Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-07-20
ALEXANDRIA.
SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 20.
The CHIEF planks in General Mahone'a

SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 20.
THE CHEF planks in General Mahone's
plstform next November will be two decia-
r.t,ons: one. in favor of the settlement OF
the State debt on terms satisfactory to the
creditors at the present rate OF taxation; the
other, in favor of high or protective tariff.
These two planks will be advocated and d.
lated and harped upon by every republican
newspaper and by every one OF General
Mahone's stumpers In the State. Those
who read the former and hear the latter
will zee and hear little else, and that, too,
notwithstanding the fact that to but few OF
them Ia the debt question of any conse'
ouence. and though, OF all the people In the
State thew reap the least benefit from hlgh
tariff. But, all the same, their ears WILL De
filed with talk of the advantages of set
element of the debt and oftbe alleged advan-
tages OF high tariff, from the commence
meut of the campaign until the end thereof
throughout the length and breadth OF the
State. And yet there are Virginia demo
Gratis who saw that "mnm's the woEd, and
that the platform to be adopted by the
Slate democratic convention snail ignore
both the State debt and the tariff. Well,
all the GAZETTE chooses to say at r:esael
OF the subject, is that tn ugh the democrat
ic convention may ignore both the ques'
lions referred to, the demoerstic voters Will
ignore neither one of them, and will de-
mand that their writers and speakers te as
Oman and avowed, and as clear and as e1
u!ioit, on both as the republicans will be.
Political speakers ir Virginia are subjected
to questions propounded by people among
their hearers. Suppose one of them. In his
oratorical fight from the misty mountains
to tn 4 sounding sea" shall be interrupted
by "horny. handed son Of toll" with the
question SIS my rich neighbor to be al.
lowed any longer to pay his taxes with cou
mons worth fifty cents in the dollar while |
am compelled to pay mine with good mon.
ey ?" Suppose another one shall ask him :
.'Are the mon whose election you are sd
vocatiug in favor of removing the tax Oh
whisky and oleonargarne. and retaining 1t
ON salt. sugar, clothing and the other me-
cessariss of life?' How many votes would
the democratic ticket be likely to receive
from that audience If his answer should be:
Flush, these are questions about which the
State democratic convention thought 1t wise
that nothing should be said. Let
the republicans talk as much about them as
theg choose but 1t ia better that We should
be silent, lest we lose the support OF few
who though calling themselves democrats,
advocate reputation and the republican
doctrine of protection "? The election will
take place in November. The q. 8. Su'
nrsne Court will render its decision in the
Virginia coupon cases In October. Suppose
that decision be, as is confidently expected,
in favor of the holders of Virginia bonds,
and the Virginia debt thereby become the
all absorbing question before the people;
can the democratic writer's aud speakers
continue to ignore it. and deprecate any al
fusion to it2 Tho democratic voters OF Vir'
einis are not simpletons; they do not think,
as ostrches do, that by sticking their heads
in the sand their whole bodies are conceal
ed. The assemblage to convene In Rloh-
mond on the 14th proximo will be composed
of men who call themselves democrats. Let
them be as their fathers were, good and
true democrats, and bold enough to aVow
their principles on every field and In every
presence, and let them tell the people OF
the State that they are sick and tired OF re-
pudiation, and of every thing that squints
that way, and that they agree with the Con-
stitution of their country, and reindorse the
cardinal princil lie Of democracy, that taxes
shall be imposed for revenue only. and shall
DE laid upon the luxuries, and not upon the
necessaries Of life.
The REPORT of the civil service commits
sion, in the case of the Milwaukee postoffice,
Gays:
''The official records show beyond posi-