The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-08

jority of such voters in this city would
be to make very mild statement--of one
of the grossest political usurpations that
has lately occurred in this locality. The
city of Roanoke can always be counted
for Democratic majority when the
methods of those entrusted with the man
agement of the affairs of that party are
legitimate and proper: but, when would
be leaders ignore the first principles of
popular representation, they must expect
to be called to account for their. temerity
and be 1Sapared to suffer the conse-
In this age of enlightenment and of
newspapers as opponents of the popular
will it is always customary for political
parties to give due notification through
the types of all neutrality-suspicious. of small
or great Importance. The gentlemen in
charge of the movement for q meeting
last Saturday night, however, chose to
disregard all presidents in such matters
and, as the results proved, acted accord
ing to their own sweet wills. The word
by special invitation that meeting was
to be held, and without any printed notice
whatever they met and proceeded to select
such men as they saw fit as delegates to
the State convention. The fact that these
men are to be voted for by the Democrats
of the city on the 10th-- instant amounted
to nothing. These delegates to their
minds were already selected, and the pri-
mary was only to be u. ratifica ton of their
imperial will.
1t did not apparently once occur to
them that their action would revert to
the injury of good men who were candi-
dates for State Offices. 1t was sufficient
for them to know that they were still
paramount il. Roanoke politics, and as
such, in the distribution of places by the
coming State administrations entitled to
the first consideration; but we apprehend
that not single one of the gentlemen
who are supposed to oe the beneficiaries
of such star-chmber procedures will,
when they come to know the real situa-
ton here, thank their alleged friends for
their previousness and for .the summary
in which they disposed of all
claims.
The meeting last Saturday night was,
however, one of the first evidences re-
Gently of an effort on the part of the dis
credited machine to lift it's head and
again get hold upon the Democratic
party in Roanoke. That the list of can
didates to be voted for at the coming pri-
mary embraced the names of some good
and unobjectionable citizens is not sur
prising, and they..will no doubt smile at
the truculency and sycorhancy of few
political place-hunters who have already
been rejected and stand discredited be-
fore the people. The real leaders of De-
mocracy thoroughly appreciate the situa-
tion, and the efforts of he old crowd to
again get on top would appear ridiculous
and amusing but for the fact that their
methods are disgusting to those who adj
mire manly independence. To--see them
fawnpg upon those who helped to defeat
them is "A sight to sicken the gods; but to
the place. hunter it is everything to win.
The Democrats of this city will not, it
is believed, he blindly subservent to the
dictates of such an oligarchy, land unless
more open and proper methods are pur.
sued by them in recording the popular
will the boasted majority predicted for
this section in the State election will
wither into nothing under the stern
blasts of popular condemnation.
ANOTHER STATE CONVENTION.