Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-23
Virginia Democrats Sharply Divided
Over Senatorial Fight.
CAMPAIGN is WAXING WARM
Tyler Has Developed Unexpected
Strength in Some Sections.
MARTIN WORKING SILENTLY

didacy for the United States Senate. the
eyes of the entire state are directed to his
comparative strength in the race. The
| activity in the fight displayed by the gov
ernor has established several undenia BILE
| facts which were up till recently regarded
| more in the light of mere speculations on
| the part of the governors friends or vision
airy ambitions entertained by Governor Ty-
| Ter himself. There can be no reasonable
| doubt that his personal canvass has devel-
| oped the fact that he himself as well as
| the principle which he represents. is much
stronger among the people of Virginia than
even his supporters in some quarters boast
| ed. His appearance in many sections of
| the state has been signal for pronounced
| demonstrations on the part of thousands
| who favor the election of United States
senators by a direct vote of the people
| Large audiences have turned out from time
| to time to hear this principle discussed The
proposed method of the popular election of
United States senators, which was at first
looked upon as more or less impracticable
| has gained much strength of late as the
only logical means of breaking up the effect
| of what is known as ring rule and ma
chine politics. in Virginia, and it is claim
| ed that this is the only medium through
winch the state may be saved from the HUI
initiating experiences and abuses which
drew the eyes of this country upon political
conditions in Pennsylvania, Montana, Cali
fornia, Ohio and other states.
Governor Avoids PersOnnlfties.
Governor Tyler himself, wherever he has
been in his canvass, has scrupulously
avoided personalities, and has pleaded en-
t1rely for a principle. He has made scarce
| ly reference to the congressional record
| or Senator Martin, and has said almost
notnlng as to that gentleman in any sphere
of life. He has confined himself almost en-
tlrely to an exposition of what he calls the
office trust in Virginia through which he
declares all the offices in the state which
are worth having are dished up regularly
ana according to cut-and-dried methods to
tnose VINO work for and form a part of the
regularly organized machine" in this state
The governors exposition of the system
| by which this so-called machine is op-
Grated and controlled by the moneyed pow
ers and trusts who spend large quanti-
ties of money to have their own interests
represented in the Legislature of the state
as well as the halls of Congress. has to no
little extent opened the eyes of the masses
to little secrets heretofore confined to what
the governor denounces as the office trust
in Virginia.
Many people are saying all over the state
that the governor has proved his case. This
argument on the part of Governor Tyler
coupled with an ingenious appeal to the
masses to rise up and claim their rights to
cast their individual votes for the man who
represents them in the United States Sem
ate, as well those who are on the benches
of the state. county and municipal courts.
| II they so desire, has brought out great
deal OF strength for the Senatorial Reform
League advocates, and has done no little
| to put that principle upon little short of a
working basis and tangible foundation
which enables an aggressive man to take
the reins and lead the fight with much more
support and encouragement than has char
acterized other movements which eventu-
ally succeeded in Virginia.
1t Is a Unique Fight.
The fight for senator is in many respects
a unique one. 1t has attracted more real
interest than any contest in Virginia for
a quarter of a century. Men who for years
have taken little interest in local and state
politics are now enthusiasts one way or
the other. and not a few of these have de-
clared their willingness to take the stump
and discuss the issue involved The whole
battle is, strange to say, vigorous war
fare between the people on one side and
the practical politicians on the other. and
all conducted within party lines. There
can be no doubt that already much bitter
ness has developed in the campaign. The
feeling between the pronounced Martin
supporters and the most active Tyler men
is equally intense as the antagonism ana
individual harshness seen in any political
contest between opposite parties in the
state for years. To say that the campaign
is one of generous rivalry between two
men of the same party conducted within
party lines is not supported by the facts.
Already many personalities nave Detn III
dulged in and open charges of 'bossism,
ring rule machine politics.. office
trusts" ''underhanded methods" playing
for position and mutual guarantee agree
ments'' have been repeatedly made.
The natural consequence of all this can
be easily seen. AS a well-known demo-
crat, who has given great deal of thought
to Virginia politics and the conditions OBJ
tanning in this state recently said to The
Star correspondent: There is now very Sc
rious danger of a breach in the democratic
party in the state e, The democrats rnos. are
seem to realize the Importance of putting
their united efforts to the wheel to meet
their old political enemies, the republicans
For this reason there can be doubt that
If there had been free and fair count in
the last presidential campaign McKinley's
majority in Virginia would have been in
the neighborhood Of 10000. And what was
the of this division? Simply and
solely that neither side willing to
make any concessions to the other. They
would not listen to the idea of compro-
mise. Each side was rampant for the prin-
ciple represented in it's platform, and hun
dreds and thousands of democrats who
heretofore voted and worked for the regu-
lar democratic nominees split Off and DELHI
erately voted the republican ticket as the
lesser Of two evils.
Breach Has Not Been Healed.
THAT breach has never been healed The
strength Of the gold democrats is much
greater than it was when Bryan was de-
feated Hundreds who supported him for
party reasons only have done so for the
last time. They do not care to give their
support to man and a platform which
has practically no chance for success. They
are opposed to putting up man to have
him knocked down. and so the party in
Virginia badly divided when the pres
ent senatorial campaign opened. 1t might
have been supposed that the strongest sup
port received by Martin would come from
the pronounced free silver ranks where
the party organization remained practically
intact at the last presidential election. in
asmuch as the strict party organization
and the Chicago platform went hand in
hand without wavering for moment. This
Is not the case.
There is no doubt that Senator Martin
Is Deneved by many to represent more
nearly the conservative element in Virginia
who are not pleading and laundering for
free silver. 16 to L. with the original craze
fer the white metal. And while he is a
strict party man and bases all his calcula-
tons and plans entirely upon party or
ganization and regular systematic methods
IN politics from practical standpoint he
has never shown the pronounced and un-
compromising advocacy Of the currency
plank In the Chicago platform as proclaim
ed in loud voice by many of what are
known as the Original silver men, from
every corner grocery and county court