The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-09-05
September 5, 1889
Uses of Organization.

one may exist without the other. and
both exist independent of each other. (
And while organization is essential to |
the enforcement of principle and policy,
yet it may be perverted from its ostens1-
BILE object, by the designing, and used
to accomplish the very reverse OF that
for which it was instituted. Organization
is only to be desired in politics when its
power is directed to the attainment OF
good 1t becomes an engine OF mischief
when prostituted to selfish purposes, and
an enemy of society and government
when it is made to serve less interest
tn IN the public welfare. We recognize
at all times the necessity of party Or
ganization, where parties are formed with
an honest purpose to enforce principle
AMI to inaugurate policies, Whlch LOOK
to healthy government and the gooo OF
community generally but when 1t mas
ouerades in patriotic colors for the pur-
pose of effecting sinister, selfish ends,
and is used to suppress the very sentl-
III ant it ostensibly is perfected to attain,
it becomes duty to oppose 1t and e3-
pose the abuse to which it is subjected
and the harm to which it tends.
Under our political system the force
of education and association is powerful,
Abuse of power in the form OF organlza-
ton is sometimes tolerated even when the
etter Judgment condemns. Evil is fire.
uuentlv winked at that good may pos
sibly come out of it, and offensive meth
DDS and agencies are submitted to, III the
hope that in the ultimate result the prI-
mary object had in view may be accom-
pli she'd. But when evil and only evil
results. then to tolerate it is a crime-to
aid and abet it is to father enmity to the
State and violate the highest obligation
of the citizen. The way politics are run
in this country and the tenacity with
VIII oh the followers of party adhere to
their organization, it is a trying ordeal
to en- lure when the abuse OF power Is
such as to compel open revolt and an
appeal to the conscience and the man
hood of the public to justify it.
The plan of organization under which
the Republicans of Virginia have been
operating since 1884 was framed by Gen.
Malone and accepted in Convention
without it's monstrous defects being eX-
posed There were protests at the time,
but the full meaning of the power con-
ferred upon the chairman and the abuse
to which it might be perverted were not
understo I'd or realized until several years
afterwar Is. The despotic plan was de-
funded on the grounds of the peculiar
conditions that existed in number of
the counties in the State, which justified,
it was cl timed, the exercise of arbitrary
power to restrain the organization within
conservative limits. But when it was
found tn 1t this was mere pretext, and
that the purpose was to rule the party
through ,ut the State with an iron hand
to employ the machinery of party to
suppress public sentiment and to crush
out all manly protests, then the magni-
tude of the abuse of organization be-
came apparent.
The so-called convention which con
yened in Norfolk on the 22d of August
was an illustration. While IN some
counties delegates may have been and
were fairly elected, vast majority of
those who constituted the body, did not
represent the prevailing sentiment in the
State, and were there simply to record
the will of the chairman, regardless of
public sentiment and Indifferent to re
suits. 1t was practically a caucus called
together TO do the bidding of Gen. Ma
hone. 1t was a perversion OF all the
motives and objects of convention IN
the true sense of the term. 1t was the
creation of a relentless tyrant, de-
termined to rule or ruin, and to prosti-
tute organiza ton to enthrone himself as
absolute dictator in Virginia and to
subject the Republicans of the State to
his will and ambition-reduce them to
the condition of mere yassals to obey his
orders and submit to every humiliation
which he mi: sht see proper to impose.
Take the whole proceedings, from the
primaries. an IL the manner in which they
were called a I'd conducted, to the Con-
yention and it's pre-arranged results, and
there was nothing in them entitled to
the respect and support of self respect
ing Republicans. Indeed, self-respect
and res, ect for the Republican party
and hope for it's future, both in the State
and Nation. demand that the whole
scheme from beginning to end should be
rebuked and repudiated. and the coun-
try no fled that the Republicans of Vir-
ginia havh not yet been reduced to the
servile condition of slaves, wearing the
brand of Malone, Invested of every
manly Impulse and all manly courage.
In the sense that organization is used
by Gen. Malone, it becomes an engine
Of OF pressi. II and badge of degrade
ti,n 1t is the masters lash upon the
blcll of his seryile followers, to compel
them to obey his orders and do his bid
ding 1t is the surrender of all that
makes political parties respected, and all
that appeals to the reason and judgment
of the people 1t dwarfs and congresses
all questions affecting State and Nation
al policies into the simple one of Ma
honeism, and makes that the paramount
issue TO be determined in November
next. The Chinese-gong chatter in the
redundant and vapid platform about the
tariff, in. rlal revenue, popular educa-
cation, Sc, will deceive no one. FOrtu
nately neither is a practical issue in this
State canvass and all the sound and fury
and tink. ling of cymbals. which can be
made durin this canvass, will not di-
vert ait ntion from Malone, as the su-
preme issue, or impress those who are
Republicans from principle with any
apprehan sion as to those questions. The
platform Wa not intended for those who
will do the voting in Virginia. The peO-
pie have known too well that Malone
cares nothins about national interests
or any other, than those allied to his
selfish ambition. The high-sounding
phrases and plethoric platitudes and the
ranting verb iage of the platform were
intended for Northern ears and North
ern pockets. Not with any hope that
Virginia will vote her real sentiment on
the tariff or any other economic ques-
ton in November next. for this is i'm
Dossible as the canvass is shaped, but to