Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-07-31
COMMUNICATED.
EDINBURG. VA, July %, IL

Mr.. EdltOr:-l nave never IequtbJeu
space 10 newspaper before, but | am
embroidered to ask it Of you because OF
your fairness to all parties, and your
manly stand for the right at time when
20 many Of our heretofore trusted lead
ers and papers have given up and gone
down before the mighty torrent of wrong
that is carrying on its muddy crest the
wreckage of the Democratic party and
the shattered hopes of all true lovers of
their country.
| have never been anything but a
Democrat and | loved the grand old
marty above all else, for in its principles
firmly believe rest the civil liberties of
the people and the only safety of our
government.
Feeling as | do, in this matter, my
heart grows faint within me for truly
the people misled aud betrayed seem to
have run politically mad.
Since the so-called Democratic conyen
ton IN Chicago, and that bowling mob
of fanatics and worse. that recently met
at st. Louis under the name Of Populists,
chaos seems to have cone again, aud the
thick darkness that may be felt" had
so euveloped the political world that a
CLEAN of light even as faint and transit
tory a. the glow Of the lightning bug
conld not be seen, for the majority of the
delegates to both conventions seemed to
carry their brains in the same location in
which the lightning hing has his lllumi-
mating apparatus.
But kind providence never intended
man to dispair, and It is always darkest
lust before the dawn. Help came IN the
very nick of time, and the modern Moses
is right here to lead us ont of the ldei
ness. This fully realized as doubtless
did all others, the moment | read the
editorial in the last issue Of the Gdiub nrg
Sentinel" headed "Our Ticket"
1t is hard to estimate the Joy, the de-
liclous sense of "saYel," that thrilled
every Democratic, and probably. many
Republican hearts ia old Shenandoah
and the outly ing parts Of Rockingham,
Page and portions of "GoOney Manor"
Mans gratitude at best is but a weak
affair, and we can only pray that
Heavens blessings may rest upon the
hand that wrote aud the BRAIN that con-
ceived ''Our Ticket" May the wine OF
eladness make his face to shine as the
sun at MONDAY, aud the oil of fatness-
ut we really forget What oil does, ex-
cept castor oil, ami we do not want this
great and good man to have any Of that
kind Of experience.
Bot to pet down 70 the wonderful WIS
dom with which "Our Ticket is thick, if
we can rake off enough of the beautiful
but rather rank-and as one fool, who
never could understand anything hut
plain English, said-green and meaning
less yerbiage in which it is preserved,
probably to keep 1t from the air, like
canned fruit and other good things, we
will take this for instance:
1.-THE nominees are stronger and better
than the platform. Let that be as II
may, we DO not propose to laud the nomi-
nees and at the same time Witty the
platform upon which they stand. This
would be neutralizing cordial. indeed
Right you are, Il would be nentraliZ-
lng cordial indeed. Why. sakes alive. it
would be worse than vermifuge.
And again he gives as another chunck
of wisdom OF the best quality when be
says:
"For our part we have no control over
the consclences of the people or influence
with other newspapers
For which let us all be very, very
thankful.
In another paragraph this wonderful
leader, this pillar of fire by night and OF
SMOKE by day, says:
"No one can be forced. No one can be
threatened successfully. Ia fact no one
has the power, aud if he had, would
probably refuse to exercise il; for you
may drive a horse to water bat can't
make him drink. No, no"
Now this is as clear as mud. Anyone
can see through it-as soon as 1t settles
50 fficlently, and while You are doing 1t,
don't tail to mark the force and beauty
of the, mo, noD
But the Gro wning glory Of the article
is embodied in the following:
"People are built differently, and
necessarily vote from different stand
points"
How true is this. 1t is only necessary
to refer to the poet from whom the
writer of "Our Ticket probably drew
his inspiration. and who said {;
"a girl will frt. and girl will mash,
Aud never give herself away,
But she can't scratch a match on the
seat Of her pants,
Because she amt built that way"
I really have not the time TO review
"Our Ticket" at greater length, but we
advise all who believe 10 the action OF
The Democratic convention to read
that wonderful production, and then they
will fully realize what "damning with
. faint praise" means, and how grateful
they should be for snch help.
Manson DRMOCRAT.