Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-05-31
TOO GOOD A DEMOCRAT.

pOudtOA AASAAe~oi ~ OSOo~~
ma, is proving the Malone of that
State. ANY man ought to be able to
find some excuses for his political
course. this Senator finds many. 1t
is much easier to do so now than just
after the war when reward was near
ly always directly paid for a political
somersault. When a man who had
been a Southern sympathiser sudden
Iy experienced change of heart some
years ago, or a very rabid talker and
Yankee cusser, like Gen. Walker or
Gen. Rosser, mellowed his speech until
it resounded pleasantly in the aural
appendages of Northern people on
Lincoln birthdays, or in National Gem
eteries, then the secret OF the play
become clear, for the audience at once
prepared itself for shifting OF the
scenes and an act wherein these prod
igal SONS, denuded, starving, suppl
cants for pardon, were forgiven, and
the fatted calf killed, ring placed on
their hands, and the best official robes
brought out and put on their backs
The SONS who spent not their all in
riotous living complained, but were
told to hush their mouths. OF course
the prodigal told his repentant tale,
he portrayed in bis most lucid style
how distasteful had been the husks OF
the corn he and his swine associates
had eaten, he wanted better food OF
course, and he got it. What kind OF
corn Senator McLaurin is playing for
we cannot tell, but time will disclose.
There is some reward somewhere.
When a man begins to find fault with
the people he has grown up with, or
a. many did after the war, turn from
his white associates to associate with
negroes,a and the white thieves who had
banded themselves together to plumber
their own people, be was naturally
despised just as one always is who pre-
fers dives to decent places. Then the
gentleman who so suddenly changes
his coat begins his explanations. He
is never wrong, all others are. If be
takes an Office, it is not reward, but
a merited tribute, if he lands in the
penitentiary somebody has lied on him,
if he does not reach the prison in fact,
but finds himself despised of men like
the brazen street walker whose sex
turn from her, paints her face and
bedecks herself in faring costumes,
advertising her low degree, SO does
this injured innocent mount the ros'
trum and revile his superiors, damn
his former friends, and denOunce the
very breast that nourished him into
existence. This game has been repeat
ed so often, so often do we see the
person with bis coat turned playing
this role, that We only wish there could
be change in the program, that one
renegade at least would decline Office,
patronage or emolument, that at least
one would admit that his apostacy
was brought about because be got the
very thing that caused him to desert,
and not because at this late hour he
beheld the error of his way. Mr.. Nc
Laurin has been patted on the back
by Mr.. Mckinley and while he is now
l ike Malone, better Democrat than
he ever was before, such Democrats
are not in demand. No one wants
Democrats who are too good. Malone
and his followers were all better Dem
ocrats than Ben Hill, but then they
were too good Just before his fall Luci-
I or was the best of his associates no
d oubt. Men get oh SO good just as
hey arrange for a trip to another
p olitical world. We are always afraid
of self righteous people. We are afraid
of Senator McLaurin.