Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1905-04-14
THE CANDIDATES AND THE MORAL
ISSUE"

There are three SlmOn-pnfe, True
blue Democratic candidates for the
nomination for Governor OF Virginia,
Messrs Willard, Swanson and Mann.
Each OF these gentlemen are presenting
their claims TO the high honor Of the
nomination which will be equal TO cleo
ton, beyond any shadow Of doubt.
AS between Willard and Swanson
there is little room for choice. Toss
up penny. 1t matters not which one
wins. There is, so far as the people
know, no issue between these two
young aspirants. Personal ambition TO
hold the high Office, Is perhaps their
only apology for pressing their claims.
Both Of them are young men of limited
experience, and neither Of them Of such
towering ability as TO make their cleo
ton a matter Of life or death to the
State.
Outside OF the personalities Of the
two men there is absolutely no choice.
There is no issue between them so far
as made known. Both stand pledged
TO the principles OF the Democratic
party, and either OF them would no
doubt make ii good governor. and one
or the other OF them will in all proba-
bility. be nominated and elected
AS to Judge Mann, the case is entire
~ different, as we see it. He is the ex-
ponent Of an issue, and the only issue
in this campaign, and that issue a moral
one Judge Mann, whether he wishes
10 be, or intended TO be, or not, is the
logical representative and exponent Of
the great moral force and sentiment of
the state OF Virginia on the temperance
question: sentiment and force which
closed nearly 500 saloons in the state
and swept both houses of the Generally
Assembly. 1t was backed and is up
held now by every reputable minister
OF every denomination in the state
and the majority OF their members
The only object of this article is e
ask, what are these ministers, churC hei
and anti-salOon people going 10 do
about 1t? If they are consistent-i
their loud speeches and ringing re
solutions and long prayers mean any
thing there Is but one course for then
TO pursue. For the first time perhaps
in the history Of the movement in this
State, the temperance people hav,
their opportunity. They have can
didate-as true a Democrat as eve
lived-who was a Democrat when tn,
other candidates were in their swad
ding clothes. They have public sen
timent behind them, they have mora
and religious right behind them
What will they do about it? The cry
has been, reform within the party-n,
new party" Here it is. Judge Mani
is Democrat of Democrats. He i
no Prohibitionist-only a plain Dem
ocrat who is pledged to a control c
the monster evil Of this and all othe
States-that's all The other candi
dates may be as much in favor c
temperance reform OF Judge Mann i.
and perhaps are. They would just a
quickly and heartily enforce and uI
hold laws on the subject demanded b.
the people as Judgel Mann, but this
not the question. Judge Mann is the e,
ponent land proud of IT. OF the doc
tIine and legislation set forth by I'll
Mann Bill and this bill is the bill of IL
anti-saloon hosts and the ministers ar
churches. Will these vote as they prs
and preach, OF will they sacrifice pr
fessed principles to party harmony
and get weak kneed about votir
time, as they have often done heret
fore, and cause the public general
to doubt their sincerity if not the
religion? This paper is not in fav
or prohibition. neither is Judge Maj
nor the anti-saloon League. We ha'
never advocated the nomination
Judge Mann.