The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-07-17
Mr.. Relden,s Address,

Hon. Mr.. Belden, member of Congress
from New York, and Chairman of the
Republican Congressional Committee,
publishes an appeal to Republican edi-
tors in behalf of the Lodge Elections bill
The object of this appeal, as stated and
understood, is to influence Republican
Senators, who doubt the wisdom OF such
a measure, to support it i'll Difference to
Republican demands in the South.
In the first place, the appeal is a direct
reflection upon the intelligence and
manhood of Senators. To assume that
they can be influenced by bogus pc
titions and cooked up clamor, alleging to
come from Southern Republicans, is a
step in the line of bulldoZing, which it
is not likely the Senators will respect.
If the real sentiment of the conserva-
tive element of the Republican party
the element through which alone the
Republican party has possibility
of growth and responsibility in the
South-was known, it would be found
almost unanimously against the Lodge
bill Those who support it are either
office holders or men who have no indie
pendence of thought or action, and are
controlled by the Office holders. The
self-respecting class who vote the Re-
publican ticket in the South, as gen
eral rule, are opposed to any force bib
or intermeddling with election matters
in the South. While, as we have before
stated, it is competent for Congress to
pass an election bill, it is not expedient.
To enact such measure as the Lodge
bill, would have the effect to injure
rather than help the Republican party
in the South, and at the same time
retard material progress. The condi-
tions in the South are abnormal. Laws
applicable to other sections do not tit,
| in all cases, to the conditions in the
South, and if it is expected that laws
shall be respected. they ought to be, in
some degree, responsive to intelligent
public sentiment, when it is expected to
enforce them To act upon a mere
theory, without proper consideration OF
the facts of the case, and to adopt an
iron rule to apply to every locality alike
regardless of the social, political and
industrial conditions which exist, is moi
craftsmanship, nor calculated to effect
the public good. Nor can the interests
of the Republican party in the South
be advanced and the growth of the
organization assured by any legislation
which is well calculated to draw sec
tional and race lines and intensity the
prejudices which naturally grow out Of
such relations. Dissatisfaction exists te
large degree in several of the Southern
States with the Democratic administra
tions in those States The contentious
now progressing, in an aggravated form
among the Democrats in the States O
South Carolina. Alabama, Georgia ane
other Southern States, are the result
not SO much of the Farmers Alliance-al
thought that is the ostensible cause
as it is dissatisfaction with Democratic
administrations. and the manifestation
of a purpose to overthrow them wher'
they have become tyranical and cor
| rupt. The new movement is a cove
and an excuse to repel Democratic
despotic rule, to defy the power of the ma
chine and assert independence of caucus
power. The policy of the Republican
is to encourage this, and by so doing
would soon cause a break in the Demo
| Euo y,cfn +.
governments to the control of the oppo
nents of the bosses and the caucus
This can never be done under such leg
islation as the Lodge bill proposes. Thu
enactment of that measure into Law
would have powerful effect in driving
the Democrats together by drawing TIN
lines on race and sections, and thu
crystalize the party despotism agains
which revolt is now being made in thu
! States named.
The influence of economic question
is tending to the disruption of thu
Democracy in the South. The growtl
and prosperity of the South, by reason
of the development of the mineral re
sources of that section and the cOnstruc
ton of railroads to accommodate TIN
increased values and conditions as thu
Legitimate. fruits of the protective poll
cy This influence will continue tt
grow as new mines are opened, new
capital and skilled labor introduced ant
industrial strength augmented. 1t vii
be diverted the moment such bill a
the Lodge measure is enacted into law
There will then be new conditions
new bases of action, new considera
tions to engage public thought, and il
an incredibly short time, the who'll
trend of the thoughts and purposes ant
actions of the Southern people will b.
from industrial progress to politica
necessities. The result would be tina
the Republican party would diminish
dwarf and minimize until there would
be nothing left but few politica
traders and schemers, hardly wha
could be called an orgaization, to pla.
the part of cats-paw at National Con
ventions for party schemers and mer
cenary politicians, in the nomination o
Presidential candidate. All the grea
interests of the South would be para
lyzed and seriously injured to crafty thu
ambition of such so-called bosses, al
now pose as the opponents of Southern
Republican interests, but who hav,
neither the respect nor confidence o
Southern Republicans or Democrats.
1t Will be a fatal hlqnder, as it would
affect the Republicans of the South
and all equally fatal mistake. as it would
relate to the party throughout thu
country to enact into law the Lodge bill
or any other measure calculated tx
arouse race and sectional prejudices
and force back into the party ranks thu
dissatisfied Democrats who are nov
making war upon the Democratic or
CARNATIONS in several of the Southern
States.
The best policy is to leave the Soutf
alone. Forces. and influences are now a
work which will do more to break thu
solid South and disintegrate the Demo
cratic party than all the laws Congress
could enact. The mines being opened
the industries established, the railroad
constructed and the enterprise an6
capital flooding in from the North, viii