Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-02-19
WE LOOK FOR NO RUSH.

WE LOOK FOR NO RUSH.
We have heard it said that as soon
as the negro was eliminated from pol
itics in the South the white men OF
the South would begin to move toward
the Republican party, and in short
time the South would be Republican.
This is a theory which has often been
advanced, but like many theories has
little foundation. There has not been
anything done in many years by the
Republican party which ought to
cause anybody to yearn after it with
that yearning which maketh the heart
sick, especially has there been moth
ing done by that party which should
make Southern white men, as Mr..
Lincoln used to say, "hanker" after
it. The average southern man who
goes into that party is usually a man
who is con nected with some trust OF
combine, or national bank. and be
goes there because he knows that the
Republican party can be relied on to
help his institution continue its old
and accustomed modes Of making
living. The small man often finds
himself there because bis vanity led
him to believe be amounted to some
thing, when he really did not, and
having tried to impress this idea on
the Democratic party of his county or
State, failed, and then out of pique at
disappointment plunged into the Re-
publican party in the hope of receiv.
ing honors and office there, which had
been denied him elsewhere. Once
having plunged in there is no return
ing. Like Lucifer he has fallen to rise
no more. Other cleverer men, but
more venal, have gone in because they
had something offered them, or because
they felt certain of Office. but had no
earthly show with the Democrats.
Thus has the Republican party In the
tanned, and knowing many who COM
pose it, we are prepared to say that
they do not want to see it's ranks re-
cruited from the material in the Dem
ocratic party which theory places
there, when the negro no longer is the
dominant factor. These generally
know they can win over the negro,
but they have no chance of winning
should the standard of the party be
improved by an influx of the persons
we have been told would rush SO head
long into the party when it became
no longer known as the ''scallawag
and niger" party of the South.
Thus we believe that for this reason
decent and respectable persons will
not be encouraged to enter this new
political field by those who now bold
the offices and draw the salaries.
But what has the Republican party
done heretofore to encourage any
stampede to its ranks? tits needless
to go back and drag forth the filthy
roll, it is so unsavory we are willing to
let it alone in its temporary retire
ment. Leaving the past history of
that party untouched and uptouchable
We come to the present. What has
Mr.. Roosevelt, who seems destined to
be the next Republican nominee, and
having more than ordinary chances of
success, done to encourage the white
men of the South to follow his lead !?
The IndianOla incident and DIR. Crum
foisted on the people of Charleston, S.
O., are sufficient evidences Of HIS de-
termination to humiliate the white
people of the South, if others of his
party were not full Of the same venom.
All white people who care to know it
In the South, see that should the Re-
publican party get foothold there they
would reenact the same role they
have chung to ever since the war clos.
ed between the States. No sooner
would that party get power than 1t
would go back to the shaping of legis-
latlon tending to negro rule, as Malone
did In Virginia, and the more recent
leaders did in North Carolina. When
natives of Virginia and North Carroll
ma for political supremacy, and to
vent their hatred Of the more decent
white people of their States, enter
upon a career of the kind they entered
upon can we be surprised at what was
prior to them, visited upon US by a |
set OF men WHO knew no decency in all
their lives, and who were as foreign |
to the white people of the South as a |
Hottentot would be to Iceland. When |
we see white men focking to the
republican party in the South at that |
same moment will we see the present
Leaders of the Republican party in the
south scurrying away to more con.
genial chimes. These two elements
cannot dwell together In peace be-
cause they cannot think nor act alike. |
Mr.. Schawb has again gone to |
Europe. Has he gone for the same
reason that the late Mr.. Whitaker
Wright said he ought to have staid in |
America.
1t is fortunate for the Russians that
they did not expect success on the
wa for in the haOipo;or - L..r..-