Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-10-20
Old School Democracy.

A correspondent of the Richmond
Times recently stated in speaking of a
certain Mr.. D. C. O'Flaherty who is now
opposing Mr.. James Hay for Congress
in the 18th District, and Col. O'Ferrall
were Democrats of the old school,
Just why Col. O'Ferrall was selected to
be placed in company with Mr.. O 'Flaher
ty by Mr.. O'Bryan's correspondent we
do not understand, but this is not the
question we now intend discussing, We
are going to try to find out what is
meant by democrats of the old school,
We have beard of "old line Wings" and
various aged, infirm and defunct bodies,
but the "old school Democrats, as they
now are termed, are new to us, and es
pecially is Mr.. O'Flaherty. He must
be a very "old school Democrat" if he
be one, whom the editor of the Spirit of
the Valley can support, and as for
school old, new, or any other kind, the
teaching has been of remarkable
character if it led up to obtaining Re
publican sheepskin. or one SO near Re-
publican that the Spirit, which is out
ragged at such Republican methods as
those adopted by John Acker and Rev.
A. P. Funkhouser is pleased with, and
can swallow him without seasoning or
condiment. Here are some of the re-
marks the Spirit makes about this new
found protegee. and "old school Demo
GRAFT"
sd. G. O'Flaherty, who is the indie
pendent candidate for congress against
Hay, was poor boy who had to work
for his living and for an education.
Commencing life as a poor boy he
bad hard struggle to obtain an educa-
ton, but with determination to win
be fought against adverse circumstances
with undaunted courage
Here, there, and everywhere through
its columns it tells what fine fellow
O'Flaherty is; it prints from the Mt.
Jackson Journal the panygeric OF
O'Flaherty, of which the following is a
part
''HiS necessities were such as to force
him to leave home when mere boy
and seek employment where it could be
had. This he did, and he worked on the
farm, in the back woods, and in the
mines during the spring, summer and
fall months, and went to school in the
winter off of the money he had thus
earned by his toll and saved by a rigid
economy"
O'Flaherty is certainly all right. He
took B. s. degree at some norma! col
lege, the Journal says; then he took a
two-years' course in law at Washington
& Lee, and carried therefrom D. P.
Then he settled down at Front Royal
and has been practising law there ever
since. This last is startling and could
not be believed, did the statement not
come through the aforesaid veracious
sources. Strange as it may seem, how
ever, he chose this narrow sphere. To
this the Spirit adds
"Now, a man of this character de-
serves the support of all the people. He
knows what it is to be poor man and
sympathizes with the farmers and
laborer and understands their needs"
Remember, we are saying nothing
against Mr.. O'Flaherty, o, no. But
what has tolled the Spirit off on this
trail Good men can be found any
where; poor men certainly can, and in
great numbers just now; few can be
found who sympathize with the farmers.
For congress, it is usual to support men
who have some political ideas or prin
ciples. If Mr.. o Flaherty has any, the
Spirit has not mentioned them. To
support a congressional candidate be-
cause be started poor, or worked in the
'back woods" or the mines. has not
been the custom of the Spirit; to sup
port Democrats of the old school, or new
school, or any other school is new de
parture by our esteemed contemporary.
True, Mr.. O'Flaherty was opposed to
the war, but this is not quite enough
to fight over, or even to base creed
upon. That is dead issue, the war is
ended, though possibly this fact has
not yet reached Harrisonburg. Yet, if
Mr. O'Lewis supports Mr.. O'FIaherty,
and he, Col. O'Ferrall, and Mr.. O'Bryan,
Of the Richmond Times, are true Demo-
Gratis of the old school, does not this
prove that Mr.. O'Lewis, of the Spirit of
he Valley is, OIL is very close to being, a
Democrat of some school ? If so, the
Democrats are glad to welcome him, be
cause to have had such recruit to
Democratic ranks was never dreamed
If.
Mr.. O'Flaherty has doubtless many
7irtues; it is nothing to his discredit |
hat be started in life poor, most OF us
lid the same, and-naked beside; to have
continued long in the practice of the
aw at Front Royal would argue strong
that be is still poor. and while finan-
ial poverty may excite deep sympathy
q the kind -haartad pditOr of tho Shirt |