The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-11-25
Hon. Jno. S. Wise q letter.


from Hon. John $. Wise, reviewing the
late contest i'll the Sd Congressional dis
trict. We have never been and are not now
disposed to NEEDLE in the affairs of other
districts, although the result in the Rich
mond district was of deep concern to Re-
publicans not only throughout Virginia,
but we may say was watched in every por-
ton of the country. Those, however,
more Immediately interested are generally
the best judges as to the policy TO be pur-
sued, and we neither question motives,
nor weep over results. however much we
may deprecate the latter. Mistakes will
be made even by the most vigilant ard
careful, and while the statements of Mr..
Wise must materially the conditions as we
understood them, yet We must be per
mitted to express the belief that the pol
icy of nominating Republican, under all
the circumstances, was open to doubt,
from the lights before US. Until after the
announcement of Mr.. Mullen it was gen
orally understood, so far as the public was
informed, there would be no Republican
nomination, and that an independent Dem
ocrat would be aided by the Republicans
in defeating the Democratic nominee
The issue was not between Republicans
and Democrats, merely because of the
name. 1t was between liberal Democrat,
supporting the Republican policy of pro-
lection national aid to public schools, and
the abolition of the internal revenue tax
and Bourbon Democrat, standing on
national platform which declared against
these measures, and with a record that no
true friend of Virginia should endorse
| Mr.. Wise complains that Mr.. Mullen made
| no promise to Republicans and gave no as
| surances to win their support This must
refer to assurances of a personal nature,
for in published card Mr.. Mullen dis
tinctly declared for the policy of protec-
tion and the Blair Educational bill These
were cardinal ideas with Republicans,
| upon which the contest in every district
| i'll the State was waged. And the fact that
| Mullen's candidacy was in avowed oppo-
sition to the Democratic representative
and that his election would have meant
the humiliating defeat of the Democratic
party in its very stronghold, was assur-
anee sufficient. it seems to us, that his
love for Democracy was not of the Ruth
and Naomi order. whatever his feeling
towards the opposition might have been.
If he stood upon the principal planks of
the Republican platform and fought the
Democratic party, he was doing good SER
vice for all the people of Virginia. Es-
pecially was he giving aid and comfort to
Republicans, for if left alone he would
have battered down the wall of prejudice
behind which the Democracy of the Me-
tropolitan district has been so long and so
securely entrenehed and which has proven
impregnable to Republican assault.
Nor would the support of an indepen-
dent candidate have involved an impair
ment, much less an abandonment of Re-
publican organization. Outside of the Sd
district, and we hope inside as well, the
Republican party is stronger to-day than
it eyer wasin the history of Virginia. In
no section has its strength increased and
its principles taken deeper hold than in
the 9th and 18th districts where it rallied
to the support of independent Democrats
who carried the flag of liberalism and de-
clared for the measures which are reccg-
nized tenetS of its creed. 1t is not merely
a name that constitutes Republcanism.
1t is an earnest, honest love for and belief
in those governmental principles which
, have made this the grandest Nation of
the earth, and he who stands forth and
. boldly proclaims those principles and fights
for them, as a Republican, and if he be
honest and earnest,he must sooner or later
| find his place in that political household
and be welcome there.
The lowering of the tariff admits more
imports, and therefore, furnishes more
revenues, the rate of duty being less, but
the quantity of imports being greater
The result will be that We shall thus Sc
cure in time tariff that alone will fur.
nlsh revenue sufficient for the support of
government, then internal revenue system
will be wholly unnecessary.-Sta
, And then, what would follow? The
workshops of this country would be trans
ferred to Europe-the workmen employed
in our factories and furnaces and mines
would be forced to idleness, or to engage
in agriculture. The consumers would be
converted into producers. All that was
produced here would be sent abroad to
buy what we did not produce. Our market
| would be across the waters, instead of at
home. Our wheat would come in contact
with the wheat product of India in the
, markets of England. Our farmers would
, have to compete with labor at cents a
day and wheat that can be sold at profit
in. India at Is cents bushel, and put down
in Liverpool at so cents bushel, and in
| New York at so cents. Already India has
, doubled her wheat crop over last year,
, and with the American ports opened free
! the present tariff Of 20 cents per bushel
taken off, farmers would either have to
, come down to India prices, or suffer Indi,
Wheat to monopolze our home market.
, With such an inducement, India would be
, gridironed with railroads-ten times its
present product would be raised, and rates
of shipment adjusted SO as to starve the
| 4AiAiSAASati 4etAAiO1 oau VI uaO I1utOpcdI
markets and threaten him at home.
If we are to be a dependency of England
and foreign countries, the Democratic
free trade policy is the right thing. If
we are to be Americans, jealous Of our
nation, its power and progress and the
happiness and contentment of it's people,
we must adhere to the Republican policy
OF protection. We not only want to have
a home market that consumes 80 per cent.
OF our products. but all of them. All the
free trade we want, we have-free trade
between the States. We want American
independence, politically, commercially
and industriously, and no entangling al
liances iii any sense. We want factories
and furnaces and workshops of every kind
to prosper, that our farmers may fined
consumers at home for what they raise
And with diversified products and indus
tries, keep our money at home, build up
our own country, and defy the civilized
world.
With our ports free for the ingress of
European fabrics with our workshops in
Europe, and our home industries des-