Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-08-24
The Impending Struggle.

w. Button, of neutrality-suspicious. a
long communication in the Lynchburg
Neaos, the concluding portion OF which
we copy and request our readers to
ponder and inwardly digest.
''Our people, and especially the agrl-
culturists complain, and not without
reason, of the laws by which they are
oppressed. But who enacted them ?
The Republicans. 1t should be sum
Gent to say that the Democrats have
not been in full coI-sfof of the govern
ment for .lore than thirty years; so
that all they have been able to do in
that time was to check the tendency OF
Republican legislation to centraliza-
ton and extravaganza. The great trust
companies that attempt to destroy
competition, which is 1.-THE life OF
trade. 'are the direct result of Republi-
can legislation. The robber tariff,
which loads down with protective
duties, to create monopoly, and OPP
press the farmers-not only by onerous
taxes upon the implements of hus-
bandry, but in partially excluding
them from the markets of the worlds
Republican contrivance, to make the
rich richer and the poor even poorer
None of these evils can be traced to
Democratic legislation. And yet, we
find some of the compliments in Vir-
GINA forming third party, that can
not relieve them if it would, but will
only be helpful, in the Southern States,
to the party that is directly RESPONSE
BILE for this aggregation of monstrous
evils. and therefore tend to perpetuate
them
If time permitted, a review might be
INDUCED here of the history of third
parties, mere go-betweens, in this
country. They have always been
ephemeral. The latest efforts in this
direction, will share the fate OF their
predecessors; while the old party
organized on the lines laid down in the
constitution will preserve the wonder
full vitality that has marked its career
for an hundred years. Let the am
bilious and self-seeking, who are in
haste to secure recognition, be warned
by that history, which is in itself,
philosophy teaching by examples.
The Republican party, weighted
down by its many iniquities, which
have driven from its ranks large
number of it's former adherants, now
numbered with the sturdy Democracy
know full we'll that it can only succeed
in the pending election by the vast
contributions of the Carnegies and the
Wanamakers whom it has enriched by
it's pernicious legislation. 1t will, in
the language of one of its former
Chiefs ''fry the fat out of the rich
manufacturer" to supply the means OF
corrupting the voters. But even this
will not avail, if ''the solid South"
maintains its political integrity as in
the past; firmly resisting every means
that may be employed to disintegrate
it, or weaken its attachment to the
principles of true Democracy.
"A word or two more. Let us sup
pose, as is highly probable, that Cleve-
land and Stevenson can be elected
without the vote of Virginia. And let
us assume further, that such may be
the case. Whata figure the Old Domin-
ion, the mother of States and states
men would cut as a tail to the Harrl-
son kite, without so much as single
third party electoral vote to compen-
safe the authors of this disgrace to the
lowly old Commonwealth Bound in
chains to the chariot wheels OF the
chief promoter of 1.-THE infamous force
bill ~ What a tribute to pay for the
existence of third party in such a
contest as this !
But looking little further into the
vista before us, let it be imagined that
the third party diversion shall throw
the election of President into the
House of Representatives What then?
Why, Mr.. Cleveland would be elected
President by a Democratic House, and
Mr.. Reid, of the New York Tribune,
would be chosen Vice President by the
Republican Senate, with the I'M
questioned right of succession in case
Mr.. Cleveland should die in Office. And
what part will old Virginia elect to
take in contributing her full share to-
wards either of the results above indi-
Gated That is the question. Let our
dissatisfied people of Democratic ante
cedents range the whole field OF posi-
bilities, carefully weighing the dangers
that threaten, and act solely with
view to the best interests of their Com
monwealth, the South and the whole
country.
We need not more than hint of one
other of the trains of evils that may be
brought upon Virginia in the form OF
what Governor Cameron designated as
"a certain malign influence" in case
many of our party cut loose from their
Democratic mooring, beguiled by the
folly of the third party experiment.
Would we have "MahOneism" rampant
again one of the greatest of all the
train of evils to which we could be ex-
posed p
PACING RECORD LOWERED On
Thursday last at Washington Park,
Chicago, Hal Pointer paced mile in
2 minutes and ST seconds-t quickest
pacing ever done. Old Johnson, who
paced his mile in 2064 October, 1884, at
Chicago West Side Driving Park, has
been dethroned, and Hal Pointer reigns
in his stead.
Elk Senator John G. Spooner was un-
anilnously nominated for Governor by
the Wisconsin Republican State Con-
vention at Milwaukee Wednesday, Au
gust nth.