Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-07-30
WHAT FOR THE PEOPLE d.?

l nucI lnla CdpllOh, lub tbci -
burg Mdcr-Appcai, the most saga.
cious, aggressive and intelligent
democratic paper in Virginia or the
South, furnishes the following edi.
torial extract. 10 contains food for
the people TO think over, and for
the voters To ponder before they
cast their ballots for the party, or
the candidates Of the party, that is
responsible for the Morrison Free
Trade bin, and the defeat Of the
Blair Educational bill. Every voter
should read what orr able cOntem-
porary so well and forcefully says
The adjournment of Congress can
not he long delayed. Even If the
hot weather did not dispense the
body the anxietics of representa-
tives 10 see TO their denomination
and reelection will carry them
home at an early date. But what
will they carry TO their people
What will they have to tell their
constituents of what they have
done, and left undone What ac-
counts will they give Of their stew
ardship?
An assault in force has been re-
pcated against protection, and spe-
cially against Virginia prOtec.
ton; and it only failed Of sue.
cess by Il votes, through a comb
nation of - democrats with l22 re-
pubicans-the assault being made
by the solid southern democratic
force, with five exceptions, support
ed by II northern democratic and !
northern republican vOtcs-30 of
the 81 democratic votes which
helped repel the assault beng from
the north. This is a very serious
matter for reflection in Virginia, so
largely dependent for prosperity on
protection, when eight of her ten
representatives joined in the as
sault. Is the democratic party
committed fully and finally to anti
protection, if not TO free trade, by
this action at Washington, in which
l3G democratic congressman formal
ly and deliberately concurred, after
fall warning from the press Of the
country. including that ofboth par
ties in this state It is a question
the people must consider well, and
it is for them to decide what is to
be done in the grave emergency
thus presented.
The tObaccO.taX has not been re-
moved, nor reduced; the tax on
fruit brandies has not been touched;
and the internal revenue system
has not been abolished. Democrats
and republicans alike have failed to
get the house of representatives
even so much as TO consider any
proposition TO do all or any Of these
things. Meanwhile tobacco is
crushed by the tax, and the admin
iStration of the internal revenue
system has become even more ha-
RAISING, inquisitorial and oppres-
siyc than was ever known before.
What do the people think Of it
What will they do about il! Does
the mere democratic name bind
Hcm in absolute subsection to the
party. while il absolycs then rep.
rescntatiyes wholly from all popu-
lar allcgiance2 II the party disci.
pine aud influence at Washington
compel representatives TO disregard
and cOutcmn the wishes Of their
constituents, what is it that can or
should compel these constituents
to keep on giving their votes to the
party,Or,atleasf. TO thcSerecalcltrant
representatives Is Virginia to be
sold ont TO free trade and u federal
revenue exclusively internal that
certain gentlemen OLA certain party
shall draw their $4,000 year as
the real representatives of British
interests ~ Washington. Here is
food for thought.
And the Blair school bill is again
throttlcd over Sj,OOO,OOO for The
free schools of Virginia is not al
lowed 10 come to us. Gov. IlOlli.
day pronounced free education a
luxury for the people which the
state could not afford; and now at
Washington we are told that it Is
not only a "luXury' which the fed
eral government must not think Of
helping to furnish, but IN injurious
indulgence to the p0Or-to poor
states and to poor people.
All this aud much more to the
same effect that might be cited is an
unfortunate exhibit to 90 before the
people upon. 10 Is very uniOrtu-
nate for the men responsible for it,
but it is even mo,e unfortunate for
the people. What is to be the con
clusion on thcseimportant subjects!
Are the people to rule parties, or
are parties TO rule the people, with
respect to them ! Or are the voters
to he independent and coercc the
party? Our judgment is that the
party must yield that is, so far as
leaders constitute the party)-must
acquiesce-in the popular vii, right
and interest, or the party must
"go"