The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-07-18

stand the storm Of their disapproval.
These Boxer mandarins, like their Chinese
prototypes. had been in the habit OF levy
ing tribute upon the aspirations Of the
ambitious aud of farming out the yari-
ous offices, andthey naturallyObjcctcd to
any Foreign Devils riding rough shod
over the shrineS erected in worship Of the
native ancestry. and disturbing the en-
joyment OF the pcrquisite Of immemOrial
custom. The party became divided into
two factions, known to outsiders as the
Lee and the Lewis factions Dr. T. ".
Lewis. superintendent Of schools, was the
nominal leader of one. with Tom Down
ing Commonwealth X Attorney, and near
ly all of the office holders ~ lieutenants
As the breach widcned Hon W. \. Jones
was requested by the Lee faction To use
his influence to secure harmony for the
sake Of the party. but solar n known he
did nothing except that he took sides
with the Lewis faction, which seemed to
have the rrins. About this time, although
the Lewis faction had "A majority OF the
county committee. the chairman had be
come very Offensive because OF the
fact that he had large backing
among the voters. and it was con
sidcred necessary that he should be-
bcheaded II had been hoped that
he would commit hari-kari. but he
refused To be- bound by oriental customs
IL was then suggested by Richmond
county politician, it is said, that a mass
meeting be called To get rid of the chair
man by means Of voX pOpuli. But vOx
populi decided that the chairman wac
the right man in the right place. and that
he ought to have committee in sympa-
thy with him. and therefore vox pOpuli
said To the BOxereement on the commit
tee in the expressive parlance of the day,
you git and they Immediately gath
cred their flowing robes and departed
yellow jackets. peacock feathers and all.
The majority faction in Lancaster repre-
sents about all of theprogressve spirit OF
the county,and the moral element, be
ing composed largely of the temperance
people and church members. So when it
il considered that Congressman Jones
took sides against this majority it ought
To be no longer any wonder that the peo-
pie of Lancaster are largely against him
and those whose cause he espouses.
Westmoreland county appears to have
been also solitary example. in that
there was only one, solitary specimen OF
n Swanson man within its borders, and
he it would appear, stayed away from
the mass meeting, as he is nowhere men
toned in the reports of the proceedings.
George Mason wanted TO pin Jeffries'
placard on to the Montague coat-tail,
but the Montague leaders would have
none of il. and il was laid on the table
by vote of forty to one, so we are told.
This large and harmonious gathering of
forty one Montague mentor Mason was
Montague man also, as well as JEFF
fries man-whooped it up for the "iav-
orite SON" and showed how to he
unanimous when everybody thinks the
same way.
Richmond county is too lOpsided for
any man to even think different from the
Congressman. and is probably solitary
example of county where noman dared
say n word in favor of Swanson.
Many counties throughout the State
furnished examples of snap Judgment.
When the apostles of altruistic politics
call n meeting of the county committee
and turn that into n mass-meeting to
elect delegates for fear the voters willget
a chance to express themselves they be
come shining examples of the pure poll
ties practiced by the "high-toned, Chris
tian gentleman" who il running things
| II is i'm the first district M in all other
places.
The purist in politics claims that ht
alone is honest, and shows that if he Is
not allowed to rule, he will destroy, !
possible.
To see n candidate for Gubernatoria
honors posing as "high-toned, Chris
tian gentleman" and basing his claim
for recognition upon platform OF mis-
representation and personal abuse, aid
ed by historical rubbish andfanciful flap
doodle, is "A sight for the gods to weeI
over. To hear n beneficiary of the ma
chine" decry its methods, while he thank
fully pockets the fruits thereof, and hold
out bis hand for more, is a solitary ex
ample that it is to be hoped will never b
heard and seen again in Virginia politics
The people have often had pointed on
TO them the need of reform in the mattel
of electing u. $. Senator's. They hav'
been shown the enormity OF allowing
rich men to buy seats in the Senate, ire
ouently known as the Erich Mans Club,
or the american House of Lords. This
il appears, is the main cause OF all tn
hubbub Just now. But it does not seen
any worse to buy a seat in the Senate o
the United States than to buy Lieuten
nt-Governorship. 1t is claimed tina
one Of the aspirants for the latter homo
has put up a large sum OF money in be
half of the candidacy of one of the Guber
material aspirants with the understand
ing that it's second place comes to him
II such is the case, and it is successful, N
virginian ought ever to point a finger G
1 A - -. 49, III