Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-10-22
POLITICAL FREEDOM.

Some one has remarked that to
vote straight party ticket in No
vember will be a difficult if not i'm
possible thing, in this county. And
he was not far wrong. Not for years
and years, if ever, has the political
situation in this county been so mix
ed rs at this time. The county is
lined with independent" candidates
some Democrats-most of them Re
publicans. In several instances a num-
Der OF Republicans are running for the
same office. Likewise Democrats.
heretofore, from time imn.emorial,
almost, committees, "rings," or social
ed "massmeetings" OF some self APP
pointed body, would "get together"
and say who was who-who should
and who shouldn't, parcel out and
pass out the plums to their favorites
who had done "valiant service" to the
party. All this seems changed now.
1t is no longer possible for small
coterie of leading politicians" tc get
court house, o. some private Office
and make up Il "slate" to be pre-
scented at some packed convention,
assigning the Offices to those of the
faithful" who had always Carried
their precinct" for the party nominee.
Boss rule in both parties, us in the
nation, sesms to have become, happily
thing of the past. Why this change
and revolution? One thing the
rank and file of the voters has been
pruned and the easy prey" of the
politicians eliminated. The new con-
stitution, new election laws, have
given the county and State new
electorate. The men who could be
bought, like so many sheep or cattle,
If not entirely eliminated, have been
put largely beyond the reach of the
campaign fund. Time was, not be-
You'd the memory of some of us, when
men were bought election day at what
was virtually, public auction-thc big
gest pile got the votes, the longest
pole the persimmons. AS one re-
suit, only those men who had money
or could command it dared to run
for office.
Again, people are more prosper
Gus and intelligent now. The rank
and file do not now stand in such
dire need of help. They are alAe to
buy their own clothes, and whiskey.
too, if they wish to. Prosperity and
Intelligence spells freedom and indie
pendence. Poverty and ignorance.
bondage and slavery. The people are
thinking for themselves-thcy are
voting as they please, and for the
best and most efficient man. Not that
everything is just right yet, but only
becoming more and more so as the
years go by. The independent, intel
ligent voters who choose between can
dates and vote for the man rather
than the party, are increasing in num- /
bers, and are exerting great in
huence for cleaner politics and bet
ter government.
Mo realization of Utopian dreams is
expected, but we are approaching
slowly it may be, the ideal in govern
mental affairs-in county, State and
nation. The tidal wave of reform
set in motion some years ago by dis
tinguished citizen of the west. rose
higher and higher, and spread wider
and wider, until it washed every
shore from sea to sea. Every state
IN this union, and every county in
every state, and every precinct in
every county, has felt its power. and
rewritten its code OF political morali
ty. This is the day of political intel
hgence and political freedom. 1t
seems to be the case with the voters
of Tazewell as well as of the entire
State. We are all falling into line
and keeping step with the drum beats
OF the army Of progress and indepen-
dence. A citizen of this county ex-
pressed it tersely, if not elegantly.
when he remarked few DAVIS ago
in this office: 81 am a free-born citi-
zen. l know what l am doing. | will