Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-10-15
MIR. FLOODS SPEECH.

MR.. FLOODS SPEECH.
Hon. III. D. Flood was introduced by
Mr. G. T. Jordan, the prominent Staun-
ton temperance leader, who was given
hearty reception when he arose to
present the congressman. Mr.. Flood
made vigorous speech and aroused
tremendous enthusiasm at times. He
denounced bitterly ''these assistant Re
publicans," who decry the party issues
and nominees and lend assistance to
the enemy "by writing hostile edito-
rails in supposedly Democratic papers,
declaring that he could tolerate sincere
Republicans, but he had no use for
those men who wore Democratic
mask, but were in reality traitors to
the party.
The above constitutes the entire ref
erence of the Staunton Daily Leader
to the speech of Hon. H. D. Flood |
made here on last Saturday night |
The reference by Mr.. Flood to the Edi-
| tor of the SPECTATOR therein contain
ed is neither yelled nor uncertain. We
had heard a slightly different version
of this speech, but presume the quota
ton here is correct His reference to
assistant Republicans who write hos
tile editorials, must have been the only
thing worthy of report, since the news
paper mentions nothing else, and it
must have been that reference which
"aroused tremendous enthusiasm" the
only tremendous enthusiasm SO far
heard from as emanating from that
meeting. Fortunately the Editor OF
the SPECTATOR does not live by Mr..
Floods tolerance. Up to this time it
has not occurred to him to enquire
whether Mr.. Flood would permit him
to longer dwell on earth or not, and as
strange as it may seem he has never
sought Mr.. Floods good opinion, nor
given a d-n for his bad one.
Mr.. Flood has always trod on thin
ice in these parts. 1t may be good pol
itics and wisdom to come here with a
mouth full of bitter personal references.
We doubtit. 1t may occur to Mr.. Flood
, that he can elevate the cause of Judge
, Mann by attacking the Democracy OF
, the Editor of the SPECTATOR, but Mr..
Flood, like some of his colleagues and
friends, may make blunders. On the
! other hand he may be infallible. We
o rather think he made a mistake last
6 Saturday-one he may have cause to
regret. The Editor of the SPECTATOR
I knows what constitutes Democracy as
q well as Mr.. Flood can tell him, and he
knows decency equally as well as a
J, number of Mr.. Floods claquers and
a many of the party heelers in this COM
!. munity. He is not in public life and
= owes no allegiance to anybody, or any
O party. His actions are his own and he
r accounts to nobody for them. His fail
q ure to yield to the views of. certain
Il great men in Virginia and swing tc
n their coat tails, may lose him MI
h Flood tolerance, but there is no known
crime in the course he is pursuing
10 There have been some things done un
~ der Mr.. Floods tolerance in Virgins
20 we'll nigh criminal, certainly morally
o. and politically wrong. In due season
n these may be mentioned. Up to this
ar time in this campaign no comment has
o been made on Mr.. Flood by the editor
of this paper. Mr.. Flood has troubles
IS of his own approaching, but he seems
to be laundering after more. He viii
: need friends next fall. He has never
D. had too many in Augusta. As he can
: not tolerate certain people, certain peo
10 pie may reciprocate the aversion and
# then the intolerance may become mu.
l. tual. One thing is certain, those gen
T tlemen who became so enthusiastic
r. last Saturday, do not just now handle
" heavy load well in this political
q mud, and Mr.. Flood had better be
q looking for new horses in his team. He
- will need them.