Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-11-03
To democratic Voters.

Mr.. EQlCOr:-lt seems 10 luc bhd'
the time has come when the demo
Gratis of the Eastern Shore should get
on their" working clothes" The cleo
ton is only a few days off, and yet it
appears like Sunday" in the politi-
cal world compared to previous con-
ditions on the eve of great national
election In the county of Accomac.
What is the cause of this great calm
that overspreads the land, within a
week of the greatest battle for con-
stitutional liberty the world may ever
seer Is it because our enemy has lull.
ed us into a sense OF confidence aud
security by shamming inactivity Oh
its par;9 Are we TO believe that 1t Is
lot at work, because we don't see 1t
work? Fatal delusioDl The tides OF
ocean do not flow more increasingly
nor a thief at night work more
stealthiIy, than do the forces and EN-
;ssa ries of the republican party in our
midst. A word from its leaders will
marshal every man of them-black
and white at the polls-Tuesday next,
with ballots in every hand that like
snowfiakes will fall, and fall, until
their accumulated weight will crush
our social fabric, and overwhelm us
with disaster and dishonor as we'll
A confidence, born of a knowledge
that our work will secure Us the vlc-
tory. is both perm issible and deslra-
bic, but a confidence based upon the
assumption that our enemies are
,lumbering on the eve OF battle and
have already surrendered us the vic
tory without a fight on our part Is as
{ ,olisn as it will be fatal. In former
seasons. and in times like these lead =
ers were at work throughout the
county, day and night, and speakers
were upon every "coign OF vantage"
with voices like alarm bells, ringing
OUT warnings to the over-confident,
the doubtful, and the unwary among
us. Why this inactivity now? Why
this strange silence? Is the danger
less imminent than formerly2 Have
our foes grown more generous and
more just? Have they ceased to exult
over their victory, and to rejoice at
our misery and defeat? Will they hui
initiate us Eo more by placing negroes
in post offices and in other positions
over usa Have they promised to pro-
tect us against the greed Of the
"Trusts," and to cease robbing us
through the tariff for the benefit of
the manufacturers OF the North2 Will
they give us poor mans dollar"
az we'll as "rich mans dollar"
Have they repented. and have they
now promised to place mankind and
the constitu lion before gold and be.
fore the dollar" in this country and
Porto Rico, and our other territorial
acquisitions? If sir they have cone
all of these things, and have in good
faith made all of these promises, then
is the present silence and inactivity
of our local leaders justified and not
until then. "Oh, for the touch OF
vanished hands, and the sound of
voices that are STILL" OF Bagwell. a
Gunter, a Garrison or Nicely. In
times past, and in great emergencies,
like the present, when leaders were
idle, through fancied safety, tempted
by gold, or blanched by fear, incor-
ruptible and fearless souls from the
ranks would snatch the banner from
nerveless or faithless hands aud
lead their comrades on to victory.
Have our leaders blanched before
the enemy2 Have they been dazzled
by the glitter Of his golden stand
ard" or is the green eyed monster"
at work among them, prompting
them to sacrifice their party and its
candidates for selfish ends, or pur-
poses of splitter God forbid! We don't
believe it. 1t may be that they have
grown weary in the long struggle Of
years-often fruitless of victory-or
their ardor chilled perhaps by real or
imaginary wrongs, poorly rewarded
services, or lack of party support.
We can't say, but whatever the
ceuse, they should shake it off, enter
with courage and hope in the fight, or
elst accept honorable discharges for
serv .ces we'll done, and surrender the
flag to other hands whose enthusiasm
may not have been dampened by
such adverse experiences.
Oct. 80. "Waldo.n