Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-09-08
THE FIGHT IN THE NINTH.
Richmond News Leader.

Richmond News Leader.
The Roanoke Times, which is in position
70 know and judge the situation in the
Ninth district, is not satisfied with it: The
Times has had 'chiel amange" the voters
over there ''takin' notes." and faith, our
contemporary has printed them in the
form of an editorial, and from them makes
some deductions that are we'll worthy OF
the thoughtful attention of the party
authorities.
1t is not denied that there IL consider
able enthusiasm in the Democratic contin-
gent of the district, and that the outlook
is promising" But according to the
Times when that is said all is said. The
"chield" found that the fact remains that
the Democrats are unduly and dangerous
ly optimistic and confident, and there is
serious lack of close-knit local organization.
Our contemporary urges as all Important
that the work of thorough organization
should begin at once, and that it should be-
remembered that the Democracy are at
lacking aposition now held by the enemy.
That is well said.
Incidentally, however, the Times re-
marks that Mr.. Roosevelt should not BIZ
permitted to say that old Virginia has at
least in one congressional district echoed
an "alnen" to the racial and snti-Southern
attitude of his accidental administration"
This would seem to be another evidence
that the Southwestern mind ia imbned
with the idea that the paramount issue is
the negro QUESTION, that on that Colonel
Slemp is more vulnerable than on any other
issue, and that the controlling policy
should be to fight him from such view
point
Here, as we have on several occasions
indicated, we consider grave mistake is
made. There was comparatively no negro
question in the Ninth district before the
adoption of the new constitution, which
restricted the negro vote in the State at
large and virtually reduced it to nil in the
far Southwest. Even when the negro was
essentially disturbing and dangerous fac
tor in the politics of the rest of the State
be was largely an abstract political propo-
sition in the particular section under dig
cussion, and the interest there in seeing
him kept under was due, apart from the
promptings of racial instinct, more to sym
patty than any real dread. That accounts
in great measure for there having been 80
many white Republicans in the Ninth.
The negro Is more than ever an elig-
gible quantity in the district and by con-
juring up the question our Southwest dem
ocratic friends are playing into the hands
of the Republicans, seeing that they are
contributing to diverting public attention
from the cardinal issue involved in the re-
turn of Colonel Slemp. That cardinal
issue is whether any district in Virginia
will endorse the defiance of the constitu-
ton and the usurpation of the prerogatives
of congress of which Mr.. ROOSEVELT has
been guilty.
There are in the Ninth district hum
dIeds and hundreds of Republicans, good
and true and honest men, according to
their way of thinking, who look upon The
negro question as bugaboo, and having
had no immediate experience with it, are
inclined to laugh in their sleeve oyer it,
or at least treat it with indifference.
None the less, they are Virginians, bone
of Virginia bone and flesh Of Virginia
flesh, who have imbibed reverence for our
fundamental doctrines with their mothers
milk; and to present to them the passive
attitude in which Colonel Slemp stood
when Roosevelt rode roughshod over the
representatives Of the people, showed con-
tempt of the organic law and in effect pro-
rouged the national Legislature would be
to give them serious pause.
Therefore we iterate that the campaign
against the Republican nominee should be
conducted on higher ground than the
racial-on the ground that be has utterly
failed to represent Virginians, and assert
Virginianism as it is instinct in all true
Virginians irrespective Of party utilization.
That is not only patriotism and duty, but
will prove the winning policy. To an
assault along that line by thoroughly
organized democratic force Colonel Slemp
is vulnerable TO the last degree.
So we say to the party managers: Or
ganize perfectly the district workers; put
your best speakers in the field, subordin-
ate the negro question, and press the
enemy to the wall on the point Of falling
to have raised voice for the vindicstion |
of Virginia's historic part in laying the
foundations of our institutions. That way !
lies victory, together with the avoidance
of the faint of having departed from the
faith of the fathers, and the administering
at the same time of rebuke to Roose-
welt for his racial and anti-Southern atti-
tude.