The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-11-01
CASTING STONES.
In his category of reasons for sup
porting Mckinley Mr.. John Shelton
Williams gives this as one;

porting MCKINNEY MT JUN SN0i'VH
Williams gives this as one:
81 represent 10. 900 employed men Of
the best Glasses of American citizens
and slOO, 600 900 Of invested capital
and / feel my responsibility to both.
The same conditions that give my
stockholders and bondholders their div
idends and interest give the working
men their wages. 10 voting for Presi'
dent Mckinley shall feel that am
doing nv part as an American citizen
20 defend the interests of men and
money.
And herein lies the true reason
why nearly every man of wealth
and great business prominence Is
doing likewise III this election. 1t is
not so much the welfare of the Re-
public, nor the good of the people st
large as it is matter Of personal
financial protection or gain. 1t may
not be the case with Mr.. Williams
but there have numerous cases come
to light within few days past where
for these sane reasons the employers
will seek to coerce the employed. Mr..
Williams himself is one of the en-
oloyed in little higher sense, and 1t
is barely possible that he is promul'
eating sentiments which have been
iustilled into him by those whom he
represents.
We have 8 high regard for the en-
ergetic young Virginia railroad pres
ident, and we do not and will not
draw more invidious comparison;
so we drop his connection in this line
right here. But the foregoing esds
to other thoughts. We Of the South
have become hardened to the taunts
and excavations of NOrtherners about
THE negros not having q free ballot
or the inducement with shotgun,
by way Of practical persuasion, to
vote the Democratic ticket or remain
away from the polls, while at the
same time our aceusers are oblivious
of the fact that one of their own
race (the white lsborer), who Is
higher in the social scale than the
colored laborer, is being coerced with
inst as formidable a wespon-tbreat
of starvation. And this is done, not
with the sanction Of law, it is true,
but under the wink Of the law, and
with far more effect than any intimi-
dation or shotgun policy which Is
charged to the South. Today in
Virginia we do not hesitate to say
with sincerity and credence in its
belief that fully ninety per cent. OF
colored servants, some of whom are
sentimental but costly legacies OF
the old slave days, vote in direct op-
position to the sentiments OF
their employers, and not one
word or act is spoken or done to
coerce them into voting otherwise.
1t is a rare thing to find colored
servant, who has been the ward of
the household it may be ever since
ante.bellum days, or who has grown
up almost as one of the family who
does not invariably cast his vote in
opposition to the party to which his
former master belongs.And cases have
come under our observation whore
such an one has even voted against
his old master who may have been the
Democratic candidate for some office.
This ingratitude is rarely if ever
punished by dismissal from service.
And yet the blstherskites of the
North and papers of the Dana stripe
keep standing headlines of political
outrages in the South! THE FREE
LANCE does not desire to defend the
perpetrators Of any political crime in
this State or other Southern States,
but the disgust with which we see the
Pharisaical encomiums heaped up
on themselves by our brothers of the
North for their clean hands in politi-
cal matters and the anathemas with
which they breathe Southron's
name periodically every two years, if
not oftener,is, in our humble opinion,
the greatest lever which keeps the
Democratic bali in its socket and
prevents division based upon Judg
ment and convictions. Not until they
see that this is the case will the Re-
publican party receive the portion OF
Southern estate which should be its
heritage.