The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-11-04

Five years dkO tuloo HoAhv9 "SN~'
equally divided the admiration and the
Affection Of the Virginia Democracy.
These names were Fitz Lee, John "
Daniel and Charles T. O'Ferrsll. Ii is
no unkindness. nor 10 it untruthtul, 70
say that Lee and O'FerrAll have, 90 30
speak, lost their grip " In the last
issue Of The Free Lance 1t WAS limited
that Daniel might be standing over
political volcano. Gen Ben Butler
once said that no President ever heard
the truth in the White House. Senator
Daniel 10 90 used 20 soft speech and
hattery that he seems TO be possessed OF
that strange iufstuation that precedes
a political fall The good book says
Pride goeth before destruction and =
vain spirit before fall. -
In the opening Of the campaign
against Martin, and never was one 80
glariagly bungled or mismansged.
there was very great alarm In the
Martin Damp. and /, is an open secret
that the senior Senator was much wor-
ried, and remembering the help Martin
gave him against Barbour years ago. he
rushed into print 70 proclaim that Mar
tin was the better Senator Of the two,
and some people think he may be right
because IL isaverred that Daniel, outside
Of oratory has no taste for "the tale OF
common things," and has bean heard
10 say that he lis tired Of politics "
Whether this be true or not IL 10 claim
ed that letters are not promptly an
swered that the record will show many
gaps when the senior Senator was away
from the Benste. and. as Capt. Cutie
would say. "a note is probably being
made Of it" for future use by those
who may be ready to spring upon the
Senator'S ambition in 1908, II he shall
desire q fourth term in the U. 8. Sen
ate. and that the Senator a. depart.
mental visitor in the interest Of his
people 10 not . colossal success These
are some OF the matters that Senator
Daniel should know. Besides this,
there 10 In the Virginia Democracy, or
q part Of 10 ct least, some unrest at the
frequency Of the Daniel compliments
70 Mckinley, and II the Senator has
found sught TO disapprove in this Re-
publican administration. many Of his
constituents would probably confess to
. poverty Of information on the sub
ject. Moreover, the interview given
ont In Richmond this week, showing .
possible willingness TO abandon Bryan
in 1900 40 the Democratic candidate,
will very probably be read by unsp-
precistive eyes and fall on deaf ears In
Virginia. No man 10 mightier than
the peopls who made him. The chip
is not greater than the block from
which it 10 cut. Senator Daniel 10 now
four years removed from the popular
touoh, but the people have eyes to see
and ears 10 hear. and II the Senator will
receive In kindness these observations
of The Free Lance il may be well for
him. II he tries to unbend just little
and 10 remember that. though great
orator and . great Senator, he is yet a
man, and simply man, with fine
intellect and large opportunities for
usefulness, and instead OF sailing
among the clouds. he ought to re-
member the fable Of Antseus, who ss
often 90 he touched his mother earth
resolved new strength, but when lifted
bv Hercules into the sir was crushed,
the John W. Daniel Of the past may
ooptinue to be the same John ". Daniel
IN the future with the Virginia Demo-
oracy.