The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-09-02

Clere was no piaIIOTlu duOpIeu' n s1eufcu
evasion of the vital practical questions of
the day and humiliating failure to an
nounce any doctrine or declare any prin-'
ciple. characterized the one, while a bolds
clear, manly enunciation of opinion upon,
all the issues of the day marked the other.
1t is contrast that emphasizes the char
acter of the two parties and presents in
strong and convincing relation the con-f
v1ction and purpose of the respective
organizations. The Republicans may well
be proud of the action of their representa-
tive body, and go forward in the contest
before them with an encouraging hope OF
success. II. e.4...s,. gu. .-. ,5i;9H -sil.'
Capt. Bumgardner In Highland. 8.
WepubIish from the Highland Recorder,
a syopsis of the opening campaign speech
of Capt james Bumgardner, Democratic
nominee for Congress for the 10th dis
trict. We do this to show our readers
the position be t axes, and the line ofssdis-:
cussion he will likely indulge, for this, his
first speech, must be taken as the keynote
to bis campaign. This report agrees snb-i
stantially with that furnished in the
Vindicdtor of last week. as TO the matter
Of the speech, and only differs from our
contemporary IS report, in the reported en-.
thusiasm with which the Democratic
nominee was received. The Recorder is "a
very conservative paper and it's editor care
full and courteous and fair in reference to
political opponents. 1t is not necessary
at this time, to discuss the main portion
Of Capt aBumgardner IS remarks. If he
and his friends are satisfied with them,
the Republicans should have no reason to-
complain. 1t is possible, however,, that
the pra ctical people of Highland and the
other co unties of the district, will want
something more than the dry husks and
rotor reconstruction, and something more
practical and applicable to present eondi-
tions than the exaggerations Of events
twenty years old. But Capt. Bumgard-
ner, according to this report, claims to be
a Bourbon, and this claim he has thorough
ly established by the character of his
speech. Whether the people are of the
same way of thinking can only be deter
mined at the ballot-box in November next
and to that we are willing to appeal upon
the issue that he has made.
The indicator s assumed defense Of the
last Congress, is simply detailed confess
sion of the charges preferred by the VIR-
GILMAN. When our friend is driven to
the necessity of trying to excuse the de-
riliction of its party by charging that the
measures it should have passed might have
been passed by the Republican party
whilst it controlled both branches of Col-
gress, it simply admits that to no other
party should be committed the admins
| tration of the government. 1t fails to re-
member too the many great and impor-
| tant measures which the Republican party
did put in force, the benefits of which
we now enjoy. Its arraignment of the
RepublicaA party is not for any failure to
discharge the duties imposed upon it, but
for not legislating years in advance.
So far as it had the power it did pass the
Blair bill-not once, but twice, and twice
was it killed by Democratic House. ..s
The Mexican pension bill was amended
in the Senate. in but ene important ma
terially particular. viz: in requiring that
the pensioner when not disabled should be
over sixty-two years of age.
| The justice of this amendment was
Recognized. For if it were right to pen
sion every Mexican soldier who had not
| been disabled, then the soldiers of the late
war could have claimed the same benefit.
To prevent such a draft upon the Treas
urer the Senate added the age clause and
passed the bill without division. It went
back to the House month before the
close of the session and persisted there.
The Vsndicator reaches the climax, in
the following sentence:
If our contemporary will admit it, it knows
that the master mind in the Democratic party !,
and the master and mastering mind in the
House OF Representatives, is Samuel ]. Ran
dali, and that the wildcat theory schemes
Which emanate from those eminent Republican
free trade journals, the New York "Times," the
"Evening Post" and the Chicago Tribune" or
may be evolved by that roaring whskey inter-
est of the West, which knows no party, will
If Mr.. Randall is the master mind of the
Democratic party, his constituency has a
limited appreciation of mental abilities.
The Democracy almost to a man-dascl4d-
ing every Democratic member from Vir-
qjnia-went in pell-mell for the wild Cat
theory schemes" of the mugwump free
trade press. and followed the roaring
whiskey interest Of the west" to the utter
most limit. The bill proposed by the
leader of the Democracy and the leader of
the roaring Whiskey INTEREST," was sup
ported by 1876 Democrats and was opposed
by 122 Republicans, aided by the master
mind" and only "a other Democrats. The
|. master mind" would scarcely look upon
the resolutions adopted by the late Demo-
cratic Convention Of this District, as an
enthusiastic endorsement Of his position,
nor would he regard the Democratic nom
inee as peculiarly obnoxious to the wild
cat schemes. !" or the roaring whiskey
interests of the west. " unless, indeed, that
nominee has changed his views upon the
tariff since the canvass of last fall. And
then our contemporary seems TO fOrgoG or
ignore the fact that the eminent free
trade Republican" journals, the New
Y orlz Times and the New Y ork Post, sup
ported Cleveland for President, and by
their support, elected him, because he was.
in sympathy with the free trade sentiment
Of New York, represented by the import
ers. 4.ts i.A;,-= 49, ts ,7- 4is4 5s.t,si
The Democratic State Conventions of
Tennessee and Texas have declared their
opposition to he Blair Educational bill.
That sentiment represents the party
throughout the country. and the caucus of
Democratic Congressman vii; conform ito /
that sentiment when it it is. called upon
10 act. No Democratic member will dare