Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-11-28
TO THE VOTERS OF THE EIGHTH
GPESSIONAI DISTRICT

Inc circumstances surrounding ID
test for the domination induces me Is 70
become candidate for Congress, sub
the action Of the d mocratic primary.
10 the recent primary four countie
scented candidates, aud local pride az
sonal attachments contributed largely =, ,ne
| result, viz, the selection Of a candidate with
a majority of2,67l, against him. This defect
| in our primary law should be remedied, 50 as
10 make the selection of q minority candidate
impossible, by requiring the race to be rua
over bJ the two highest candidates, whe Q
neither has majority. The additio al eA-
peDse email ell is not 10 be compared with the
right Of the majority to rule.
If the present incumbent was a majority
candidate / would not antsgonize him, but
il yet remains to be Determined which Of US
is the choice of majority Of the district.
TIE retirement of Mr. Ryan from the re-
cent contest wss successfully used by some Of
Mr.. Carlin's supporters TO ioiure me uron the
day of the election. They openly chergec q
combination between US and iutimsted that
Mr.. Ryan had been improperly Influenced.
| II was too te 10 NEST the charge and il co [
me p any votes in these portions Of the dis
| tFict wherB | YVES a comparative strar ger.
! his charge wss wholly false. Nothing p6ss-
| ed betwe n Mr. Ryan and myself except his
proposiiei to cast lots as TO which a Ds
s. oald retir,; these declined. stating to him
that his only course was to make the Sight to
fla sh, or retire from the race, having bis
| f,ieLds entir, IL free 10 support their second
choice.
This is my first oopcr.unty of responding
| to this charge and | invite the politicians
who made it, to let tn, people know upon
what fsc's il wos based. Any question OF
personsl il justice to me, however, is OF less
| mpOrt1nce 10 tie votes than the prlnci tles
| for which the caud dates stands. The ques-
ton now confronting the American people is
whether the railroads. trusts and other mono
polists shall control this government and
make its laws. for their selfish EMS, 'r
whether it she'll be dgnnist rel in the mar
| est of the misses OF The pope. II an a
| demC cr4t" no longer commands the p OIL, s.
cSnfdeuce; we fad d; mocrats figl ting he
| battles OF turs ard corporations, and 'iom'-
Gratis struggling to eontiol them. democrats
who b. ey. il the rule of the people, aud
democrats who believe that thu people are
unfit n rule, democrats who b ] eve in free
compel lion md dems rats who defend inonop-
oily.
| am OF Of these democr ats who sincerely
| believe. that priv.te monopoly is irtolera-
| BILE aud II deiensible. Gnd that no man or
corporation is good enough toogn .nOnoI oily
of any Of the nec6 ssaries of life.
The monetary exactiOns of the truss and
c0!p0ratlons are less lIJuf4Ou 10 us, however,
than their cOrrupting influence upon oar pub
lie men. In order to stihe competition and
coLtnol the market thev must have legis latOrs
f.voratle to their interests, end TO 5 cure
these they are ready to furnish their csndt-
dates Unlimited means.
IL is, therefore, lfevidet that the sheet
auchnr of American liberty is the purity of
our ballot. If monopolsts mey fist tax us
upjustly ard USE this tax to purchase another
election the D Jwer of the people is dos royed.
In the last canvass | did not spend dollar
Improperly, for then believed and still be-
leve thu the purity of the ballot is more
important than the sicct IS Of any individual.
and shall conduit this canvass upon the
same principle. 1t is impossible in the space
Of card tn s.bts fully my political conyic-
| tons, but hope during the progress OF the
ca1vas, t. have the opportunity of discussing
them publicly. cannot cl use tn card with
out thanking my friends for their warm and
generous Import in the recent contest, and
look forward with pleasure to the opportu-
nifty Of seeing them again, and trust that /
shsll make The acquaintance Of the people Of
the district generally, and hope to enlist the
sympathy and support Of gentlemen who have
not heretofore supported me.
Very respectfully yours.
e. l.. GORDON, JR. -