Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-07-21
WHY THIS FLOP?

The Petersburg Index-Appeal ls now
a very strenuous supporter of Senator
Martin. In 1893 it was very bitter
against him. We cannot object to a
newspaper changing it's mind as b,.
tween men, but when it once opposed
man because it thought him the tool
of corporations and the recipient OF
corporation favOrs, it has no right to
swallow its views. renounce it's previ-
GUS code of morals and preach new
doctrines, unless it first goes out and
kicks itself before it changes its rea-
soning. If what it says was wrong
then, it is wrong now, unless the Index
Appeal has a new moral guide. On
Nov. 25, 1898. that paper said:
1--WE hear a great deal. nowadays.
about the senatorial cand idacy of MI.
Tom Martin, of Albeinarle. Who is
Mr.. Tom Martin, of Albemarle, any
how p
On Nov. %, 1898, it further said:
THAT is a remarkable story which
is told in the letter of Mr.. ii utcheson
and the comments thereon, which we
print this morning from the Richmond
Times. 1t Is remarkable in more res
poets than one. That money sub
scribed for campaign purposes should
be diverted from the legitimate ends
contemplated by the subscribers, and
surrepticiOusly used, to promote the
senatorial aspirations of any man is
bad enough and des erves the reprOba
tiOn of all fair men. But this is not
the worst feature of this disclosurs.
Why should railroads subscribe to
campaign funds at all ? Is it matter
of patriotism with them, or are they
phllanthrOpists in politics when they
have no souls in aught else ? Or is it,
as Mr. HutchesOn shreWdly Surmises,
for particular purpose We shall
see We shall watch, and the people
will watch with interest, intensified
by the developments just made, the
course of the gentlemen In the leglsla-
ture who got there by aid of the cam
paign fund that did not come through
Chairman Ellyson. By their fruits
shall they be judged. If it shall APP
pear that their votes and acts are di-
rected to the best interests of Virginia
uncoerced by corporate influence and
power, then they will prove that they
have not been bought like cattle in
the Market to use Mr. Hutcheson's
apt phrase. On the other hand, if II
shall appear that they are the plant
and subserylent tools of the railroads,
ready to espouse their cause on all Oc-
casians and to champion their candi
dates for public place, regardless OF
qualification or other consideration,
it will take the tongues of angels to
convince the people that they had not
been bought like cattle in the market
for price"
On Dec. 9, 1898, when things were
quite warm in Richmond, and the air
was resonant with cries of fraud and
corruption, that paper said:
1--WE are not so sure that the Times
can make out case of bribery in the
degree and in the sense in which that
offence against good morals becomes
a crime against the commonwealth.
Neither do we wish to be understood
| as in any measure or in any particular
confirming the truth of the allegation
| which orr contemporary makes in re-
gard to Mr.. WithrOw. We are prepared
to say. however, that any United
States Senator whose election was
accomplished through Obligati ons i'm
posed upon members of the Legislature
could not be regarded as the choice OF
the people, or of the majority of his
| party. Moreover, if such methods are
cOuntenapced. if will become almost
impossible in the future for the people
| to make their wishes felt and their in
fluence supreme in matters of the high
est Importance to the State"
Has some of the campaign fund o.
this year reached the office of the
Index Appeal, that it is singing a new
songp Has it at last found out Wht
is Mr.. Tom Martin, of Albemarle
ANYHOW 2D