Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-10-06
Is this Snap Judgment?

Is this Snap Judgment
Gov. Tyler has with less wisdom than
usually characterizes his public acts
ordered an election to take place for
State Senator to fill the vacancy caused
in Mr.. Letcher's district by his eleVa-
ton to the Circuit Judgeship. lie has
also ordered similar elections to take
place in other districts, but Judge
Letcher's district is the only one we
propose to discuss.
Nothing could have been more useless
or untimely. 1t is true there were more
districts in which vacancies had occur
red. but as Mr.. Letcher was the only
''hold over Senator" his is the only dis
trict in which there will be deep inter-
est. In all the districts the general
State election before the next session
would have been amply sufficient at
which these offices could have been
filled. 1t is known how the people Of
this State have sought and fought to
keep State and Federal elections
separate, yet the Governor has mixed
them at this uncalled for moment. This
Congressional District has now the
hottest political fight going on OF almost
any district in the State, and if the
Governor had tried his best he could
not have fallen upon a plan to defeat
Judge Quarles so readily, as to have
ordered this election. 1t is most dis
couraging to the Democrats of this
district to have all of their work DIES
troyed, their hopes blasted, and their
prospects ruined, just when everything
was in the best shape possible, by such
an uncalled for and untimely injection
into our affairs as the election Of a
State Senator On this Senator may
depend a United States Senator, and
thus the election of State Senator who
will favor this or that candidate be-
comes of the utmost Importance, and
may to some extent, in fact it is GER
tain to interfere with, if not 0VershadoW
the election of Congressman. Many in
fluences will of course likely impreg-
nate the campaign, and the candidate
for Congress runs the risk of being
snapped like a jack knife, on court
day. Under no conceivable circum-
stances could such an election at this
late day assist the election of our Con-
gresham, whilst on the other hand it
is bound to impose burdens on him he
al of To hoo1
and under no circumstances was there
any necessity for its taking place. Why
then do useless thing? The Senator
has no duty to perform now, and we are
no more likely TO have an extra session
than an earthquake What then could
have induced the Governor to plunge us
into this trouble at this time? When
such a thing was first mentioned 1T
looked so unreasonable that those who are
accredited with ordinary good sense
laughed at the idea, and no man with
whom we have talked in the district
favored it. But it is now on us, we must
bear the blunders of those whom We en-
trust with public affairs, and who will
not or cannot see. Could this election
have been ordered on the score of econ
omy? No man will contend for it.
Was it ordered because there might be
an assembling of the Legislature before
the State elections in 1899? That could
hardly be probable. Was it ordered be-
cause the Governor thought the chances
better to elect Democrat now than in
1899 Such will not be contended. Was
it ordered because The Governor wishes
State and Federal elections mixed? If
so he is outside his party Oh such an is
sue, and ought to be disciplined at once.
Was it ordered because he favored any
particular candidate for the United
States Senate? This may be so, and
furnishes the only solution Of the ques-
tion now before us. The Senatorial
campaign has not chrystaliZed, and be-
fore the people are aroused or aware of
the motive and have had an opportunity
to expires their desire, State Senator
may be fixed in his seat, then the wishes
of the people may !'be damnedn as Van
derbilt and others have put it. No
matter how strenuously it may be de-
MED that this is not bit of 'snap
judgmF Mt" taken in behalf of some
United States Senatorial candidate, per-
sons are numerous who will not believe
the assertion, and snap judgments are
bound to be bOomerangs, just as Hills
February convention in New York put
presidential possibilities. The district
has little or no time to make it's choice.
One prominent Senatorial candidate is
with his command some eight hundred
away before the day of this election. Is
the Governor trying to defeat this can
didate or cut off any chance he might
have had to secure this State Senator
in his behalf? Reason, fair treatment,
good politics and every other motive
should have kept this election out of the
campaign in the Tenth Congressional
District, and if it should result in the
defeat of Judge Quarles, or in lessening
his chances of election, it will make
trouble in the party, and cause crimi-
nations and determinations without
end. How much wiser to have lat the
matter alone until our own State cleo
tions took place when in its proper