The Washington critic., 1886-11-13
HOW IT WAS IN VIRGINIA.

1t is strange how people differ about
the Administration. Here comes
the Richmond wig and says that Mr..
Barbour committed an error of iudg-
mcnt in accounting for the Democratic
reverses in Virginia by saying that
the policy of the Administration has
been discouragiug. >" 1t says this view
has no justification whatever, and adds:
The Administration has been especially
kind TO Virginia 1t made distinct effort
TO change and correct the partisan chlraG-
ter of the Federal appointments of the
previous Administration in TINS State. 1t
gave The Democrats wnat they asked, and
more, 1t not Only gave them the ilternal
revenue Offices, the custom, Offices, the dis
tiiet attoIneyships, TIE district marshal
ships, the deputy marshal:hips, the post
Offices, and fair share OF the clerical aud
mepia positions In the Government Depart
ments, but 1t has honorel them with mDre
honorable appointments abroad than they
ever received from ANY previous Admins
tration. Does not Mr.. Barbour call this
recognition?
But the view Of the wig is not sus-
tanned by ES-Mayor Courtland Smith
of Alexandria-a quite distinguished
ginian-whoi Is reported by the New
York IFiJUHe as saying;
Dissatisfaction with President Cleveland
aud the political assassination Of John =.
Barbour created the apathy that brought
about Democratic defeat Mr.. Barbour
was away from the State Whenever he
takes the helm the State is surely Demo-
cratic. We have the votes. 1t would be
disastrous to the Democrats In Virginia In
1855 II Cleveland is renominated and ths
Republicans should put up man like AL
lisou. regard it as probable that We
would lose New York on Cleveland.
To certain extent these apparently
widely different views are correct, 1t
may be stated, to start with, and with
out fear Of contradiction, that Mr..
Barbour is political power, and the
best political manager in his State. His
absence during the canvass will doubt.
less account in a measure for the Demo
cratic losses there.
Probably the policy Of the Admins
tration had something to do with the
disaster also. The Whig may be right
in its statement that the President
has been kindly and considerato t.
Virginia Democrats in the way Of pat
Tonage, yet the general policy of the
Administration, to which Mr.. Bar
bour had reference-the policy of civil
service reform, which is a thing Of eyi
in itself and necessarily "discouraging'
to party zeal--made itself felt delri
mentally in the Old Dominion as it did
elsewhere, and in the nature of thin q
il must.
How the accountability is to be di5
tributed, as between the Administra
tion and its policy on the one hand
and the political assassination" o
Mr.. Barbour on the other, we leave t
the politicians to judge. There wa
evidently more than one cause for tn,
defeat, and consequently the blame
must be divided.
PRTHCE WALDERMAR's father ha
declined for him the throne Of Bul
garia, to which the young man was re
Gently elected. This is still anothe
point gained by Russia In the gam
now going on In Europe, for she wa
outspoken in her disapproyal Of tn
choice made by the Bulgarian Sobranje
It is probable that the election Of
new ruler for Bulgaria will now b.
postponed for considerable time, au(
It looks as if no man could be placed
on tho throne without the consent OF
the Gar. There is yet another evidence
r D. 4. n. L.. ha
leader OF the recent revolt at Bourges