Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-12-02
Ed,tor Of SPECTATOR:

Y0nT GOlCOIldl O4 uAO S-As~>>ss
go ~ Baltimore rewards the South |
I'D ;ts neople. has been republlshed
nv the baltimore Morning Herald I'M
der the heading IAN Extraordinary
Viaw of Baltimore" Under the cir
cnmstances. your view is not extra
ordinary. but natural. All you say as
to the former feeling of the Southern
ers toward Baltimore is true, and to a
GREAT extent was reciprocated IN days
gone bv. But since the South ceased
TO acknowledge Mr.. Cleveland as the
great. the typical Democrat, and took
The liberty of differing from him on
important public questions, sne mas
not been in the good graces OF the lead
ing citizens of Baltimore. With the
Baltimore Sam as their political blble,
the latter have been trained to beileve
that Grover Cleveland is the greatest
statesman the Democratic party has
ever produced, and that every utter
ance of his should be received in some
what the same spirit that the words OF
Washington would be believedswere
he now alive. It is hard for@one VINO
| has not lived for years1-in THIS atmos-
phere TO realize its extraordinary IL
| fiuence. Ra6sO potent Is IL. bnat IL
has caueed g material change IN the
sentiment of many Baltimoreabs TO-
ward those who feel differently on the
subject; and the South is regarded as
the section where the icOnoclasts OF the
iCIeyeland-idol are strongest. This,
/ with the class of Baltimoreans referred
to. is the objectionable sin; second only
| to the offence of free silverism. The
first might possibly be condoned, II
not forgiven; the second renders man
| q pariah in politics and deprives him
i even OF the rights due an honest bellig-
erent. The free silverite is regarded as
either a knave or fool. Ifintelligent
enough to understand the arguments
pro and con the free coinage of silver,
and he still advocates the same accord
ing to the Chicago platform, he 10 re
garded as dishonest man who is will
ing to repudiate his debts and dishOnol
the credit of the nation. If he be un
tuuestionably sincere in his support OF
the free coinage of silver, then ne epst
fGctO is classed as a man who ls mental
lily lacking. This may sound to Vir
ginians like exaggeration, but couit
Ii they but be iu the company OF one O
! the representative gold democrats
|. Icf Baltimore for few moments ane
hear his opinion of the Chicago plat
! form, free silver, and Organism" II
81 general, they would admit that tn
. case has been understated, rather thar
the reverse. It may be said that op
, position to Mr.. German is the reason
3 SO called democrats do not support tn
3 ticket; but Mr.. German was not can
didate when the State gave over 30, OO
majority for Mckinley.
You say you looked to Maryland. O
: rather to Baltimore, for support ant
: sympathy in your struggles agains
REPUBLICAN domination and to Obtain
relief from financial distress. YOU
! might as we'll have looked to Vermont
! l say this calmly and dispassionately
q Vermont is not more earnestly Opposed
to you, 60 far as your political opinion
are concerned, than is the class of Bal
q timoreans whom you used to look to a
:, your friends and sympathizers. Nay
q more; they hate You politically NOR
than they do the republican party
:, This is proved by the fact that the.
Ii voted with the republicans for McKin
n ley, and have announced that unde
!. no circumstances can they ever Civ
their support to a candidate running
on the Chicago platform or one EN-
bracing the sama principles. As tn
a democratic platform is the Chicag
A platform and as the Sonth is demo
ing you help and sympathy, they viii
e Join your enemies in defeating you
!, henceforth and forever. This is To
n situation in a nutshell The writer
though not born in, was brought NJ
and sdpeated in Virginia, being al
? ezepe of Roanoke College and the V. N
+ L., and fully appSeciatag the feeling o
i Virginians toward Baltimore, az Sc
forthin the SPECTATOR. while he sin
tcereIy regrets the termination OF tn
" old spirit of hearty sympathy, soEi
q | peniaI;tv and admiration which, fron
), the foundation of the Irepub bic unti
:. the lastfew years, marked therelatien
of the two localities The eaHses whicl
t have produced this fasulp aye varied
+ and wonld form the.title for al intes
O esti0g article on modern sociology. bu
are entirely Beyond the scope OF thi
hasty summary. Ehey may DE merel.
} enumerated as follows GlOGer athlia
Y ton with the Northern centres, inter
q course with the society of New York
bar Harbor, Narraggansett, LenoI
etc; the influence Of English manner
r and cusfoms: tbs habits Of life induces
Q by wealth; tbs e5!1catfop Of Maryland
: youth in northern institutions, the in
. fiuence of the banking element ct Raiti
more; the traits of character found il
:. the personnel of the Southern Colony
q of Baltimore; the lapse of time, and
4 | the com parative ignorance concerning
ths South and it's people by the pres
. ent generatios Of Rattimoreans. Thu
feeling now, among a esstgin class o
the citizens of Baltimore in regard t,
the South. is one of resentment for 1T
ipart taken in foisting the ''populisti'
Chicago platform and Bryaniem" OF
: the pemacratie party Their idea O.
!, the modern Southern statesman is {
composite Of the typical Kentucky Col
9 onel, Pitchfork Tii!maa and Galone
r Carter, of Gainesville.