Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-09-14
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER IA, 1899.
"THAT TIRED FEELING"

"THAT TIRED FEELING"
The Republican State Executive Com
mittee of Virginia has issued an address
advising against the nomination OF Repub-
lican candidates for the Legislature. The
reason given is the impossibility of getting
an honest election under the present law.
The address says: "For years our elections
IN this State, under the pretended forms
of law, have been miserable farces, and
the honest voters of Virginia, who are OPP
posed to unfair elections and dishonest
methods, have been powerless to give eX-
preston to their will. The dice have been
loaded against them" Of the truth OF
this statement no intelligent man has any
doubt. 1t is unnecessary to take Repuo-
lcan testimony to prove it. Democratic
testimony as to the criminal character OF
the election laws of Virginia is ample. But
of the wisdom of the method adopted by
the Virginia Republicans to fight this law
there will be much doubt. 1t will not be
repealed by sitting down supinely but by
educating public sentiment against It,
When the offices are to be divided the
Republicans of Virginia are not backward
about claiming their share, but when it
comes to making campaign for the party's
principles they appear to be troubled by
"that tired feeling. "-Philadelphia Press.
The Press is not alone in its doubts as to
the wisdom of the methods of Republican
leadership in Virginia. The readiness with
which the leaders have in recent State
elections expressed the uselessness OF
making any party fight, and the prompt
ness with which they come to the front in
national elections, 0ristling all over with
fight, is we'll calculated not only to cause
their political courage to be called in ques-
ton, but the honesty of the motives by
which they are influenced. A great many
Republicans in Virginia are impressed
with the belief that the situation in the
State is just what the constituted Repub-
lican leadership wants it to be, that the
chief aim is the control and enjoyment of
Federal patronage and rot party victory.
It Will he remembered that all those who
nov advise against any contest for mem
bers of the Legislature did the same thing
two years ago, Notwithstanding they had
in 1896 advised that a resoute fight should
be made to capture the State that year.
They were eager for fight and did not
hesitate, after the battle was over, to ap-
propriatc for each of themselves a big
share of the Federal patronage.
This thing of the Republicans in Vir-
ginia grounding their arms every other
year is getting a little monotonous. The
policy began in 1893 when General Malone
decided to have no Republican candidate
for Governor, and that no fight should
be made for members of the General AS
sembly. He advised the Republicans to
support Cooke, the Populist candidate for
Governor, under the pretext that it would
make a split in the Democratic party. The
Populist candidate claimed that he and
his followers were in favor of honest cleo
tions; but in 1896 we found Cooke and all
the Populists in Virginia uniting with the
Democratic machine to rob Mckinley of
the electoral vote of the State. That was
the way Mahone's effort to split the Dem
ocratic party in 1893 resulted.
In 1897 the present State Republican
Committee advised mastery inactivity"
and in some places the Republicans were
actually advised to support the regular
Democratic candidates. That policy not
only did our party no good, but We have
every reason to believe it resulted in great
damage. Witness the Congressional cleo.
tions last year, when the Virginia Democ'
racy succeeded in securing the returns for
ten Democratic Congressman from the,
State. That was the way the Democratic
party was split by the mastery mac
tivity" of 1897.
The methods of the Republican leader
ship in this State have been unwise, in
sincere and selfish. When the National
organization and the Administration real
ize that such is the case there will be
change in our leadership, and some hope,
by courageous education of public senti-
ment, of securing honest elections. The
pretext of securing reform from the Dem
ocrats by making a split in their ranks is
very stale chestnut.
-SoS
INVITATION REJECTED.