Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-09-03
lie Tells How the May Movement
Was Defeated.
LANDS GOVERNOR TYLER
Denies Many statement. Made by tho
Senator: who says tho Congress
nnn From tho First Distri.t
Dodsed in tho Senate md voted
sio,h ways on tho Finnnc,nl rrob>
ncm.

Hon. VIM. A. Jones, Congressman
from the First District. spoke in Man
chester last Wednesday evening. The
Richmond Times has this to say Of tha
speech:
Tho speaker dwclt at considerable
length upon Senator Martins record as
a Senator from Virginia, and he was
very happy when lie produced copies OF
the Congressional Record to disprove
certain statements and claims made IN
q circular that is being distributed
broadcast throughout the State by
friends of Senator Martin.
Some OF Mr.. Jones reftitory state
ments were looked upon as most startl-
ing by the audience. us they revealed
the Junior Senator In IL different light
70 that In which some OF them at least
had heretofore seen him."
MIR. Jones s;lid in pare:
Nv hen the Constitution of the United
States was framed liz years ago there
was no great corporations, nor was
there u millionaire representative in the
thirteen States. Corporations had no;
undertaken 10 control Legislation. In
the STATES then ana for many years
after the legislatures enjoyed almost
exclusive power But that era has
passed away. the only remnant of leg
1S!ativc power is the election OF the
United States Senators.
1.-The Constitution provides that The
people vote for Presidential electors
Although the Constitution has not beer
changed, MS a matter OF fact, the people
do vote for President. We have cleo
torul colleges: the electors assemble a
the various capitals and vote for the
President but the people have decrecd
who that President shall be. The cleo
tor carries out the letter OF the Consti-
tuition, but the people have passed an
unWrilten amendment.
They 30 to the polls and vote, but
do not know half the time, nor care
VINO the electors are. They know for
whom they are voting for President.
When the Constitution was adopted
Governors were elected by the I.egis-
Iatures Thomas Jefferson, The found
er of the Democratic party, was elect
ed Governor of Virginia by the Legis-
lature. But that day has passed To-
day there is not u State whose electors
IRE not voted for directly by the pco-
PIE, and the people, IL capable of elect
ing Governors and Presidents, are also
capable of electing United States Sena-
tors.
There has been movement for n
number of years to give the people this
privilege. Twenty-sevcn States have
declared that the constitution ought 10
he changed and resolutions have been
sent to Congress asking that the uucs-
ton OF an amendment to the Constitu-
ton be submitted 10 the people. Only
last Winter Missouri and North Caro-
ANA passed resolutions to that effect
But one branch OF Congress has al
ways turned n deaf ear to those ap-
peals or the people. Since i have been
In Congress about sevcnty-fivc resolu-
tons have been introduced. Three of
them have passed and one OF those by
n unanimous vote. In the last Con-
Eress. II Republican body. n resolution
was passed providing for the submits
sion of this question to the people. But
the Senate, the mon who have been
beneficiaries of this un-Democratic
method, killed it.
Some of the Democrats of this State
have taken up this movement. Two
years ago, ut Roanoke. n resolution
along The line of the election OF Sena-
tors by the people was defeated by the
Committee on Resolutions. \ few
months later two resolutions were in
troduceG in the legislature providing
that something be done. but they were
defeat ted.
SAME INFLUENCE.
No harm could have come from al
lowing them to pass. but the same in
tluence that defeated it at Roanoke was
brought to bear. One of these resolu
fionS was introduced by Hon. w. T.
Reddy, and il he never goes back to
The Legislature he. will have the salts
faction Of knowing that he will be hon
ored because of the effort he made 10
give the people the privilege of choos,
ing their own Senator's
After that the war came on and we
We're obliged for n time to forego press
Ing the question. When the war came
to an end some fifty-two Democratic
citizens signed n paper calling for a
convention to meet in Richmond. and
in May some 200 or 500 Democrats pass
ed resolution calling upon the State
Committee to do something but the
committee was bound under that same
old Influence and denied to the people a
convention to nominate in some way
United States Senators.
1t isn't necessary to say who it was
that stood behind this influence. Mr.
Martin hasn't a friend In Virginia who
would deny that 1t was his influence
that defeated that proposition. He de-
fcated 1t at Roanoke, and every man
knows that 1t was his influence tina.
defeated it before the State Commit
tee
II happened to be in Richmond when
the appeal was made to the commit tee
and was at the Jefferson Hotel when
the committee would not listen to the
appeal made by distinguished citizens
ana when the proposition was voted
down, and I saw his friends surround
senator Martin at the Jefferson and
congratulate him upon his big victory.
have right to charge that this
great movement to give the people n
privilege has been taken from them by
Senator Martin.
Only q few days ago he came out in
a long letter and statement that he
would vote for this amendment. l don't
care what he says. charge 1t here and
everywhere that for two years he has
fought this movement in season and
out, and if he had upon any occasion
shown his willingness to submit 1t to