Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-08-03
Mr. FLOOD NOMINATED

ma t@VOb NOmiNA IED
The Hon III. ID. Flood was Oh Wednes- |
day last nominated by the Democrats
of This district rs their candidate for
COngre s. This completes the national
ticket, and the Democrats can now go
to work to elect their candid tes. We
have heard it said that there is opposl-
tion to Mr.. Flood in the party in Au
gusta. We do not deny this, but We
do not believe that there il such 0p
position as ought to endanger or Will
endanger the election of Democratic
Congressman. We must remember
that in politics as In all things else We
Cannot have things our own way. Mr..
Flood may have some enemies in the
Democratic party, but we venture
when those persons undertake to give
the reasons, for their opposition they
Can find but few. Mr. Flood certainly
never did any person in this quarter
harm. He certainly cannot be 0ppos-
ed because be has failed in any duty as
Il Democrat. He has been In fact a
Democrat of the kind and character
which should give most pleasure to
those who oppose Republication as it
is dealt out to us. He is Democrat
of the true blue kind. He has never
faltered nor failed in any duty he has
ever owed to his party. He has the
reputation amongst those who know
him best Of being honest to the highest
degree, and of being q friend in whom
their is no guile. He is sober indus
trious. close to the people of his com
munity, where as well as lawyer, he
is large and progressive farmer. The
attachment of his county people to
him is shown by the fact, that they
have elected him to.positiOns of trust
ever since he grew to manhood. This
speaks, volumes for any man, and
should not be overlooked when we
who do not know him in his home and
private life. are asked to support him.
But with us his personality is sec
ondary. We should set that aside, and
if we have the interests of the Demo-
cratic party at heart never think of
the man for moment. Why do we
elect Congressman ? Is 1t to send what
we call good men there? That is one
thing of course, for no other should be
a candidate. But this is by no means
the prime object. The real object is
to elect men who will vote and work
loyalty for our principles, the cause we
espouse. The failure to vote for Mr..
Flood would be to stab the Democratic
party, it would be to assist in tieing
the hands Of VIM. J. Bryan if he be-
comes President. What can Mr.. Bryan
do if elected, unless he be given a
Democratic Congress What kind of
a vote would it be to vote for Bryan
and Hubbard, or for Bryan and scratch
Flood All the Democracy would be
taken out of such a vote. 1t would be
like dead sea apple which might look
tempting but when put to the lips
turned to ashes.
If we have any Democrats who ever
thought of opposing Mr.. Flood, let
them see what sort OF Democracy t'.ey
advocate, what kind of Democrats
they would be. What blow they would
strike at our party and the great cause
for which we are now battling. We
believe there are few Democrats who
if they read, these lines or who if they
knew Mr.. Flood personally would not
welcome him to their homes, and be
glad to number him among their list
of friends, for no man of more person
al purity of character. better born and
reared, Of more gentlemanly instincts
lives in Virginia. True in the hurry
burly of politics In the rough and tum-
BILE of the political arena he has made
enemies, but he has likewise made
friends. His enemies, however, re-
spect him. his friends admire him, and
his acquaintance regard him with
confidence and esteem.
1t is not, however, question of the
man, but of the policy, not the person,
but the party. We have the most i'm.
portant election before us that has
occurred since 1860. if not since the
framing of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence. We must leave no stone
unturned to accomplish the end for
which we fight. One vote may defeat
our Congressman. and the loss of one
Congressman may loose us the control
Of the House. How, under such cir
cumstances, could any Democrat fail
to vote the ticket. even though by so
doing he would vote for his bitterest
enemy. We believe that this will be
the course of every Democrat who has
the interest of the party at heart. We
believe in every crucial test, Augusta
can be relied on to do the right thing
at the right time.