The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-10-01
Mai i W Daniel IN staunton.


was to make fair weather with the Ali
ance, and to show that he could out
herod Herod in the PRONUNCIATION OF
ragged, impracticable and revolutionary
notions. If there was any phase OF
agrarianism that Major Daniel did not
project and maintain it would be diff
cult to mention it, as it affects the finan-
cial and business relations OF the coun>
try He arrayed himself against the Ne
tional Banks; in favor OF free money,
as he termed it, or free coinage OF silver,
for tree trade; against capital and for
free spoils of Office. The extravagant
excuses of his positions would arrest
the harm that is in them, were they not
set in such graceful phrases and present.
ed by such splendid defamation. Dan
iel is master of the art OF oratory. HIS
mannerisms are almost faultiess MS
language chaste and eloquent and his
power over an audience next thing to
supreme. 1t is these gifts, more than
the force of his logic, which impress the
mass of his hearers, capitiyate their feel
ings and lead them after him without
knowing precisely where they are go
ing.
Were it probable that Major Daniels
views of public questions could be
enacted into laws, there would be grave
apprehension for the welfare Of the
country. Fortunately, Jacobsen, or
that which is akin to it, cannot take
deep root in American soil. The conser-
vatiye influences growing out OF mate
rial possessions and business ramlfica-
lions are too strong and steadfast to al
low the successful approach and iodg-
ment of doctrines which would be de-
structiye of all the safeguards OF society
and the interests of business. Property
is so universally diffused in this country.
that the normal condition of the people
| is conservative. Swayed by appeals and
narrowed up by figures of speech por>
traying ills that do not exist, there may
be passing moment of dissatisfaction;
! but, reason soon resumes its authority,
and the mind returns to safe and healthy
channels of thought.
Major Daniel knows as we'll as any
other public man, that the free coinage
of silver dollars and giving them the
quality of legal tender is nothing but a
fraud. 1t would be forcing upon the
people currency that is not what 1t
pretends to be-a dollar worth 100 cents.
He knows that to repeal the national
/ ho ON
j that is predicated upon them, would be
to abandon the safest and best financial
system ever devised for any country, and
that to do so would be to return to the
old State banking system and wild cat
currency, affecting injuriously all values
and deranging all business regulations.
| He knows that free trade would strike
down the pillars of our vast industrial
fabric; transfer American workshops
across the waters; quench our furnace
fires; arrest material development; i'm
poverish the labor of the country; bank
rupt the public treasury; destroy nation
al credit, and reduce the government
to the pitiable and lamentable condi-
ton it was in 1860, when it was not able
to make loan of few millions of dol
lars for less than 70 per cent.
Major Daniel would not seriously have
projected his revolutionary notions had
he not known that there was no proba-
bility of them ever having practical APP
plication and force 1t answered the
purpose of the occasion, to chime in
with the agrarian notions first promnl-
gated by the Alliance, but which are
! being fast abandoned by the more con
servative members of that organization
but there We're very few thoughtful men
such doctrines, so attractively presented,
were too dangerous and socialistic to be
seriously held by any Yirginian claiming
to be statesman or holding the high
legislative position that Major Daniel
does 1t was pandering to the presum-
ed ignorance of the people. and appeal
ing to their presumed selfishness and
cupidity in way that reflected no
credit upon Major Daniel himself,
whether his views as expressed were the
result of policy or conviction. Would it
be supposed for moment that Baldwin,
or Stuart, or Niche, or any of the strong
men of Augusta, who have addressed the
people in the past from the same stand
that Major Daniel spoke. would have
come down to the deipagogue's level to
which Daniel reached, for the purpose
currying favor with an organization be-
cause it has numerical strength and au-
dacity? Neither Baldwin. Stuart nor
Niche, would ever have thought of as
Stunning such a humiliating position.
They essayed to instruct the people, and
arguments and opinions and advice, and
endeavored to impress conservative ideas
and policies upon the public mind. But
times have changed and men have
changed with them. Instead of such
men as Stuart and Baldwin and Niche,
seeking to direct the people on safe and
conservative lines, we have Daniel and
Tucker, ranting and tuning about the
| expressions and wrongs of the Masses
! the despotism of the government; the
| enormous evils of the laws, and prescrib-
ing agarianism and socialism, in effect,
as d substitute for legislation and poll
cies, which have brought the country to
its present unprecedented prosperity,
and raised the government to it's present
high position among the nations of the
earth.
1t is misfortune to State and to a,
country that one so gifted as Major
Daniel should use those gifts to delude
and misead and to inculcate false and
dangerous doctrines. He could be
useful did he think right and dare to
do right. But to project such ruinous
notions as did Major Daniel last Monday
and Mr.. Tucker few weeks BEFORE and
declare their belief In their practical
merits, is either to confess to ignorance
of the nature of our institutions, or a
willingness to pander to popular feeling
and prejudice, for the sake of votes.
The times are certainly out of joint,