Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1890-11-19
4nKHooP, FRou wv FORK.
The Significance Of Democratic victory
--Thy the Local Reform" Increment
Failed to Vin--Does Experience INT
prore the Office Holder?
NEW YORK, November Z, 1890.


only a few words could be heard, but IN an
swer to the inquiry as to how he liked the
result of the late election the answer came
back bold and clear "Whoop" Let US
all 'Whoop Z" again and again. There Is
nothing marvellous about the word "whoop,
but what a vast amount of expression there
is in it just now How much good 1t does
the Democrat to say it, and how 1t rankles
in the heart of the Republican when he
hears it.
But we are all "whooping" for more than
Democratic victory. II, after the course
of the Republicans in the last Congress, in
which they adopted the the most arbitrary
methods, and cast aside the presidents of a
hundred years-a course which would have
transformed this glorious republic into
consolidated despotism-the country had
again gone Republican, then we would no
longer be freemen. The result of this cleo
ton proves the stability of republican in
situations, proves that the people of the
United States will not have their Congress
turned into a machine to do the will of Tom
Reed or some other ambitious bulldog in
dividual. Therefore, not only should Dem
ocrats rejoice, but all liberty-loying people.
But how must renegade Democrats feel,
those individuals who affiliated with the
publicans-whatever their excuse NAV
have been-now that such a glorious yicto-
nv has been achieved. And with what con-
tempt all honest men must look upon them.
There were a number of these sorehead
Democrats in New York who formed an al
lance with the Republicans, and put in the
field what they called a reform ticket. I'm
Ger the high-soundng title of the Peoples
Municipal League" they were going to
wipe Tammany Hall out and work wonders
generally, to say nothing of the fat Offices
which would fall to their lot if they could
beat the straight Democrats. But they fail
ed to succeed to the tune of 2l,000 majority
for the Democratic ticket And now there
is wailing and crashing of teeth among the
pseudo reformers, as well as on the part of
all those people who fought the Democratic
party.
The people were not fools and therefore
failed to see that this movement was
lofty and commendable one" T. c. Plat
was the individual of dark complexion hid
den in the woodpile. CHANGING at the ticket
these Performers" put in the field, its weak
ness became apparent at once. The princi
pal fight against Tammany was made on
the ground that its candidates were profess
sional Office holders. The weak ground
upon which the p. NJ. l.. crowd stood be-
came apparent at once when the record of
Scott their candidate for mayor was taken
into consideration, he having been an Of
fee holder of one kind or another for at
least sixteen years. As singular as it may
seem, too, a good salary was attached to ey-
cry office held by him.
But, paving no attention to the strength
of the ticket put up by the "reformers, "
the sinister couutenance of Tom Plat, than
whom there is no more astute political trick
ster in the country, was constantly peering
over the shoulder Of continuous ofice-hold-
err Scott. His nomination was dictated by
Platt, his campaign was secretly directed
by Platt. aud il Is safe to assume that If he
had been elected Platt would have directed
his administration. The Democrats knew
this. aud they came out on election day like
a mighty host to repulse Tom Plat, the
man who cheated New York out of the
Worlds Fair and who stands idly by while
the Census Bureau cheats New York out of
a Congressman by failing to count 100000
of her population. Indeed, he probably
lends a vigorous hand in this latest Repub-
lican fraud New Workers do not want any
such ''reformers," and that fact was demon
strated beyond the shadow of doubt last
Tuesday.
Then the p. NJ. L. ticket was brought in
to ridicule by semi.dude known as ollie
Teall, who had never been heard of prior
to his connection with the sickly reform
movement. This individual got lot of
pretty type-writers and ground out volumes
of utterly false charges against the Tam
many administration of the government
collie" furnished lots of fun for a awhile,
and thus we are under slight obligation
to him. But he became very tiresome be-
fore the campaign was over, and it is prob
able that now we have heard the last of
him-another thing for which we are thank
fol along with the sweeping Democratic
victory.
Then a religious tone was injected into
the movement which was strongly sugges-
tive Of hypocrisy Preachers neglected the
teachings of the gospel to preach politics
from their pupits, and they were led into
making many statements which they could
not substantate. The reasons l have set
forth so Disguised thousands of people with
the Peoples Municipal League that they
would not only not assist it, but did all in
their power destroy it.
Twill not say that reform is not needed
in New York, but the people have demon
strated most forcibly that they have no
sympathy with reform movement, the
whole foundation for which are sneers at
..:. -, ;4;,;.,,- - ,,r,fss-iorol ,ffca hold