Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-08-10
A DISTINCTION, AS WELL AS A
Difference,

Gov. Tyler was in Staunton las
Week-we did not see him-but we ar
told he expressed himself as delighted
at the editorial which appeared il
The SPECTATOR of the 10th ult., call
ing him the Farmer Governor" ant
he further stated that he was having
the article appear in various papers
throughout the State, expecting Of
course thereby to make political CAPT
tai for himself under the claim that the
article is slur on the farmers. Hi
excellency is welcome to any advantage
be may derive from this source. If any
farmer should be aggrieved over the
article he has only 70 read it a little
more carefully and understand little
more clearly the reason for it, to dis
abuse his mind and to see that the
term Farmer Governor" is quoted,
and that it is quoted from Gov. Tyler's
own, or rather the language of his ad
mlrers. Thinking to advance him in
his political aspirations they have, of
course with his consent, been giving
him this name and its hypocritcal use
has so nauseated persons who see
through the dodge. and behold the
ears of the ass under the lions skin,
that they like ourself use the term not
in derisiOn of the farmers, but in de-
rision of the man who would permit
a resort to such demagogy. We our
selves farm as extensively, we
think, as Gov. Tyler; we were raised
onsa farm, and We venture have done
more work in that line than our hon.
ored governor. We have Graded
wheat, plowed, mauled rails and in
every way made ourselves what We
believe to have been very creditable
farm hand. No man ever kept closer
to farmers than we, and there are none
who sympathize more with them in
their trials and burdens, but we do
become Disguised with, and sick of
any candidate or man who dresses him
self in such livery when it does not fit
him aEy better than it does Mr.. Tyler,
purely for political purposes.
What would the people of this coun-
ty say of us if we solicited patronage
for our paper because we chose to call
ourselves the Farmer Editor? In
what contempt would we be held, and
j Justly held? In what contempt should
candidate for the u. S. Senate be
held, when he masquerades in such
habilaments because be expects to
makes votes thereby. when indeed he
is little else than real estate boomer
at Radford, and simply owns farm in
another part of the State, which be
sees only enthusiastically. When
any of our farmers sons rise to the
position of governor, and we trust
many of them may, we hope they may
never call themselves Farmer Gov
ernors'' or undertake to array class
against class, or attempt to ride into
power because they belong to that or
any other class. Such men are weak
and are to be feared, and as much as
we wish to see the farming interests of
this country advanced, we would
dread such candidate, and doubt the
sincerity of any man who came before
fhQ mn hl1o wi I, cuoh y>Joo
Our objection to Gov. Tyler is not
that he was ever farmer, ADLER men
are still at the plow, but because he has
proven a lamentable failure as COVER
nor, and would1n our opinion be worse
as senator. He would have no in
fiuence in the senate until he had been
there long time, and if he went there
dancing as the representative of anyI
class he would never have any. VIr-
ginia would be set back many years by |
his election. If he has shown any adj
quality, or done one thing |
since he became governor that the
most ordinary man might not have
lone We have failed to see it. If he'll
4 as uttered one bright sentence, O,
made one single speech savoring of
Utility, OF been guilty of one statesman
ike act. it has never reached public
'rint. 1t he has any policy. save the
doubtful policy of trying to pose DIS the
Farmer Governor" it has been lost
IF mislaid. We hope the Governor is
lot so stupid as not to distinguish be-
ween Governor who is a farmer, |
nd Farmer Governor. The first
7ould be very honorable, the latter
be subject of ridicule if not of detes-
alton. Ii