The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-11-04
A WORD TO VOTERS

Ii must Ice evident To all readers OF
newspapers that the Republican party IN
the State is. this time, making more
than its periunctory effort Tor success,
that the National party, with IT, mex
| haustible corruption fund, Is behind
them is clearly indicated. This i the
only spur that ever makes the SPAWN
mare oi Virginia kepublicanism go. The
rabid advocacy O! the "quid pro quo
press is further straw Candidates
/ have been we'll chosen and speakers of "A
better stripe than is usual are upon the
! hustings.
/ In an effort to obscure the issues.
great stress is being laid upon the per
sOnality of the candidates. This ishota-
! bly, illustrated i'm the ncighhorlug county
of King George. where MIR. /. W. Payne
has been nominated 10y the Republicans
for the House OF Delegates. Mr. Payne
Is an excellent gentleman OF TINT and
enterprise, equally esteemed 10y men oi
both parties. ~ man. Ice Is ON"
against whom no Democrat could nave
any personal qualification IN voting. 80
the plea OF his partlsans Il this. surely,
YOU are not going 10 vote against Buck
Pavne2" Now. apart from the Tact that
all that can be- said in favor of Mr.. Payne
can be- urged with equal force in behalf OF
his competitor. Mr. Moncure. the obvi-
Gus answer To this is: NO. we are not
going 10 vote against Mr.. Payne but We
are going 70 vote Tor those policies oil
decency, solvency and progress Tor which
the Democratic party OF Virginia stands
and Is pledged" Ii il agreed that where
a candidate stands pledged 10 "a plat~
form. which must in all matters OF policy
control his vote and regulate his course.
his personality Is largely negligible; ms
honesty and ability are only further as
surauces that he will with skill and Ger
tainty advocate those measures 10 winch +
his party stands committed.
Ii is understood that Mr.. Payne and .
his co-wOrkers are slyly and subtiN me /
sinuating To those Democrats Who .
though personal friends OF Mir Payne, 4.
cOnld not not be- induced To vote the Re .
publican ticket. that, at least, they may .
refrain from yotingaTainst him. We are .
not inclined To believe that any Demo +
crat can I've "buncoed 10y this engaging .
casuistry. Ii is too plain 10 all that I
such betrayal OF the party, while less .
courageous. is actually not less culpable F
han an open desertiOn TO the enemy
ranks Ii is claimed by Mr.. Payne's ad /
mirers that he has never voted fora Dem /
Ocrat, even though that Democrat were /
unoppOsed. Democrats will be- wise +
enough 70 consider Mr.. Payne example .
before hardening 10 his precept.
The recent primary, AT which yOu as a /
Democrat voted. made Senator Martin .
the nominee OF the Democratic party be- /
fore the next Legislature for reelection - /
the s Senate Can yOu consistently /
support the man who is in honor bound /
TO support for the Senate the caucus .
nominee OF the Republican party Oi /
course not Perhaps the Republican |
sophist will reply that the next Leglsla- I
tlre is admirably Democratic and that /
the election of Mr.. Payne cannot affect /
that of Senator Martin in the least. But /
can YOU find it consistent withyour sense /
of honor and loyalty 10 neglect your /
duty, because you believe your brother 1
Democrats strong enough and honest /
enough TO perform yours and theirs TOO. .
We do not think SO.
Some claim Democratic olelnency Tor
Mr. Payne on the ground that, Il elected. /
hecaunot affect legislation in the least%
cannot do any harm. Exactly So But /
is that the proper function Ola Legisla- /
tor? l. it not better for the interests OF
the counties OF Stafford and King George
70 be represented in the Legislature by
member OF the majority, who can aud
will secure the legislation they may need,
than to send man ioredoomed to sit in
a pitiiul, ridiculous and impOtent minor
ity?
TO repeat. the personal equasion does
not count. That there are good men and /
true in the Republican party OF Virginia. /
il would be idle to deny. They /
are rendered shiningly consplc- /
uous by the company they |
keep. 1t would be equally idle to deny that
the great body of the Republican party |
OF Virginia is a sad band OF lshmalites,
made up in the main OF Federal Office
holders, from district Judges and attOr-
neys down to fOurth-class pOstmasters
at the country crossroads. A hungry
lot, lean, rent and beggared, and playing
a miserable Lasarus to the Adminstra-
ton Dives. Shall we be joined unto
these people, and if so why?
Democrat.