Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-09-07
EXPERIENCE A PROFOUND TEACHER

EXPERIENCE A PROFOUND TEACHER.
TIE hands on the political clock
have been moving toward the position
where they pointed unerringly to the
hour when Gov. Tyler's overthrow for
the Senate would be complete. But
so obtuse have been the Governor, and
q few enthusiastic friends, that they
could not believe the time had arriv-
cd. and so fought on. Augusta was
the bulwark of Mr.. Tyler's hopes.
Staunton, too, was counted on rather
sapguinely for him by some, but they
were those who See through a glass
darkly, and not face to face with the
signs of the times. Last Saturday was
the day fixed for the election of dele
gates and our report of the District
and Ward meetings in the county and
city show the overwhelming defeat
which Mr.. Tyler has sustained in this
his great stronghold, as well as the &C
ton of the county convention held in
this city yesterday.
This is natural. His utter disregard
OF Augusta and Staunton in all matters
pertaining to State affairs, his con-
temptuous treatment of this city and
county, ignoring them as effectually as
il they had been in the uttermost parts
of the earth, until he began to hear
the senatorial bee buzz in bis bonnet,
was an insult to this great section,
which she has now resented and re-
buked with intense if not cruel severi-
ty, eEA sizing that he who sows such
wind here, must expect to reap the
whirlwind.
But Mr.. Tyler has been quoted as
saying that he knew Augusta was for
him. He may have thought go, but be
saw and talked to few people when
here who were friendly to him, who
had influence enough in the county to
have carried single precinct. He
had some friends in the county who
were ardent in support of him we
know. Men of intelligence and homes
ty Of purpose, but they even did not
support him, as a general thing, be-
cause they loved him more, but because
they loved some one else less They
were bitter usually against monster
whom they chose to call a Corporation
or Trust. and they protested to see
linked with these the name of Mr..
Martin and denounced him &C
cordingly. The froths and fury
soon wore away. however, the
more conservative element smiled
at these rawlings, and when the
time for action arrived, they were
found where the masses in Augusta
are always found, on the side of right
and fairness, honesty of purpose, and
for good government.
This rebuke is not to any one but
Mr.. Tyler himself, it is not to his
friends, they do not deserve it, but he
does. No man, as he has done, can ignore
Augusta and Staunton in the political
make up, no man can treat them as a
dog and retain their confidence or es-
TEEN. Mr.. Tyler we hope has learned
a useful lesson, He is not too old to
do so and he needed one badly. His
posing as farmer" his blatant Ian
guage about methods and ma
chimes" his virtuous YapOrings about
"rings" and ''clicks." as opposed to
what he chose to term the rights of
the people, disclosed so clearly the
predominant nature of the demagogue,
that an intelligent community like
this could be nauseated but not de-
ceived. His professed ownership of
Augusta was not the least ludicrous
part of his disastrous campaign.
Let it be understood that few men own
Augusta, and if they ever exercise any
deep or abiding influence over her, it
must he gained by proper acknowl-
edgement of her rights as one of the
constituent parts of this Commo n
wealth, and not by studied dlstrust
and contempt.
In our issue of July 20, we printed
an editorial in which we referred to
Mr.. Tyler as the Farmer Governor,
treating his candidacy as a joke, the
closing sentence of which editorial was:
when the fray is ended the South
west will bear away all that is mortal
OF her 'honored son, and lay it ten
derly under the blue grass and the
daisies, to rest in peace. 1t would com
pensate greatly if the campaign would
develop a new joke or anecdote, but
we are as one without hope, save that
our friends tell us, this Candidacy is
the browning joke of the season."
1t is needless to remind any one Of
she truth of the prophecy, or the pro-
portions of the joke, both hav becom
sufficiently apparent, aid we viii
tread lightly oyer the ashes of the
dead.