Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-04
CHANGES IN POLITICS
What is Suggested by the Proposed Cameron
Daniels Debate.
Views Of the Two Men COntrasted
With That They Held ON the
State Debt Question.

Senator Daniel has returned from his trim
abroad. and next week will take the stump
In virginia for silver. Tho sound money
democrats of the state are anxious to en-
gage MIN In joint debate, and have put
forward ex-Gov. Cameron as their repre-
sentative. Mr.. Daniel has not as yet re-
sponded to the proposition. If the two men
should confront each other in the campaign,
the spectacle, in the light of some very
interesting state history, would be most
noteworthy.
When General Malone inaugurated the
movement for readjusting the debt of Vir-
ginia, his principal opponent in the demo-
cratic party was Mr.. Daniel. The move
ment was denounced as reputation by Mr.
Daniel and his friends, who insisted that
heavy as the burden was and poor as the
state was. Virginia must at all cost pay
dollar for dollar. Any other course they
declared. would not only be wrong in NOR
ais, but would injure the credit of the COM
monwealth. They made that declaration
the keynote Of their campaign, and Mr.
Daniel headed a ticket for governor
General Malone accepted the challenge
and nominated a state ticket. with Mr.
Cameron as the candidate for governor
The platform demanded the scaling down
OF the state debt. An exciting canvass fol-
lowed. ard the Mahonites, called readjust-
the Ody. Mr.. Cameron was
elected governor, legislature on the same
platform chosen and the debt of the state
as scaled down. The states creditors
raised vigorous objection, and eminent
counsel were retained to contest the matter
Finally, however, after some wears of con-
troversy, the readjustment was accepted
10th by the states creditors and by the
Daniel wing of the democracy.
since then some radical changes have
been recorded III Virginia politics. General
MdhOne and his Dartv have pivan to
Mr Daniel and his party, and the democ-
racy boasts of having a pretty tight grip
on the old dominion.
But, strangely enough, Mr.. Cameron, who
in those readjusted times was denounced
as a repudiator by Mr.. Daniel and charged
with being an enemy Of the character ard
material welfare of the state, is now in
the ranks of the sound money democrats
and brings a charge of the same import
against Mr.. Daniel. Mr.. Cameron insists
that free silver means the reputation of
half the Indebtedness of the country, be
sides most seriously impairing the credit
of the country in all the markets of the
world. Nor will he allow that there is the
slightest excuse for such a proposition.
Heavy as present burdens may be. the
country, he insists. must maintain it's cred
1t and a sound financial standard, and pay
dollar for dollar in the best money on all
of it's obligations.
Among politicians active in the State
lively desire exists to have these two mec
meet. 1t would be very spirited contest.
Both are able men and fine speakers Mr.
Daniel is the better known, because of his
national office. but Mr.. Cameron ranks
high at home as rhetorician and debater
He broke with Gen. Malone after leaving
the governors chair. and has since lived
quietly at Petersburg. practicing law. He
returned to the democratic party several
years ago. and was one of the first to re-
pudiate the Chicago platform and romi-
nees. With the one man championing the
memory of the readjuster movement in
Virginia and at the same time sound mon
ey for the United States, and the other de-
nouncing the memory Of that movement,
while advocating free silver for the coun-
try, the debate would not lack for nice
balancingS and distinctions,