Evening star., 1901-06-20
Swanson's Friends Charge Him With
Combining With Montague.
SAY BE FURNISHED THE FINANCES
In Return Montague is to Deliver
Certain Delegations.
EDITORIAL IN THE NEWS

Special From Staf Correspondent.
RICHMOND, Va, June 20.-The oppo-
nents of Captain Wizards candidacy for
second place the democratic state
ticket now raising a hue and cry
against him for his reputed combination
with Montague. and on account of his al
legged contributions to Montague's cam
paign fund His critics assume that be-
cause Captain Willard is man of means
and has supported Montague's candidacy
for the gOvernOrship he has furnished
cash for the campaign. Proceeding upon
this assumption they go to considerable
lengths in denOuncing the so-caIled COM
binatiOn.
There has been an undercurrent of talk
for several days among the politicians
gathered about the capitol and in the hotel
lobbies emanating from the anti-Montague
factions denunciatory of this alleged deal
to control the two principal places on the
ticket. The friends of Captain Wizards
rival, recognizing in him common enemy.
to be first dispatched If possible, have not
endeavored TO silence the gossip. The dis
content on this score has finally crystal
Used in editorial in the Richmond News,
a paper acknowledged to be friendly to
Mr. Swanson and to Mr.. Wizards chief
opponent. which is believed to be the first
note of a vigorous campaign to be made
against the alleged Montague-Wilardc com
bination- Whether the campaign is sue
cessful OF not it will at Least add some
spice to the political situation from this
time on, and undoubtedly will widen the
breach between the factions.
Purport of the Editorial.
The editorial reCites the current gossip
about the supposed contributions of Mr..
Willard to the Montague expenses and de-
mands denial explanation of the re-
ports. 1t then says, in part: Mr.. Mon
tague has put himself a very high plane
in his candidacy for governor. He has
virtually been elected as the opponent of
the machine and machine methods in our
politics. as the representative of purity and
high purposes He cannot afford to go in
to office a representative of the money
power as part of a combination of popu-
larity and purity on one side and a pocket
book on the other.
We DO not like to taunt a man with his
misfortunes. but it is a known fact, We be-
lieve. that Mr.. Willard is the richest citi-
zen in Virginia. He is candidate for Heu-
tenant governor and has, contrary to the
general custom of candidates. declared
himself openly IN alliance with a candi-
date for another office-Mr. Montague for
governor. According to uncontradicted ru-
NOR, he has used his money freely to pro-
mote Mr.. MCntague's interests.
Now Mr.. Montague has to name a large
number Of delegates to the state conven-
ton in Richmond, Loudoun, Campbell,
IynChburg. Roanoke, Elizabeth City, Dan
willie and Charlottesville.
We insist that he has right to bind
these men TO vote for Mr.. Willard or TO
select his delegates with a view TO their
choice for lieutenant governor. If all his
delegates-Or virtually all of them--vote for
Mr.. Wizard for lieutenant governor the
transaction Will have an ugly flavor of the
combination above indicated, and the peo-
pie of Virginia will not relish 1t.
Matter of Consistency.
1T would be absurd and disgraceful for
.bo
shrieking themselves hoarse for William ].
Bryan and against the money power in
politics to be under well-founded suspicion
of selling one OF the highest and most i'm
portant offices in their gift for cash.
Certainly the people of the state who
defeated Mr.. Swanson because he was sup
posed to have the machine behind him
would not be pleased to think they had
elected man who had exchanged the dele
gates he was allowed to choose for nnan-
cial support and arranged to sell a certain
number OF Nirginians like so many sheep
Up to this time Mr.. Willard has vouch-
safed no statement beyond denying that he
had made combination with Montague,
although admitting he had supported him
from the first
If adverse sentiment is created through
out the state against Mr.. Willard upon tits
score, sufficient to warrant the lfk1Lih nod
of defeating him at Norfolk, ii is expected
that new crop of candidates for second
place Till spring up. AT present, as hereto
IOrc stated. the leading opponent of Mr..
willard IS state Senator LeCatO. This CO n
didate has the delegation from the first
congressional district solid. and also claims
the NTH district.
State Senator Jcffries continues in the
lead for the nomination for the attorney
generalship Judge William Williams of
southwest Virginia and Captain Parks Of
Page county are his closest competitors A
c. Braxton Of Stauntou is also talked
about
thermometers at Work
The wOuld-be thermometers are Alternating
to patch up truce between the factions nv
giving one OF the minor positions on the
ticket to the Swanson people. 1t is Ee-
heved, however. that if the attack on Mr.
Willard continues, the dominant faction
will decline all overtures and simply 60
into the convention to destroy the min ,.!ty
root and branch.
n. o. NJ
TIE CONSTITUTION MAKERS