The Van Buren press., 1896-02-29
me Too., Press.EAgle.

seventy State papers that have expressed
. Il preference for Jones, and nineteen for
Clarke. in the pending Senatorial cam
paIgn. We are not sure that our
esteemed contemporary has listed the
Press Eagle in the above summary,
AMI If not desires 70 go on record a.
favorable . the re election Of Senator
Jones. Our reasons for this choice are
well expressed in an article repubiished
in these columns from the Batesy1lle
Guard. the substance Of which Is that
no one but Governor Clarke could
possibly be benefited by his succession
to the seat Of Senator Jones. The Gov
ernor accusation that the Senator is
trimmer on the financial question
and goidbug at heart, proves how
little there Is in the latter record with
which hisaepponent9an find fault. 1t
Is yell known TO the people Of the State
that Senator Jones has been almost per
nieiously active in the cause of free
silver, and in being 50 he has to a GER
tain extent cooled the ar1or of many of
ais long time admirers and most faith
ful supporters, who disagree with him
on this grave and all important ones.
tion. The fact that Governor Clarke
nominated Senator Jones as member
Of the committee on resolutions at the
Memphis free silver convention last
summer proves that the latter 3 fealty
to the white metal was unquestionable,
in the estimation of the former. at that
time and there is certainly nothing in
his subsequent record, in or out Of
Congress, to indicate a change IN his
financial views.
The second charge brought by Gov
ernor Clarke against Senator Jones Is
| also one that will not meet the approval
of the Democracy of the State. While
calling the Mckinley tariff law an
'abOmination. the Governor says.
in substance, that 1t was as good as the
present tariff law, and that had he been
in the Senate he would have permitted
the Mckinley law to stand rather than
vote for the I'M Democratic Wilson bill
which Senator Jones was largely instru-
mental in enacting into law. This
admission betrays a trait in the char
acter of Governor Clarke that is
singularly unfortunate In one who
aspires to the position Of law giver to a
nation in which there are so many con-
Aicting opinions and interests as in our
own. Governor Clarke is nothing If
not radical he cannot brook opposition,
and is not possessed of the tact. dis
erection or temperament so essential to
successful legislators. He is anything
but compromiser, and had he been in
Senator Jones position the Mckinley
tariff abomination would undoubt-
edly have still been upon our statute
books for he would have opposed the
passage of the Wilson bill, for which
Senator Jones worked so long and
arduously, and which has brought the
common people incalculable relief from
unjust and burdens0me taxation. That
all but one out Of total Of forty four
Democratic Senators voted for the
Wilson Jones compromise tariff bill
wodld have made no difference to
Governor Clarke if in his power, he
would have rendered any revenue
reform impossible if he could not get
the particular kind and quantity that he
| fancied.
! Governor Clarke is a brainy, pro
gressive and aggressive man, and in the
various public positions he has filled it
cannot be denied that he has ''done the
State some service but it is extremely
questionable whether that service has
earned for him the right to succeed
Hon. James X. Jones in the United
States Senate. The latter represents
all in party politics that Governor
Clarke stands for, and now enjoys so
great prestige, and is so happily
balanced mentally, that he can
accomplish more during one term of the
Senate than his opponent could hope to
attain in an average political life time.
We by no means approve the intem
perate attacks and criticisms of some OF
the State press upon the private and
public record of Governor Clarke
believing that he has made the State a
capable and conscientious Chief
Executive, despite that ungovernable
temper, of which 50 much has been
said and written but for the above and
other reasons that may be advanced
from time to time during the progress
Of the campaign, the Press Eagle al
| present favors the re election Of Senator
Jones, and will continue to do so until
another Richmond appears upon the
field whom it shall deem better equipped
and more worthy to do battle for the
masses against the classes-an event by
no means likely TO occur in thi.
| lGnaatnrtal a. 1aagt