Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-03-31
FRIDAY EVENING. MAE. 81, 1899.

tors by the people instead OF by the leg
islature we recognize the names of sew
eral gentlemen who are qualified to
represent Virginia at Washington as
Senator and whose names have been
mentioned in that connection. What
ever they may say is worthy of respect
full consideration, though the prevalent
suspicion that motives of personal am
bition may have inspired the move
mept is calculated to diminish serious
" the force of the address. But there
are blue spirits and gray among tn
siguers. We note several who were
not considered especially friendly to
the democracy in the last Presidential
election. A man who could be hostile
to us. or neutral, or Indifferent in such
q contest as that, and who thus indi-
rectly helped to intlict upon the South
this negroized administration, is not
safe counsellor for the people ofNirginia,
Still less is be to be followed, if he hap
pened to be a worshipper of Grover
Cleveland and s defender of mis- cor
rupt bond sales, his unexampled per-
fdy, and his gospel OF negro social
equality. Any one who could swallow
all that mess ought not to strain his po'
litical stomach because Of an old-fash-
Toned Constitutional requirement which
has caused Virginia to be represented
in the Senate by such men as
William Grayson, James Monroe,
John Randolph, William B. Giles,
John Tyler, VIM. G. Rives, James Bar
bour, Richard Henry Lee, James NJ.
Mason, Littleton W. Tazewell, BenJa-
min W. Leigh, John Taylor, Robt. NJ.
T. Hunter, John S. Barbour and John
w. Daniel. In the presence of such
great and honored names, we confess
our surprise at the hysterical character
of this address. Why do these gentle
men endeavor to spring ne" issue
upon the people, and in this exciting
fashion? They do not pretend that
thew have found a mares nest or dis
covered anything specially new. There
are doubtless many evils in the body
polite to be cured, but here is an old
remedy, nearly as old as celomel or
ialep, or Epson salts, and yet it is TO
work wonders. The next thing, it viii
be paraded like some grand quack
remedy for all our political troubles,
and it will be SAID that "the women
and children are crying for it, just as
enthusiastically as the hfty-two signers
of the address. Gentlemen signere
this is not sense, but enthusiasm. The
people are not worked up on this guess
ticn, as is pretended. They are not
concerned in any scheme of ambition
for retiring Mr.. Martin and putting
Mr.. Somebody else in his place. They
are a sober minded people, not given
80 tearing their shirts in these hard
times or hunting about for new issues
when they have a corrupt and profit
gate republican administration sitting
upon them and like vampire sucking
the last drop of their blood. They are
not over fond of coalitions They don't
care to turn aside from real troubles
and expressions to hunt up imaginary
evils. The vuItures Of Wall street, the
champions of the gold trusts, the engi.
neers Of all the trusts, the army con-
tractors, the enemies of the impoverish-
ed and suffering people of the South
these miscreants are in full view, and
the fight is now on between them all
and the democratic party led by VIM.
J. Bryan. What better mode of help
ing the common enemy than to turn
aside from the duty of the hour to set
up q row among ourselves and fuss over
some immaterial side issue? When fox
is being pursued and is hard
pressed it is only very young and in
experienced dog that could be diverted
by false scent and turn aside. Will
any man pretend that change in the
mode of electing U. S. Senators is go
ing to reduce federal taxation or raise
the price of land in Virginia, or relieve
the evils growing cut of the gold stand |
ard? But we are told that there are |
many shocking legislative scandals and
that the situation of affairs has become !
we'll neigh "intolerable." Such is the |
Indictment, but where are the specifca-
lions and the proofs? Some legisla-
lures have failed to elect Senators, but
this fact indicates the absence and not !
the presence of Doodle in the fight |
When has money been used to corrupt |
a Virginia legislature in the choice OF !
Senators? Who has been elected that |
wsy2 Name him gentlemen, and pro-
duce your proof. Whom DO you accuse |
among the members of the legislature? !
But conceding that money has been |
used i'll some States-not in Virginia !
it may be asked, is it worse in respect to |
the Senate than the House of Repre- |
sentatives? 1t may be that no money !
is used to elect member of the House |