Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-29
GENERAL JAMES A. WALKER.
Why Tie VIII Vote for Milis-Ie Believes
Protection Is Right.

WHY lie VIII Vote for Milis-iie Believes
Protection is Right.
WYTHEv1LLE. Va, October q. 1890.
John ". Eckman, Pulaski City, Va. :
Dear Sir,-I am in receipt of your
favor asking my opinion as to whether
George Il. Mills is eligible to q seat IN
the Congress of the United States from
this district. -,
In reply to the question, quote the
second section of Articlel. of the Constr
tuition of the United States, which reads
thus:
.'No person shall be representative
who shall not have attained to the age OF
twenty-five years and been seven years a
citizen of the United States, and who
shall not, when elected, be an inhdbi-
fant of that State In which he shall be
chosen"
1t will be remembered that the post of
representative in Congress is Federal
office, and the qualifications OF the per-
son who shall fill it can only be present
ed by the Federal law.
The Consultation of the United States
has presented them in the paragraph
above quoted.
LIST. He must be twenty-five years Of
age.
2d. He must have been citizen of the
United States for seven years.
Sd. He must be an 3nhG6itdnt OF the
State of Virginia when elected.
He need not be a citizen OF the State,
but only An iahdbitQnt thereof when
elected. He need not be registered
voter, or have been an inhabitant for any
prescribed period of time. One weeks
residence will answer the requirement:
OF the law as well as year.
III Mr.. Mills is twenty-five years old,
has been a citizen Of the United States
for seven years, and is an iBha6itdJR o.
Virginia on the day of election, he is eli
gible TO represent the people OF the
Ninth congressional district of Virgins
In Congress if they choose to elect him.
You also ask me if it be true that l IN
tend "to vote for George |. Mills iol
Congress, and il so my reasons for SO do
ing"
AS am no politician 1t matters but
little to the public or TO private lndivid
uals how cast my vote, but as you are
an honest inquirer, and consider my vote
and "my reasons worth inquiring aftel
/ have no objections to giving them.
shall vote for Mr.. Mills for Congress be
cause ne is protectionist and because
his opponent is, in my opinion, very
very far from being one.
am for protection because l believe
that the best interests OF the people o
this district are now being promoted by
the policy OF protection, and because
believe change in that policy would b
ruinous 10 our people.
Protection has been the fixed policy o
the national Government Tor quartz
of q century, and was again approved b.
the election OF Mr.. Harrison over MIR
Cleveland in 1888; and it is unwise an'
hurtful to every branch OF business 4
continue to agitate and discuss an issu'
which affects NO many branches OF trad
and commerce and alarms and drives OF
capital and enterprise from our doors.
Does any man believe that withou
protection for our iron and coal W
would ever have had cokeoyen on tn
iht AOH. VI u VIM Iva =
chs Ninth district
Does any one believe that without
tariff on coal and iron we would hav'
had q New river. or Cripple creek, o
Chinch valley, OF Ohio-Riyer branch o.
the Norfolk and Western railroad ?
And without these could we have has
Roanoke City, or Radford, or o Pu
laski City, or Q Pocahontas, or an Ivan
hoe, or Big Stone Gap?
Without these developments, wher,
would our mechanics find lucrative EN-
ployment, our laborers good wages, oul
merchants customers and our profes
sional men employment? Our land
have quadrupled in value all along tn,
lines Of these improvements, and farm
hsse, by tbs enhanced prices, been re-
Aeemed and left their owners rich.
e psoSsction has done these things |,
~ pssk ] shall not abandon Y for 6ns