Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-05-18
NOT A SUCCESS.


called itself the May Conference, was
a failure From the noise which
had been made about it by some OF
gars, or steam pianos, We thought it
was to be the most important and
patriotic and by odds the largest body
which ever assembled in Virginia, if
not in the United States. and more
famed than any unless perchance it be
the meeting of the trainers of the Dec
laratiOn OF Independence. Since the
noise has subsidized and the smoke has
cleared away, we find that nothing
was done, and that the real object of
the meeting was to secure Senator
Tom Martins job. This was denied
before the convention met and ynear-
ly everybody who was asked to speak
on this subject at the convention, ex-
cept that young Kaleidoscope polite
ian, Mr.. Barksdale, who moved that
"we do now proceed to nominate
Senator" The older and wiser of the
convention at once saw this awful
break, so they squelched Barksdale,
but the cat got out of the bag just
here, and the pesky thing would not
go back again. We were heartily in
accord with movement to put the
election of senator as near the people
as possible, and would gladly have par
ticipated in any movement which
would have done so. But VIC declare
now that such thing can never, In
our opinion, be done by primary
election. We have just had a primary
in Augusta county and about two
thirds of the Republicans in this
county are said to have voted ia it.
This would be repeated in any other
primary and pretty soon we would see
Republicans naming Democratic
Senator But this is not exactly what
we were discussing, we were discussing
the convention. In ability the con-
vention was of the average STANDARD,
in numbers it was far below what bad
U6eu 6Ap6ClSQ, OUU III DOhSS1HACJ -
was of a somewhat doubtful character.
The county of Rockingham declares
she had no Democratic delegate at all,
vet she is counted as favoring the
move, and many other counties which
are as full of loyal, unterrified and
dyed in the wool followers of Jackson
ian principles, and who did not bolt
in 1896, were not any more truth
fully represented. 1t was stated by
some delegates, we hear, that this con-
ventiOn was intended to be the nucleus
for the formation of A neaO Democratic
party in Virginia. If this be true we
bid them farewell now. Those who form
such party will find themselves driven
to the same subterfuge practiced by
Malone. They will curry favor
wheresoeVer it can be curried, they will
seek strength wheresoever strength
may be found, and the negro will be-
ONE their faithful ally. The story
may be further written, its ending will
be the ending which Moth Carolina
has just seen. White supremacy will
be maintained in Virginia, no matter
what occurs Death, war, nor any
other creature will stand in the way of
this. The Anglo-SaXon race has never
been and never will be slaves; they
will never submit to the domination of
an inferior race, and as no party can
govern Virginia but party Of white
men, and as the real Democratic party
of this State is party of white men,
none other can or will take its place.
Those gentlemen who do not find the
present Democratic party in this State
good enough for them are privileged
to leave it and vote some other ticket,
as many members of that convention
have done in the past. They are free
to exercise their own sweet Will, but
they cannot draw those Democrats
who followed VIM. j. Bryan in the
last campaign into the Republican
party, nor into any Republican side
show with Palmer and Buckner fakirs
on the hand bills-or selling tickets at
the door, no matter how charming the
music of Republican brass band
playing on the inside. There was a
lack of truthfulness ard sincerity in
this convention, which was not credi
table. 1t was a job we now see put up
to defeat Senator Martin, and the
trouble was that it leaked out when
too late, and instead of weakening has
strengthened that gentleman's senate
rial prospects. Things in Virginia
must be done openly, honestly and
squarely, if the masses of Virginia
voters are to be expected to approve
them, these will not be parties to de-
ception or fraud. Had the movement
been given its true name it might have
been stronger Had it been declared
to be an anti-Martin movement it
would have had at least the advantage
of sincerity. This it lacks and this
has shorn it of all the power it possess
ed. Mr.. Jones, its acknowledged leader,
is now sin the hands of his friends. u
His friends were many Of those who
formed that convention, they were
there to nominate him, they were there
for no other purpose as Mr.. Barksdale
showed, and had there been a vast out
pouring of the Democrats of the State
we believe he would have been nomi
mated. But the body was SO small
such step would have been fatal. |
The whole movement seems to have
been fatal 10 the end the people at first |
supposed was in view.
The Richmond convention shows the
people how much they have to do with
the naming OF a senatorial candidate.