
wears past When it is remembered tina
the people of each State pledged them
selves not to abridge the right of suffrage