Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-04-26
MACHINES vs.. MACHINES.
EDITOR CITIZEN:

tereStS That le represents. In the day
Of the late Robert Hall it attained
a high standard of excellence and
self respect, and after his death it
kept it for u number of years, or
while its editorials were popularity
supposed to be written by Congress-
man Jones, butfor the past few years
it has cast dignity to the winds aud
If 6y-gope customs were still in vogue
it would be dubbed as a common
scold. Still it is supposed to be the
mouth-piece of the Congressman
from tue First District aud to be
inspired by MIN in its attacks on the
''machine," as it calls all those Demo-
Gratis who differ with its prophet.
lie may be "nouseating" to many to
have "frequent doses of Martinism"
administered, but it is probably just
as "nouseating" to many more to
have to endure the nasty messes Of
anti Mar,iniSm that the ~. ". Noise
and its allied affinities have forced
down the throsts of their readers.
Is was predicted months ago that
the fight would degenerate into mud
Singing, and it is evident that the
predictor knew his business.
Just as soon as Congressman
Swanson claimed the support of
Senator Martin up went the hands
Of the ants in holy horror, while
they made the welkin ring with
frenzied shouts of "machine candi.
date, machine candidate," and the
mud flew, and the fi!thiest kind of
mud at that. Ordinary every day
people do not see any necessity for
Juggling Mr.. Martins name into the
contest for the gubernatorial nomi-
nation. 1t is commonly supposed
that the race is between Messrs.
Montague and Swanson, with Mr..
Echols as possible winner in the
end. But with the moral strabismus
common to disappointed politicians
the dear old ants do not appear to
be able to see Mr.. Swanson at all.
They profess to see only Senator
Martin. If they fiud the "freqpent
doses of Martiuism" ''nouseating"
they should remember that they
alone are responsible for its injection
INTO the fight. Nobody accused Mr..
Montague of anti-Martinism because
Mr.. Jones and his following chose
hiin as their candidate. The Martin
issue ought to have been settled
when the Senator was reelected, but
it seems that as it is the only issue
that Mr.. Montague's supporters can
get hold of it is TO be made to do
duty again as bugaboo to brighten
children and women, and the dear
old ants, of course. 1t would APP
pear to have been altogether frazzled
out two years ago when it was
trampled in the dust by the popular
verdict for the Senator.
Senator Martin certainly ought to
be allowed the privilege of support
ing whom he wishes, Just the same
AS MIR. Jones is granted the right to
make his choice. Senator Daniel is
reported TO favor Mr.. Swanson, but
there does not appear to be any issue
Of "Danlelism" as there is of "Mur-
tlnism." 1t would seem that half
way decent self-respect would compel
Mr.. Martins enemies to cease their
venomous attacks on him, more espec-
tally because he is United States
Senator and not a candidate for gov
ernor. If his enemies were to go to
any other state aud hear their own
words repeated to them they would
make an indignant denial aud repel
with scorn that Senator Martin was
any other than credit and honor to
has state.
One of the puryeyors of nasty anti
Martinisms has to soy that "W hatever
may be the ultimate result there can
be no doubt of the fact that Mr..
Mon tague is overwhelmingly the
choice of the Democratic masses,
even if he be persona non grota to the
machine" 1t will be remembered
that the same claim was made by the
same authority two years ago in
regard to Governor Tyler's candidacy
for the Senate, and it may be also
recalled that the claim was not quite
80 well-founded as hoped for by the
claimants.
The Martin machine appears to be
odious merely because it is "in," and
the machine of the dear old ants
virtuoas because it is trying 10 get
sin. That's where the difference
lies. OF the Martin machine, that
appears to embrace majority of the
people of the State, this writer knows
but little, but of the working of the
Northern Neck machine, and of the
Northumberland machine in particu-
lar, he thinks he knows considerable.
The people of Northumberland
had little experience with their own
particular machine couple of years
ago come next September. This
particular machine was valuable
adjunct of the ambitious Jones'
Tyler machine of that time and is
calculated TO do yeoman service for
the Jones. Montague combination of
the present.
1t is universally conceded that
Lloyd Il. Smith furnishes the brains
and experience and the executive
ability necessary 10 the complete
success of any schemes the "ring"
here may undertake. He is by far
the brainiest man in the county and
the most astute politician also. And
what is more he has backbone, which
is an article sadly lacking in many
of our politicians, all of which
means to say according to a revised
version of proverbs "The sovereign's
votes are in the hands of Lloyd; he
turneth them whithersoever he will"
Well. on this particular occasion the
ring" had sung the praises of the