Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-10-02

1 Ia" auu hic tue Ie
quired affidavits as 30 their expendi
lures in the primary as well as in tn,
regular election within thirty dayI
after each election, both primary anc
regular, there is liable to be Repub
lican majority in the next House
says State Senator Barksdale.
Nearly every State iI the Union
has law imposing fine for swear.
ing. and in nearly every State it is q
q dead letter. In Carlisle, Pa,
Judge Biddle in his charge to
the grand jury called the constables'
attention to the unusual amount of
swearing in Carlisle, and told the
constable to arrest the offenders as
the law required, and fixed the pen
atty ut 67 cents for each oath. In
this State the fine for each oath sworn
is one dollar, but Notwithstanding
we have considerable swearing, very
few dollars therefor find their way
into the treasury.
The first campaign button" 10 sp-
pear represents the President and
Booker T. Washington at luncheon
together. Colored men have been
the first to wear the button, and
many are to be seen with it adorning
their coat lapels. The button depicts
the President and the negro leader at
a small round dinner table, presum-
ably in the White House. The
colored man is seated at Roosevelt's
right, aud his hand resting upon the
table. Both survey coffee service,
water bottle and two napkins and
are awiting the arrival of the first
course. The one word Equality"
appears in bold letters across the face
of the badge.
While Martin and Swanson en-
abled Montague to get "the whoop"
on them In 1901, it must be remem-
bered that there was q perceptible
change in the trend of public feel
ing, even before Montague was pro-
the nominee of his party.
This was unquestlonably due to
Swanson. His challenge to Monta-
que for joint debates, his bold attacks
upon Montague's record touching
"bargain counters" and what was
by many persons regarded as Monta-
gue's desire to keep out of joint 6is-
cussions had no small effect upon
public sentiment. do not under
take to pass judgment upon the
merits Of the case, but if l read pu b.
lie sentiment correctly, there was a
waning of Montague's strength in
.nS very hour Of his triumph. This,
Of course, was among the voters who
are not ofiice-seekers ard who do not
look to the machine for political
preferment. In the little band of
Stree companions" to be found
around almost every county seat, who
have taken upon their shoulders the
burdens Of State, and who patriotic
ally run conventions, distribute the
offices (among theuselyes) and ad-
public affairs, the case is
different. Montague has won great
prestige and he wields no inconsider-
able power. Men who make a busi-
ness Of politics cannot afford to be
guided by sentiment They play
the game to win, and they must
stand in with the winning side. No
great issue divides the two factions.
Indeed, the only issues discussed are
purely personal. This is, perhaps,
the mostfremarkable fact in Virginia
politics to-day. No public man
stands for anything in particular.
The Montague Jones' Tyler faction
was supposed to be- against the
and machine methods. Now
the general impression among the
people is that the Montague machine
diifersfrom the Martin machine only
in being in O. little abetter working
order. . Rasainqioa Corr. Times
DispatcA.