Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-24
on THE VIRGINIA STUMP.
senator Martin to Make a Canvass OF
the state.

II. L. w. writes from ScottsVlhe u 'he
Washington Post:
II have determined to 20 upon the
stump in this State this fall and make
a thorough canvass" said Senator Martin
to the Post correspondent to-day. i
have not yet outlined my programme
nor will any definite arrangements DC
made until the meeting Of the State Com
mittee and the appointment Of the EXecu-
tive Committee. From the beginning OF
the campaign, which will be about the
middle of next month, until the day OF
election, will give my entire attention
TO the political situation"
This unexpected announcement, made
to-day, will be read with all the more
interest. because it has not been senator
Martins policy in the past to make stump
speeches. In fact, until the presidential
campaign of last year, when Virginia
witnessed one of the most exciting con-
tests ever fought within its borders.
Senator Martin had not made political
speech upon the hustings. In that cam
paign he appeared half dozen or more
times, notably at Culpeper and Char
lottesville. He is not naturally a public
speaker. His training had been entirely
in the courts. and while he has acquired
a wide reputation in the State for MS
legal judgment, he has never sought 10
widen bis influence through public speak
ing. Even though he has been in the
Senate three years, he has never made a
speech in that body.
HIS POLITICAL FUTURE AFFECTED.
In the campaign which will occur, how
ever two years from now, a Legislature
will be elected which will elect Mr.. Mar
tins successor. This year twenty State
senators will be elected, who Will hold
over and who will, therefore, have a
voice in the naming of the United States
senator. To this extent the campaign
this year affects Mr.. Martins future. He
is a candidate for reelection, and pro-
poses TO 90 before the people and form
the lines which, he hopes, will result in
his return to the Senate. He labors I'M
der the disadvantage of not being as
widely known personally throughout the
State as Senator Daniel, for instance, al
though his acquaintance with the lead
ers is very extensive. This disadvantage
will be largely removed by his active par
ticipation in the canvass this fall.
As the Legislature to be chosen in No
cember will elect Senator Daniel, and as
the election of 1898 is somewhat depend
ent as already stated, upon the result
this year. and as there are few or no inn
portant local questions to discuss, the
campaign in Virginia will be fought al
most entirely upon national issues. Sena-
tor Martin will again, as he did last year,
take an unequivocal ground in favor Of
the free coinage of silver at the ratio Of
16 to without the aid Of any foreign ma
ton. and has already fortified himself
with a large mass of information upon
the subject, although the exact text of
his opening speech has not yet been pre-
pared In addition 10 this he proposes to
make the income tax an issue. and will
advocate the adoption Of a constitutional
amendment providing for a tax of this
kind He was not i'm the Senate at the
time the income tax provision OF the VIII
son law was voted upon. and consequent
ly has no record as a public man upon
that question. He IS. however, thorough
ly i'm favor of it. He also holds decided
opinions upon the question of lifetime
service i'm the United States Supreme
Court, believing that the terms OF the
judges should be limited as they are upon
the State bench, and that their cOntinu-
ance in Office should be subject TO the
appointment of the President and the
confirmation Of the Senate. He believes
that by this means the court would gain
even a higher status than ii now pos
sesses and that decisions like that in the
income tax case, which brought upon
the court much bitter criticism, would
be avoided.