The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-13
NO CONFERENCE
SAY THE LEADERS |:
May Take No Hand in Judgeship
Fights.
SENATOR MARTINS DENIAL
Col. Button Knew OF None, Neither DID
Judge West, Though it Was Not
Stated That They
Did.


in the selection OF the nov circuit judges
ut the session which begins on Tuesday
At least leaders say they have taken no
part as yet, and is may be that they
will not. This departure will be such
a sweeping innovation on the old way
that it will in Itself be interesting. 1t
has been usual in Virginia for genera
lions back for public men to help their
friends in interparty contests but every
now and the the old order changes. CIV
ing place to the new.
That time is said to have come In
Virginia. and party leaders are not ex-
pected here. to help their friends for the
judgships this week. The time may.
perhaps. be fitting for the change. and
the change may not be bad one, though
it is said to be at hand.
The Times for several days past mas
been taking some notice OF the great
rush of prominent party leaders to the
city. and has printed something con-
corning the persistent ruInors which
have been going the rounds OF the poll
ticians, as to what was the object VI
their Simultaneous presence.
Here is what was said on the suoJect
III Thursdays Times: Senator Ihonias
S. Martin, of Scottsville. is in the city.
1t was said about the Hobbies last night
that with the Senator yesterday were
Judge William f Rhea, OF Bristol, ana
several other State leaders, though none
Of them were registered at any OF li.e
hotels last night. 1t is more than likely
that they were quartered at one OF the
clubs where Senator Martin usually
stops when here"
Rhca was here, though a reporter "
The Times was SO informed
NOT PLACED TOGETHER.
On the next day The Times contained
tie following on the subject
Isl me great political work has evidently
been going on in Richmond IN the last
few days, the exact nature OF which no
one seems to know.
ut is coming out by degrees, but those
who ought to know are very retlcent
concerning the subject. While 1t is not
stated that all of them met together. II
is understood that Senator Thomas ,
M;,:tin, Congressman Rhea and tlood
Ccn,,el Joseph Button and Hon. All I.
Thorn, Of Norfolk, were in the city on
Wedl esday night.
Last night among the. distinguished
rarty leaders here were Judge D. Tucker
I:rt cke, of Norfolk; Mr.. James V. Trehy,
O. Norfolk; ex-senator R. A. James OF
T;nrille, and Hon. S. Gordon Cumming,
Of Hampton.
1T is not known that their simultaneous
a rivals have any political bearing, tu'
it is known that all these gentlemen train
on the same side politically, and that
they are among the most astute party
managers in their respective sections"
1t will be seen that it was not stateo
that any Of these gentlemen in particular
had met together, but that on the con-
rrary, they were not known to have done
So
Bat their presence here at an ordinary
time was enough to start the political
fy,rv o,,I
The result was that there was what
seemed to be sufficient ground for the
belief that the alleged conference had
been held, and people who do not usually
shoot wide of the mark went so far as
to say that the judgeships mentioned
ware under consideration. It was not
stated that any one CT the three judges
ere present. or that they knew anything
colt erninE it.
But Senator Martin says there was no
conference. He sent the following to Col
onel Joseph Button last night:
'Scottsville, Va, July Il, 1902
Joseph Button, Richmond Va.
Telegram received. My recent visit to
Richmond was entirely without political
significance. had no conference with
any one about the election OF circuit
judges. You are authorized to make any
corrections in accordance with this state
ment l did not give a thought while in
Richmond to the matter referred to- The
rumor to the contrary is entirely without
truth. THOS S. MARTINI"
Colonel Button says there was no con-
terence that he knew Of. Judge West
phoncd over that he knew of none. 1t
was not alleged that either OF them. or
any one else in particular attended. hut
the publications had their foundation,
upon substantial talk that was heard
among the politicians. which is always OF
interest to the people.
The public will he glad, no doubt, to
mark the change which seems to he COM
Ing over the dreams of the public men
Of the State, and there may be no more
lobbying for candidates for office in the
future