Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-08-12
To The Stanton Daily News.

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most loyal and cordial support, and to
exert the influence of which it may be
capable, let that be great or small. In
so doing it shall not be deferred by
any power. nor abate It's advocacy OF
what it believes to be right, on account
of any person or thing. 1t realizes
that the democratic party whose nom
inees it has never bolted, whose prin-
ciples it has always espoused. and OF
which it has always been an humble
and faithful member, has a great fight
before it. 1t has the combined money
power of this country, and possibly OF
some foreign countries, it has all the
corporations and trusts. all the mines
and manufactures, and a small con
tingent Of its own party which has
suddenly grown too virtuous for It's
teachings, arrayed against it. When
such enemies are to be met they can
only be overcome by a well organized
and determined opposition. In enter
ing this fight, we do it imbued with the
belief that it is a fight for our liberties,
and that defeat means slavery of the
people, worse than that they now en-
dure, or have ever before endured. 1t
would therefore be unnatural If it
should not be made bitter and des-
perate struggle. In the advocacy OF
our cause, eve may at times say some
thing unpleasant, or may hurt the
feelings of some person or contempor
airy. This if done will arise, we hope,
more from accident than intention.
But when we see certain conduct on
the part of others, which in our opin-
ion is injurious to our cause, or when
false doctrines, as we think, are pro-
mulgated, we shall not hesitate to ex-
pose the actions, condemn the motive,
and attempt refutation ofthe doctrines
| 1t has been our misfortune never tC
mention the action of our neighbor
the Daily News, without calling down
upon our heads the ire of that journal
We may have spoken irreverently Of
it at times, but we did not think il
treason to do so. Our readers
Will remember that the News was
the offspring of the boom, that blight
of our city, that it has lived chequer
ed life, that in the brief life it has led
it has changed hands and views sever
al times, that in it's four and a hal
years of existence 1t has been blessed
with four and half editors. that il
could not long advocate any policy, be
cause Of its Kaleidoscope transitions
1t may be doubted whether it has beer
sufficiently settled, to ever have had {
policy. But it has undertaken many
roles. 1t has assumed in its day, SOW
ereignty over Nation, and State, anG
county and city. 1t has instructed the
Legislature, and Governor in State
craft. 1t has directed the charitable
institutions of the State, arranged
their boards and laid down rules as tx
their guidance and control. 1t hal
twice lectured the SPECTATOR OF
journalistic deceney and propriety ,ant
may have occasion to repeat the same
But as these are bygones, we will pas
them, and approach as rapidly as pos
sible the matter in hand
So long as the News remained il
the Democratic party we were, W.
thought, on the best of terms, bu
when it bolted, whilst we might credi
it with honest intentions. we could M
longer remain quiet locker on at it,
! actions. When it turned upon thu
people. and aimed its blows at thu
very heart of the nation as we believ
ed,-the agricultural interest-thenw WI
must be pardoned if we come to thu
rescue of those who have always beer
the mainstay of this government, bur
who have been and are now being sy s
tematically robbed, by the very people
and institutions in league with the
principles Of the News
We suppose nobody will deny, thai
the directory of the News, which SC
long floated proudly at it's mast head
has been hauled down.
Why, we will not pause to enquire.
We suppose nobody will deny, thai
that directory so proudly foated, was
almost entirely if not altogether com
composed of bank officials.
We suppose that nobody will deny
that the News has recently been much
strengthened in it's general mechan
ism, and ability to produce papers,
without any change in it's directory.
We suppose nobody will deny, thai
one month ago the bonafide subscrip
ton list OF the News, did not reach 1906
and that today the News is issuing
about 5000 copies.
We suppose nobody will deny, that
these surplus copies go, not to regular
bonatide subscribers, but are thrust
upon readers, and into homes without
solicitation.
We suppose nobody will deny. that
the issuance of these extra copies is
the result of plan, on the part of the
News Directory, to influence votes in
opposition to the Democratic nomi-
nees.
We suppose nobody will deny. that
thousands of copies of the News are
scattered daily along the lines of the
b. u 0. and G. & o. Rys., and that di
rectly or indirectly, these great corpor
ations, have assisted and are assisting.
10 the work.
We believe that nobody will 5eny
that the News has been furnished a.
cargo of campaign soap. and that 9th
er cargoes are available if necessary.
We believe that nobody will denv
that the editor, OR editors Or editorial
writers of the News, do not wholly die
tate, and direct it's financial policy. al
though no one denies their sympathy
with it.
We believe nobody will DENY. that
an enemy in the camp. is more to he
dreaded than one who is open and
a vowed ond ubo n,