Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-10-13
REPUBLICANS In DISGUISE.

The RepuDlcaHS are Hopih5
NAV be Democratic dissensions this
fall in order to support independent
candidates, and they are pattlng all
such on the back and pointing out 10
them wherein grave frauds or terrible
outrages have been practiced on the
people by the Democrats. 1.-The peo-
ple'' is a term used to mystify. IL
means anybody or nobody, as suits the
convenience of the schemer. When
ever an independent candidate hobs
up it may be set down as fact that
that particular fellow has been beaten
fer some Office he sought. Always
there are few people outside the Can
didate himself who had SOME selfish
motive in seeing him elected. THESE
pretended friends wanted to use him in
ONE way or had some scheme to work
out. There was "nigger in the WOOD
pile.n and these friends" after his
defeat tell him-the Office seeker-how
the people have been outraged, and
they all get together and damn the
party and the ring" and the ma
chine" and everything else they can
think of. Of course it is easy to get
the names of number of people to a
card calling for this Office seeker to run
as an Independent, and to bolster
them up the card sets forth IN the
strongest terms the would be candl
date can muster such evidences OF
political scoundrelism as the vocabu-
larry of the writer can command. Most
of the signers don't care fig for the
fellow who is fixing to run, but sign
because they have some. kind of pride
in calling themselves independent
voters, and thus self made candidate
who is invariably defeated office hun
ter and generally unfit for anything,
is foisted on the public and goes tcur-
ring over the country causing farmers
to lose time in trying to listen to bis
silly and groundless twaddIe.
His plan is to cuss out his party, to
ell over and over again what an out
rage has been committed, how the
rights of the people have been trampled
upon. and their liberties endangered
One to hear him would think the world
was coming to an end, or that there
would be wars, pestilences and fam
ines, when in fact his whole play is
to ride into Office on the credullty OF
the masses. There should, however,
be something in the candidate himself
to cause him to be entrusted with
Office. He has, let it be understood, no
party behind him to hold him to prom
ises. He owes no allegiance to any
body, he is not bound by any obliga-
tion, heLce he should be a man of
known worth and integrity, who at all
times and under ell circumstances
does right because of his high moral
character, and his integrity as a man
and a citizen. Not some youthful
STRIPPING who never yet has learned
right from wrong and whom to trust
with any important mission would be
dangerous. Nor should he be broken
down politician, chronic office seek
er, OF man lacking in character or in
fuence. There should always be the
gravest reason for men who belong to
political party land there are few
good men who do mott to break away
and vote for some self made candidate.
A bad man may often become party
nominee and be held to the greatest
honesty by his party, but an indepen-
dent candidate if not a man of the
highest integrity and worth will usually
go wrong quicker when intrusted with
office than any other time, hence the
necessity of caution. In Virginia there
is no necessity for any Democrat to
break away from party lines and vote
for an Independent. The Republicans
will be voting for them possibly in
order to hurt the Democrats, Or posi-
bly, because the Independents have
made them some promises. Indepen-
dents care for nothing SO much as their
election, hence the means are not con
sidered, and hence the danger of trust
ing them when elected. In this cam
palgn they will be Republicans In
disguise.