Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-08-22
Virginia Politics.

Virginia Politics.
HON. JACOB Yo9T AND SENATOR DANIEL,
AND REPRESENTATIVE LEE EXPRESS
THEIR vIEws-A WIDE DIFFERENCE IN
CONCLUSIONS.
The Washington correspondence of the
Baltimore Sun of the 10Th reports the re-
suit of an interview with Mr.. Yost as fol-
lows -
"Mr. Yost expressed great confidence
and satisfaction as to the outlook in Vir-
ginia 80 far as the republican party is con-
cerned. He predicts that there will be but
one republican electoral ticket in the field,
and thinks the State should roll up 20, 900
republican majority. He declares that the
State is safely republican with the tariff
question and the Blair educational bill az
the leading issues, and it does not lie in
| the power of the democratic party to carry
the State if the republicans stand shoulder
to shoulder in the approaching fight and
bury all personal differences. Continual
disagreements among the party leaders are,
of course, he says, an element of weakness,
but many persons do not care whether the
Malone or the Wise faction is in control of
the party machinery. They are principally
interested in their mineral lands and their
tobacco crops, and it makes but little diff
ference who controls the few federal offices
SO long as their individual interests are
properly protected. Although no formal
efforts haye yet been made to crystalize
public sentiment or organize the party
| forces. Mr.. Yost claims to have received
numerous letters from prominent demo-
Gratis in his county declaring that they can
not support the policy of the present ad-
ministration in the coming campaign. One
of his democratic colleagues in the House
showed him similar letters recently re-
| ceived from voters in the respective coun-
| ties. The system of protection is growing
| all the time in Virginia, Mr.. Yost says, and
| the democrats will not be able to elect a
single Congressman except in the eighth
(Gen. Lee's) district, if the republicans
will close up their ranks and march
together against the tariff reformers."
On the following day the same CORES
pondent saw Senator Daniel and Represen-
tative Lee, and introduces the following
from the Senator by remarking that both
take different view of the situation in Vir-
ginia to that expressed by Mr.. Yost:
''Senator Daniel says the campaign has
not formally opened in Virginia yet, but
the democratic hosts are beginning to
muster, and in a few weeks they will be
thoroughly equipped and organized for the
fight. He has great confidence in the Vir-
ginia democracy, and he does not believe
they are prepared to go back on the ad-
ministration that has done so much to
benefit the people in every section of the
country. He predicts that CleveIand's
majority will be materially greater in
November than it was four years ago. and
that at least eight democratic Congressman
will be elected to the next House. He has
made frequent visits to various parts of the
State recently, and he has made it a rule to
feel the pulse of the people in those sec
tions. While he may have found few
persons who are disappointed and dissatis-
fled about certain personal matters, the
rank and tile are anxious that the present
administration shall be continued, and are
also willing to accept the provisions of the
Mills bill as an evidence of good faith on
the part of the democratic party in redeem
ing its promise to relieve the whole people
from the burdens of taxation which now
Cypress Them"
The Wing prints and comments on Mr..
Yost's "roseate views" who is paired with
Mr.. Vance, of Connecticut, for the purpose
of coming home to assist in organizing the
Republican forces in his district for the
campaign. The Wing continuing says u
"We like to see man sanguine of his
party's success, but Mr.. Yost rather over
did the thing. Twenty thousand Republic
can majority in Virginia, and only one
Democrat elected to Congress out of ten, is |
SO unlikely and unreasonable that it will |
discredit, with level headed people, all the |
other statements of Mr.. Yost. Indeed, it |
gives an appearance of braggadocia to the |
entire interview. And then that statement
about letters from prominent Democrats
declaring that they cannot support the
policy of the present administration, sounds
decidedly "6shy." If there are any such
prominent Democrats in Augusta, they
have kept very quiet, and revealed their
conversion to Republicanism to Mr.. Yost
alone. We have not heard of them from
any other source.
Moreover, it does not seem probable that
one of Mr.. YOst's Democratic colleagues
would show him similar letters, even ad-
mitting that he had them. That is not the
way shrewd politicians act, and we hardly
think there is Democratic Congressman
from Virginia green enough to give his
party away in that manner. Mr.. Yost
certoinly did not know how ridiculous some
of his statements would read in cold print,
or he would not have talked SO unguarded-
ly to the newspaper man."