Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-24
THE REPUBLICAN GAME.

The Boston Herald says that apparently
the only raison d etre FOR the Republican
marty in virginia is to feed on Federal
patronage, and that that is the only CO.
besive power manifesting itself at pres
.ut in Virginia Republican ranks. Inc
Herald is right rs far as it sees, but II
sees only half way into the situation
There Is another cohesive force in the
Republican party of Virginia. and 1t CON
sists in the hope of another Hanna bar
rers being rolled into the State.
our contemporaries at the North, both
Republican and Democratic, understand
as well as we do the unmiugated hypoc-
risv Of the Republicans OF Virginia raising
the cry of "honest elections" and they
are laughing in their sleeves over the
spasm OF virtue that seized the Repubh-
can committee when II met in Lynchburg'
They also know that the Republicans
stand no chance of capturing the State
this fall. But they do not understand
what the "honest elections" cry is in
tended to obscure. what is behind the
fight the Republicans have announced
they will make in the legislative districts
and on what they base their hope of re-
ceving another barrel
The state senators to be elected this
fan will have a voice in choosing sue
cessor to our junior Senator in the Con-
gress Of the United States, and whatever
else may be on the programme of the
Virginia Republicans for the November
election, 1t goes without saying that they
will bend their energies largely to the
work of attempting TO SECURE as many
State senatorial seats as possible. The
securing of senatorial nucleus in the
General Assembly will be the direct
stakes for which they will play, and If
they can capture any House seats, create
discord and division among the Demo-
Gratis as TO House nominees. and thereby
weaken our majorities they will, they
reason, have increased materially their
prospects as 10 the Legislature TO be
elected two years hence.
OF course, this is case Of counting
chickens long time before they are
Matched. but when it Is remembered what
the election of a United States senator to
succeed Senator Martin may mean for
the Republican party, it is not unreason-
able to suppose that Hanna could be in
duced TO supply the incubator deemed
necessary for the Experiment.
our belief is that the chickens will not
hatch. But we cannot afford TO take any
risks. And the way 10 eliminate all risk
Is to fight the present fight just as If the
Republican party had put regular ticket
in the field and had challenged US upon
the old lines and in the open. To allow
10 get abroad here the impression that
obtains In the North. that the Republi-
can party OF Virginia has no organization,
would be a grieyous mistake on our part
AS the Lynchburg News well says: Eek
perience teaches that the Republican
party is the best-drilled political organi-
zation that ever existed In this country
Republicans may quarrel in committee
and In convention: they may have per-
son9i dlsagreements and even personal
encounters. but when the election day
comes they march up TO the polls shoulder
10 shoulder like a band of loving bro
Tiers"
IL we will enter the contest bearing
these facts In mind, Hanna's incubator
Will prove as dead failure as did his
'honest elections method" save the
narki in the last presidential campaign.