Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-04-20
THAT PRIMARY.

THAT PRIMARY.
The new Republican organ, the VIZ
ginian. in its No. 2 issue Eliminates
against the Democratic Primary,
This is very natural though possibly |
not very consistent. Yet it must be |
admitted that the average Republican
writer knows whereof he speaks when
be tells of election frauds. 1t is little
amusing, however, to hear the Kettle
calling the pot black, or satan reprov-
ing sin. The article when closely
read, however, is not so much a de
nunciation of the Democrats as it is an
apology for those Republicans who
voted in this election. Those who go
nnbidden to feast need some one toI
apologize for them. and notwlthstand
ing the apology is muffied up amongst
various filings at the Democrats. stu
enough of its features are apparent to
manifest the motif of the writer he
saws that the primary twas simply a
pretentious arrangement by which Re
publicans were to be prohibited from
expressing their choice for candidates
for offices in the administration of
which they are as mach interested as
are Democrats.
This idea has newness about 1t, 1t
has never been express ed before II 1t
ever entered the mind of any other
writer. In most every part OF the
country pr ma1ies are TesoIted 10 as
much by Republicans as Democrats
so that the object set forth above is
not the stock in trade of the Democ
racy. Again in the same vein the
writer says:
cit is not for the welfare of the. peo-
pie that primary elections are resorted
to. 1t is simply an arbitrary arrange
ment by which the few presume to
dictate to the many and pervert the
whole object Of popular elections,
forestall healthy legal processes and
abridge the rights secured by statute
and Fundamental law. If Republicans
did vote in the primary as between
Democrats who are aspiring for county
offices, it was doubtless in many in
stances to manifest their contempt for
and defiance of the mandate Of par |
tisan committee, and in other cases Tor
the fun of the thing"
This is remarkable way of being
funny, and this is remarkable way |
of showing ones defiance of the man
date Of partisan committee" since
it shows also ones defiance of decency |
and good morals. In elections there
are two things necessary to create
fraud. one is person willing to com
NIT the fraud and the other the tool OF
instrument WITH which the work must
be done. 1t is changed here that
frauds of almost every description
were perpetrated. Democrats cheat
ing Democrats in almost every form I
the ingenuity of partisans could
invent"
Ard in the next breath 1t is admit
ted that the instrument with which
the frauds were at least largely COM
mitted was Republican voters. Those
who did not catch the point of the
joke On election day and who did not
see 1.-THE fun of the thing" then, will
doubtless see it here. 1t was awfully
funny, funny that Republicans would
lend them selves to such joke, funnier
still that their party organ would adj
NIT that they had grown funny Oh
election day, funny that with the his
tory of the Republican party any men,
Der of it could be induced to mention
the word fraud, and funnier yet than
all, to know that the Democrats who
read the Virginian's article On the
democratic Primary" were intensely
amused.