Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-03-20
DOUBTFUL POLITICS.

We publish elsewhere a call for a
Democratic primary to be held on June
9th, 1908, to nominate a candidate for
! Congress from this, the 10th District.
We publish this call from no sense of
party loyalty nor to advance Democrat
ic interests. 1t has neither in it when
read and understood, and it were far
better from party standpoint in our
opinion that it had never been written
much less published for the day named.
We know of no opposition to Mr..
Flood, the present incumbent. We hope
there is none and will be none. In
most things Mr.. Flood has made an ac-
ceptable officer, but this call is of a
character to do him and the cause of
Democracy in this district harm. Re
publicans can choke off the people, they
can strangle public opinion, they can
kick and cuff opposing factions as they
see fit, they can refuse recognition of
meritoriOus members, or refuse to listen
to meritorious subjects, one set can hold
all the offices and run the whole ma
chine and juggle conventions as they
see fit, but not SO with Democrats.
We publish it today-our first oppor-
tunity. Before twenty days have elaps-
ed all candidates who have not come
| forward with $500 will be shut out.
There will be no primary at all and Mr..
Flood will, in less than thirty days
from the date of issuing this call, be
DECLARED the nominee, 10y system
of excluson-not by the voice of the
people, but simply by reason of the
fact that somebody has not put up
$300-and yet this is called Democracy.
| We doubt if it will stand the test.
If, on the other hand, candidate
should appear and an election be forced,
the canvas must be made at time
| when the other Democrat would have
little chance to bring the people to-
gether or lay before them the issues.
This is presidential year, no candidate
for Congress ought to be nominated I'M
til after the July convention at Denver,
and the platform has been written and
the Presidential candidate named
There is no denial of this. proposition,
common sense teachesjt. This was the
case when Mr.. Flood first entered
Congress, the convention which nOmi-
mated him first was held some time
after the national convention. Why
change it now? 1t is recalled that the
then incumbent could not stand on the
Democratic platform written month
before. The nominee in this instance
might find himself in the same plight.
Where would the party then be?
Again, the district has been changed
and now Craig county is a part of it.
When they wake up to their situation
they will find a COMMITTEE NAMED
candidate awaiting their entrance.
This is said in no spirit of hostility to
Mr.. Flood. We have supported him
since he was first nominated and would
do SO in the approaching primary if we
voted. 1t is said in the interest of party
fairness and to avoid criticism, and the
use of methods so often employed by
Republicans. In another column we
publish letter from Mr.. Flood justi-
flying an early nomination, but mas
much as the nomination for president
is far more important than that of con-
gresham, we still think the greater
should precede the smaller.
The above criticisms may, however,
result from the primary plan, as we
are assured that the Committee follow
ed it to the letter.
The Ohio Republicans in their con-
vention just held were pushed by Roose-
welt and Taft to put plank in their
platform declaring that ''the Tariff is
the mother of Trusts" 1t was only
after a hard fight that such plank
was not adopted. There really seems
some hope for the future.
| -<@ S<--
The Byrd Bill relating to the sale of
liquors is now the law. 1t was passed
by the last Legislature and so urgent
was the desire of its advocates TO pre-
vent the members of social clubs from
imbibing on Sunday that it went into
effect from the day it was signed by
the Governor.
1t is pretty well settled that it is bet
ter when we are sick to take no medi-
cine than to take the wrong medicine.
But in pressing for financial legislation
we are told that we should try the Aid
rich bill any way, whether it cures our
panicby pains or not.
| The automobiles in their race from
New York to Paris added from four to
six horse power to their other horse
power in getting through the snow
drifts in the west, and the last were
worth all they previously had.
Being compelled to do so by the Cor
poration Commission, the G. & o. now
"willingly'' stops its trains at Alexan-
dria. This fact will now be relied on
doubtless to further reduce dividends,
and will be classed as adverse legislation
Senator Depew in a recent speech re-
ferred to lawlessness in Kentucky. He
doubtless thought that the people in
the rush had forgotten the Insurance