Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-06-01
FURTHER ENLIGHTENMENT.
MR.. J. W. PORTER's VIEW ON THE
SITUATION IN VIRGINIA.

SITUATION IN VIRGINIA.
Editor National Republican: Mr..
Fans letter in Republican of the
25th Is likely to give a wrong i'm
preston as to the condition OF af-
fairs in Virginia.
He talks large of maiorities and
of having GA delegates left, after
the withdrawal OF GS, as ne says:
WHY, bless him, there were not
800 delegates in attendance, nor
was il expected there would be,
for it is a part of the plan by which
the chairman can, under the power
he has, thwart the wishes of the
people. For what else is a dele
gated body of 700 people summon
ed from all parts of the state. but
that 1t enables him to use one or
two hundred illegitimatelyl Stran-
gers coming together for h @
first time are not permitted to
know anything of the credentials
of their co.delegates IN districts
other than their own. We charge
that in the last state convention,
held in Richmond, that the chair.
mans present extraordinary and
really autocratic power was SO.
cured, not by a choice of the peo.
pie but by his controlling the con.
yention, summoned just as this was
really to ratiiy q plan laid ont,
all cut and dried for use.
Some 700 delegates asked to
leave their avOcatlOns and pay
their bills, these hard times, in a
state which only calls about 100
men to make its lawsl
And for WHAT To name four del.
egates to Chicago and four alter
mates and two electors. Surely
they we're not called to provide a
more Republican organization of
the party. That was already pro-
Nided for, for it is stated that in
many counties no popular meetings
were held, and rs the chairman had
the power to appoint Tom, Dick, or
Harry to a craftsmanship of coun.
ty, it were an easy matter to bring
in two hundred delegates, named
duly, but represented by few proxy
holders appointed by him,
Why, sir, the whole thing Is a
burlesque on republican institu-
tons. Shenandoah county is
fair illustration. The regular chair
man, who had served three years
by election (appolnted also by the
state chairmanl, called the comfy
convention to meet May Z. May
Bird another chairman, Just appoint
ed without the advice and without
the approval Of the Republicans Of
that eounty-a man who aided to
defeat the Republican candidate
for the Legislature IN 1SS7-also
called n convention in the same
town to meet the same day.
The first named met, and the at
tendance was stated by reliable
gentlemen to be not less than 400.
It elected eleven delegates to at.
tend a district convention and the
state convention. This delegation
was headed by Senator Riddleber-
ger.
The other "cOnYentionD was COM
posed of the new chairman, mainly.
The statement is made that but
five Republicans attended, and it
was considered a good joke that
the editor of the Democratic paper
there was present and cast vote.
Now, in the name OF all that is
just and honorable, what was such
a farce originated fort
This man attended alone the
state convention, certifying his own
credentials and those of ten others
he proposed to vote where it would
do the most good for the man be
served.
Bear in mind, credentials, under
this self.praised "plan," that has
Virginia Republicans for
four gears, must be certified By the
county chairman. In this case an
not recognized by the
treemen of SYSTEMATICALLY
OF course this made him the del.
egation from Shenandoah, and he
was recognized on "prIma tacie'
and was on the floor and
platform as such.
And the freemen OF the great Re.
publican county of Shenandoah
were DISTINGUISHED that sour man.
agerial policy" might live, and that
Riddleberger, the "kickar' (the eu-
phOnious name Mr.. Elan has here
tofore used to dignity all who pro-
tested against the workings of this
most monstrous SYSTEM, might be |
killed as a delegate.
This was IN the "broad sunlight |
of publicity and known of all men.
The indefensible plan of organi.
cation which presents such enor.
mOus abuse of power is what we !
protested against, and it is what |
we intend to combat until 1t is
broken. The enforcement of the |
unit rule in a fairly represented |
is a light matter COM
pared with this,
Mr. ELAN knows that entire coun-
ties against 1t. He knows that |
all the Republican papers but one |
little sheet, are earnestly against
the present plan of organization.
Why, at our county convention |
in this great central county of AL. |
there was not one voice or |
vote for that or for the unit rule.
Mr.. Elan asks: "What law au-
thorizes these men to pursue their |
course of factious dissension and |
Reorganization, in defiance of the
regularly constituted representa-.
tives of the people and party, sup
ported by the almost unanimous voice
of our Republican voters ?" Italics
mine.) Our Republican voters, he
SAYS. Surely with the means of
knowing which he possessed he
canuot mean all, for he must have
seen and heard the storm coming.
He must have known that entire
counties were against him, and
been full OF it for months.
He is a newspaper man and must
read. Can it be that he is so blind,
ed by his zeal in UNFOLDING "Our
managerial policy that the reveille
Of revolt alone can awaken him
But for the law, he asks. 1t is