The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-12-21
Mr.. G0RD0NS ONE REASON
FOR BEING A CANDIDATE

Mr.. G0RD0N'S ONE REASON
FOR BEING A CANDIDATE
Mr.. II. Lindsay Gordon, Il Louisa, 10
has announced, by circular letters e. 20
ndividual voter, and through lil' pfes-
that he IA "a candidate for the CnnRfe-
-iOnl nomination at the D+mDcfAil
primary To be held some time neXt year
appears 10 have but one reason Tor p
posing Mr. Carlin. our tre>e.t eiiic'"'
| Congressman. What II that reason? la
his newspaper cara. which l. dners'l'
from his clrcular lettcf,w had tbeioiiDw-
ing paragraph:
IF TIE PRESENT INCUMntN 1
WAS A MAJORITY CANDIDATE. !
WOULD NOT ANrAGONlIE hlN, hU 1
IIr YET REMAINS no BE DE ER-
MINED WHICH Of Us /, ,rHECHOit +
OF A MAJOalTY OF TIE DISTRICT
II that paragraph means anything. II
means that Mr.. Gordon has Onis one
reason for opposing Mr.. tafl.H, and that
is because he { Mr Csrlin,) ~ occupy in-
the position Of the party : choice VIII
out having feceiyei ni6lJuily oi tue
votes cast. This II identlcaily the SAM
position that Mr. Gordon made sucb
strenuous If jrts to attain 10 The recent
primary. The primary system, when.
ON the WAY, Mr.. Gordon, IT, - member 81
the Democratic state Convention ~
Norfolk, hs'pe1 toput into existence wa
lust IA q, ,ircGive last spring rs u u now
Chen Mr. Gordon became caulid9tr
without IA word a. 10 our dtlHctlNe
ur mary system de had 10 prop 's.-
filus 10 make at that time that tu' tw'
f,ceiviay the highest vote sh 'u.d run thr
race over again. tie WAS probably tOr
foil of the hope aid expectation that Dr.
would ?, ceive the largest vote u hGmii
Uf any idea Of maklsg such q magnan'-
nous proposition 10 the ctndiie'e llat
behind him ~ the numoer ui Vot's f'-
ceiyei But now, ,siace the result did n'i
roiucide with bis wishes aud cXpects-
mons, be- discuvers adf ct ~ tn pr N -.
-,.teln, which he G-si~ted IA cie,tiuy
such prop,sai from M. Gordon at tar
tim. b b cafne "a candidate iu-t fp'iA-
Niuii have been az set ut zinc ft' ,aui
perhaps. one If patriotism But now
We'll, We scarcely think ~ u %. "a H.
serves much credit for making the prop
OsitiOn
ia th. above languBg- Sir. Gordon has
practically given Mr Carlin'- sblIty and
fitnr,s a. q Congressman a most cOfd.b
endors, meut. de sAys that had hr
Caflin received a me jJrity vote, he wuuii
NOT antBgOniz' him. DOES not tuat
mean that he would not Ouiy not have
bseu candidate against Mr.. tefiio, but
also that he would not baSe supported
any other candidate over him hsh De II
ceiyed u m6jority vote. Ia other words
Mr. Gordon would have voted Tor Ar
Carliu's denomination over any on who
might have opposed him. such An Gu
dorsement from Mr. Gordon should be- "a
source Of much qualification 10 Mr.. Ohr-
lin. For, after reading Mr.. Gordons
card one cannot but be satisfied that Mr.
Gordon would never east his vote iOi any
ore who wac not emlnentiy nc AM com
petent.
Thus has Mr. Gordon made Z single
issue for the canvass which be i thrust
iug upon the people of the Eighth dis-
trict. ~ far IN advance OF the time when
campaigns are usually started That
Issue is: Shall the people be satisfied TO
rest content with the representative they
have, aud give him an opportunity 70
show whether or not lie IL worthy oi the
public trust that has been cOniidei 70
his keeping. or shall they len ali stten-
tive ear 10 Mr.. Gordons eleventh hour
proposition and have g race run over
again?
| Mr.. GordOn's announcement, contain
Ing the above language, Ia about as III
timed az anything could possibly be. II
that Il really and truly bis only rea-O
for antagonizing Mr.. Carlin, then wht
should be not wait for an appropriat"
| time to make such cOntesp tie says:
1t vet remains TO be determined which
of us is the choice Of majority oil the
district" That is the question that Mr..
Gordon seems most anxious To have set
tied. Does be think 1t fair and square TO
announce that that is the one issue Of bis
canvass. and then commence his cam
paign at a time when the other party
most interested has bis hands tied by the
obligation he owes TO his constituents
TO remain In Washington during the ses-
sion Of Congress and attend to his do
ties? That Is very peculiar way oil de-
termining which Ia the choice OF ms
jority Of the district
As to his early candidacy we are con-
strained TO ask are the people oi the dis
trict to have no period OF rest from the
clamor OF importunate candidates ior
public placer 1t does seem that such
premature activity as this IA light well be
characterized as pestiierous. To us, at
least, 1t confirms the good sense oil the
Democratic voters Of the district when
they determined that the people could be
better served by leaving MI. Gordon at
home than by sending him to Washing
ton. Indeed, Mr.. GordoD's letter, Issued
at this early day. before Mr.. Carlin has
had an opportunity to show how he wlii
discharge the trust conhded TO MIN,
amounts to more than an attack upon
Mr.. Carlin. 1t is an arraignment OF the
people OF the district who have com
missioned him to represent them u
Washington. No better evidence OF ths
wisdom OF tie people in turning doHE
bis aspirations can be found than Ia this
iIl-timed and indlscreet complaint OF tbe
action OF the people at the last primary
Whether IL suits him or not, he may rest
assured that the intelligent voters OF the
Eighth district want man, when they
elect him, to have fair show, and they
will not be disposed to sympathiEs with
clsmor which has no other iustitca'
ton than the desire OF the political sell
seeker to get place, for certain 1t is
that q campaign started at this time II
not called for In the interest OF the peo'
pie, but sorely in the interest of office
seeker.-Fauquier Democrat.