The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-11-01
II CONGREsS-IOth DIsERI
JACOB YOST,
How Virginia is Affected.
Of Augusta County

How Virginia is Affected.
1t is a noticeable fact that thousands of
dollars have gone out of Virginia fer in
vestme 1t ard none come in since the free
trade me 5sagp of President Cleveland was
sent to Congress last Dvcember. So long
as no serious apprehension WAS felt that
the Democrats would attempt to destroy
the protective feature Of our tariff laws,
there WAS scarcely month that large
transactions in Virginia mineral proper
ties were not repoi ted. Since it has been
definitely known that all the power ard
influence of the a6minisi ration and the
Democratic org sniz ltion have been dedi-
Gated to the il lection Of the free trade
theory into the legislation of The country
a sense Of Insecurity las been realiZ I'd and
practical paralysis experienced III mineral
interests.
In correspondence ard conversations
with gentlemen of means who were lock-
ing for investment aud had their attention
drawn to Virginia, they have frankly told
us that they would have TO wait until al
result Ii a Democratic President and g
Democratic CONGRESS were chosen, then
they would abandon al idea of placing
their money in mineral properties, and
seek other channels Of enterprise.
The people of Virginia have very little APP
probation of the immense loss to the State
occasi mel 10y the agitation of the free trade
problem and he Impending threat Of The
application OF The theory to onr revenue
system They console themselves with
the reflection that The Democrats have bad
control of the popular branch of Congress
an the Executive dtpartm fer nearly
four We rs, and 40 changes haze been made
in The tariff legislation. They seem tc
lose sight of the fact nat the Republican
Senate stands as the only power 10 avert
the danger. and that, with Il popular yer
dict in favor of ii Democratic President
and "A Democratic House OF Representa-
tives, would come a cEiaEge Ill The small
margin of Republican, power IN tie Sen
ate. W ith the whole legislative depart
ment in sympathy with the Executive and
the policy Of his administration, The uti
mate purpose of the free traders would he
speedily consumnlaGed and the most fear
ful effects follow.
A few days ago Senator Joe Blackburn
and Speaker Carlisle spoke in Kentucky
In their remarks they declared against
the repeal of the tobacco lax ard the tax
on frui5 brandles. In other words they
ia f.f af hn
internal revenue tax bich is a direct
levy upon our own people. aud IL favor CT
a reduction Of the tariff Oh foreign i'm
ports, us the means to rtdnee the revenue.
That means free trade, as the Mills bill.
as originally drawn, was plainly designed.
Protest as much as demagogues and place
hunters may. ard disguise The purpose as
adroity as they can, the ultimate purpose is
Free Trade of which this country will have
the sad realization, if the NovPmber cleo
ton shall result in favor of the Demo
cratic party.
Analyze Harry Tucker speeches, or what
he calls his speeches, and it will be found
that lie has never nade. and Will never
make clean cut declaration in f tvor Of
protecting American industries and Amer
ican labor. In gAi. eral terms he will say
. as the Democratic party says, that he does
not advocate a policy that will injuIe
American interests. But in no specific
argument that he has presented is there
anything but free trade favored. There
never was a Tucker who was not a free
trader. and to try to make one of them
anything else would be like attempting to
change tie spots of the leopard. 1t is born
with them, and they have not sufficient
Americanism in them, Or sympathy with
the great mass of the people, TO be any
thing else.
Not only is Tucker free trader and by
reason of being SO, an tnemy OF the in
uerests OF the people. but he is instinct
lively opposed to popular education, aud
especially to national aid isl the support
of the public free Sc hoo5 Of the State and
country.
1t would be anomalous. indeed. when
the people know these things, that they
should deliberately deposit their ballots to
bring about the very conditions they do
not want. and which would be so diamet-
ricdl,y against their own welfare.
We do not believe they will. There are
higher interests TO subserve than partizan
prejudice. There are greater o. jectS to
be attained than the promotion Of men,
There are great concerns OF State and conn
try, and Of the people who make up both
to promote through the ballot bCX, and
he mIsapprehends his duty and prostl
tutes the sacred privilege Of the ballot,
who does not exercise it for the common
good, the intellectual and moral bettel-
ment of the constituent body, and. as q
consequence, the welfare of community
and lie Nation.