Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-09-15
REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT IN THE
SOUTH,

at first reading, but it is never the less
true. 1t has never controlled any
Southern State in the past except in
the most licentious and profiigate way.
Every time the Republican party has
seized upon any Sou them State per-
feet bachanalian feast has followed,
and corruption, thievery, official
treachery and debauchery has been the
rule and not the exception.
We defy any contradiction of the
above assertion.
Twice the Republicans have had
temporary control of Virginia, and
twice has corruption luu rampant.
Ju at the close of the war they took
over the State. 1t may be argued that
the circumstances then were peculiar.
that the war having just ended parti-
san hatred ran high and should excuse
what was done. 1t might excuse par
tisan acts, bat could it excuse theft,
moral depravity and crime We think
not. AT that time the negroes and
white Republicans voted solidly tor
disfranchisement of every white man
who had been in the Confederate
army, they also voted to cOntiscate all
of their property and they were the
owners of the State. Ii our
serves us correctly, for we are
writing from memory only, their Leg
islators composed largely of negroes
and the rest of them carpetbaggers
and scalawags. were paid $40 per day
and other officers in proportion, and
even janitors got IS per day. just how
much Judge Lewis opposed these acts
of larceny we are not advised, but
would like TO know.
Later Gen. VIM, Malone succeeded
under the veracious statement that be
was bett er Democrat than Ben Hill
in landing the State in the Republican
column, and if there was ever poiit
ical Gebaucb it was INDUCED in then.
N either Judge Lewis, nor Col. 5.
Brown Allen nor any of the suave
speakers who are now with soft speech
and sweet vernacular cajoling the peo-
pie to vote the Republican ticket, who
were active participants in the politics
of that day, will defend the dastardly
served up to Virginia
during that ssturnalia of crime.
North Carolina with Governor Rus
sell in control, during Mr.. McKinley's
first administration, was under Repub-
lican rule. This is so recent that a
casual reference to il is only necessary.
Even Mr.. Mckinley, as anxious as he
was for breaking up of the solid
South, and as fond as he was of seeing
Republicans in power everywhere,
could not sustain the rottenness and
practiced there, and he did
not and would not interfere when
Russell begged him, telling him be was
to control affairs and enforce
the laws. Mr.. Mckinley sat in Wash
ington disgusted with Republicanism
as practiced in that State and saw the
State wrested from an incompetent
and rotten administrator by force and
arms. This was the experience of
North Carolina with sRepublicanism,
and to mention it to those people caus
es nausea.
Kentucky once fell into their hands,
This is modern history also. When
dethroned the Republicans of that
State sought to hold power by assassi-
nation, and to do so assembled thugs
and assassins from the mountains, and
killed the Democratic Governor elect.
But this did not give them the State.
They had had their day and were, like
devils cast out, and many of their chief
officers are now either fugitives from
justice Or in the jails and penitentiary.
West Virginia has tried Republican
control, and as result has earned for
CRATER State OF the Union. In that
State the Republican party has become
so corrupt that they vie with each
other in their modes of cheating and
rival factions of their own
party. And as for wasting public
funds the old Moses government in
South Carolina in reconstruction days
was scarcely more malodorous. They
have squandered the public funds until
increased taxation became imperative
and they undertook it in a new way,
they provided for a reassessment and
their assessors being partisans were
given the tip, and values scared out of
sight. and as we go to press the county
courts all over the State are deciding
whether or not to rectify the crime.
Capital is being driven out and capital
is being kept out, by reason of this
act of confiscation as it
frequently amounts to, when property
value at ST., 900 in 1904 has been raised
to $50, 600 in 1905.
These are samples of Republican
rule in States bordering on Virginia
Ind the only Southern States which
have been SO unfortunate as to fall
under Republican blight, and with
,hese examples before us how can
Judge Lewis convince our people that
We want any of it, The Democratic
party may be party of mOssbacks,
)ut it has been conservative and de.
;ent in State government and is today
he only party that can be trusted with
'tate control in the South.
AT Virginia watering place re-
emily two base ball clubs played a |
anne, after which there was feast,
uring which foreign minister sum
herring there treated the clubs to wine.