Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-11-01

party, These men know better than any
other of our party can even imagine, the
perfectly natural and yet overwhelming
and absorbing devotion of their old asso-
ciates and comrades to what they con-
ceive to be the best interests of the South.
Nor do they Yield to these associates, in
their feeling or in the pride, which they |
feel in the part they bore in those old |
times" But after the lapse of those
deeds, they claim that political and econ
omic questions are to be- approached,
without prejudice or sentiment, and to |
be solved, upon independent Judgment
and conviction and it is their pleasing
task to present these from such point
of advantage free from and clear of the
" mad frenzy" of extreme men on eth
er side.
Nor do hesitate in presenting an il
lustration of my meaning, to refer to the
election law or force bill" as its enemies
term it, proposed in the last Congress and
now on the eve of its passage. In regard
to that measure. / would ask every ju-
dicious friend of the South, whether it
would not be better, instead of melting
the partisans of both sides to greater
fury by bitter and unsparing denuncia-
ton, to declare to the North, that she
wants no advantage, not honestly obtain
ed and will have no representatives not
fairly elected. Like the question of the
negro vote. it will never be settled in my
opinion by appeals to the prejudices of
the white man or by efforts to infiame
anew the animosities of the past though
infinitely small and unscrupulous men
may ride into Office upon such device. The
great and patriotic heart of the people
beats full of the consciousness that a
weighty and momentous problem is to
be determined by no such means.
In opposition to such appeal, l would
ask the voters of your district of every
class, but two plain and simple questions
and they are these First. Is it not the
fact, that in your very soul, your desire
to see free institutions perpetuated, and
the government, which, even if you fought
against it, you now believe to be, not
withstanding the imperfection that must
attend every human endeavor, " the best
the world ever saw, transmitted to your
children? l know there IS but one an
swer to this question in every patriotic
heart, and that is in the affirmative.
Second. Which is more likely to secure
your wishes in this regard. To allow
every man to vote and to have his vote
counted as cast, although it may some
times result in the election of a man
not acceptable to you, and you take
the chance of controlling that vote, white
and colored through education, through
the thousand relations of life, or other
wise, or to suppress part of that vote by
fraud, by perjury or by murder if neces-
sary.
Upon these two questions, would ap-
81 - L.,
every man protesting to be Christian,
to every man. claiming TO have that kind
ly heart there belongs to the true gen
tleman.
l regret most fervently that some big
Drained, high-souled man, from the Dem
ocratIc side of the last house of represen-
tatives, did not influence enough of his
associates to enable him to remove the
question of fair elections from the do
main of party strife, by the earnest de-
claration for the Southern people, that
they want no advantage, not honestly
gained, and are concerned about no law
that applies to the whole country alike.
Instead thereof, we have the old cry, 1.-The
South demands to be let alone. " the same
that refused before the war to consider
any proposition of emancipation, and
reached fitting climax of its folly in
the results of the war.
wish many others of our section would
say, let it be our pleasing duty, as true
friends of the South, to save her from the
distrust and hostility, which similar
course to- day will entail upon her and
instead of retarding, help her to press
to greater triumphs, her wonderful pro-
gress and development.
This reference brings up also the ques-
ton as to what is the true position of the
men of the mountains " of your State
and ours in regard to the tariff. Ought
they to advocate change of the tariff
policy of the country in the direction of
the Mill bill, or shall they approve pol
icy of protection for the sake of protec.
ton? That the Mills bill with its policy
of free raw materials, so dear to the
people of our !" coast cities, " such as Bal
timore, New York, &c, is inimical to the
interests of our two States, there can be
no doubt If that measure had been
more fully understood in the canvass of
1883, both States would have been Re-
publican, beyond all doubt. Many be-
lleve that they were Republican anyway,
though not so counted, The Mills bill
and the policy of free lumber, free ores
and free coal, free brick, free building
oHOhO anu Lice were 700 much |
for our people, and they repudiated it. |
Yet that is the policy of our Dem
ocratic friends to-day. How it must |
have chilled the enthusiasm of the |
shrewder leaders at Wheeling the other |
night. when Gov. Hill proclaimed to West |
Virginia, that what the New York Dem |
ocrats understood to be the party poll |
cy, was = free salt and free lumber " and |
he added mentally free iron ore, free
coal, free raw materials"
viii the people of your State aid these
coast cities in their efforts to find cheap
raw material in other lands, to be brought |
to them by cheap Ocean freights, while
their own forests and ore beds are to re-
main undeveloped = Will they not re-
allze that the new prosperity that has
come to them in part, is coming in ratio
to be measured only by geometrical |
progression, is the result of policy to
develop our iron mines. use our own
raw materials, and not draw them from
foreign nations.
what development would there have
been IN our States, had the opposite party
prevailed Let every intelligent man
answer.
Now, need our friends fear the cry that high
prices are coming, caused by the Mckinley
Tor me. Wheat and other farm products are
not too high, labor does not command TOO
much wages, far from 1t. / only wish that the
country could see again an era OF high prices,
SINCE experience tells us that such a period is
period of the greatest prosperity and the
largest returns to all.
With cheap manufacturers products there
ihust De also cheap farmers products The
latIhet cannot buy cheaply unless he sells
cheaply, and thus 1t is ali around the family
BOARD while cheap products and cheap wages
MAKE cheap living, cheap homes, woIpen and
cheap men. ~
! trust that It is the prayer OF every man.
VINO S, Valnes his family and himself above ali
sl lss IN ms world, to be delivered from the
p9ilcy mat tends In that direction
would submit 1t to your voter there 10 de-
SeLlnihe as 70 which of the two great paItiess
presents for their acceptance principles. thar
suits. ie-
surely the advocates Off protective tariff
nay wen invite discussion of their princi-
1ies either bv a campaign OF education, - or
n the press or upon the husting Wishing
'ur candidate In your district overwhelming
success. Truly Yours.
,, JOHN f. ROLLER
HARRISoNBURG, VA.