Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-08-09

Christian gentleman" and basing bis
claim for recognition upon a plat
form of Misrepresentation and per-
sonal abuse, aided by historical rub
bish and fanciful flapdoodle, is a
sight for the gods to weep over. TO
hear beneficiary of the "machine''
decry its methoasyw hile he thank
fully pockets the fruits thereof, and
holds out his hand for more, is a
solitary example that it is to be
hoped will never be heard and seen
again in Virginia politics.
The people have often had pointed
out to them the need of reform in
the matter of electing U. S. Senators.
They have been shown the enormity
OF allowing rich men to buy seats in
the Senate, frequently known as the
"Rich Mans Club" or the 'Ameri-
can House of Lords" This, it ap-
pears, is the main cause of all the
hubbub just now. But it does not
seem any worse to buy seat in the
Senate of the United States than to
buy a Lieutenant -Governorship. 1t
is claimed that one of the aspirants
for the latter honor has put up q
large sum of money in behalf Of the
candidacy of one of the Gubernatorial
asplrants with the understanding
that its second place comes to him.
If such is the case, and it is success
ful, no Virginian ought ever to point
a finger of scorn in politics at any
other State. He should thereafter
always hang his head in shame.
According to Montague land
"Brutus is an honorable man") the
Martin machine "is rotten to the
CORE" and justly deserves condemna-
ton at the hands of the people, as in
the present instance. According to
Senator Daniel "there is no machine"
Montague would have the people
believe, and it appears has really
made them so believe, that the past
organization is rotten to the oore,
and that the machine is an all-power-
full agent for evil. The popular con-
ception of a machine is a CON-
bination of political tricksters for
personal ends, and of course for per-
sonal gains. The abhorrent examples
of Platt, of New York, aud especially
Quay, of Pennsylvania, are frequent
ly held up as warnings of the awful
ness of machines. As u machine"
Quay seems to have been success,
He seems to have been able to not
only take care Of himself, but also
of his friends and, incidentally, to
punish his enemies. A few days ago
he announced his retirement from
politics at the end of his present
term, aud received an unprecedented
ovation and a nice contribution in
the way of railway franchises. He
is boss that is boss indeed.
And there is German, of Maryland.
lie was boss too, but now is merely
a statesman out of job. Years and
years ago he was president of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, said to
be as pretty political job as Mary
land ever afforded. The "canal ring"
was said to dominate Maryland poll
tics, and German was the leader of
the regulars. He was said to be
faithful to his friends, virtue now
sadly wanting in Virginia. Anyway,
he evoluted himself into the u. S.
Senate, but he was absolute boss of
Maryland politics long before. And
then the war began, and finally he
went down. German always was a
political trickster in the eyes of the
political purists of his State, but was
considered pretty good statesman
by everybody else. lie was a pretty
good debater, but no spread eagle
screecher. He believed that actions
spoke louder than words, and while
Others were talking he was doing. 1t
is fortunate for him that he did not
live in Virginia, else he would have
lost scalp long before he did.
The Martin machine appears to
have been solitary example among
the machines of show not to do It"
Martin appears to have been able to
get himself elected Senator and then
reelected, and that is about the sum
of his successes. The powerful ring
which the "Red Fox" terror pictures
surely ought to have been able to
select men better suited to its needs
than the heads of the present State
Government. Any ring or machine
that cannot get its own men at the
head of Government is a poor con-
cern. Any boss that cannot manip-
ulate a Legislature for more SNAP
than an election for himself, while
his friends are left out in the cold.
is not much Of a boss. A boss that
can't help even one of his friends TO
success is no fit companion for other
bosses like Quay and Plat and Cor
man. Why, w. A. Jones can beat
that! He has succeeded himself five
times aud successfully helped his
friends, and yet he is no boss, (or at
least his friends say that he is not.)
The Congressman is like the CEN
turion in the Scriptures, except that
no 10 not q r,oan upIa~