Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-06-03
SENATOR MARTIN ASA ISSUE
Petersburg Inder-Appedl)

If one were to measure Senator
Martin by the estimate which his
enemies put upon the extent and
variety of his activities and capabili
ties in politics, he would easily
appear in the public eye as the
largest and by far most important
figure in Virginia politics. Almost
from the very inception of his poit-
ical career he has been accredited
with designing astuteness which
fell short of Machiavellism only in
the covertness of its processes. To
justify all that his enemies impute
to him, he must be ubiquitous, omnls-
cient, indefatigable and almost om-
nipotent. 1t was he, according to
his enemies, who tripped up Hon.
John s. Barbour In his cherished as
piration to be Senator, and conferred
that guerdon upon Hon. John w.
Daniel in defiance of the Democratic
party's belief that Mr.. Barbour had
earned the honor and of the party's
wish that he should have it. Note
the signslicant fact that this was the
work, according to the view Mr..
Martins enemies take Of it, Of an
obscure young man, scarcely known
beyond the limits of Albemarle
county. And then when vacancy
was occasioned in the Senate by the
death of Mr.. Barbour, and every man
woman and child in the State was
importuning Fitz Lee to graciously
pose as Senatorial iigure-head for
Virginia IN Washington, this compar-
atively obscure young man stretched
forth his hand, and with Napoleonic
audacity seized the Senatorial toga
for himself, thus again thwarting
every Democrats wish, but his own.
Six years later, the Democratic party
that Is to say, every disappointed
oflice-seeker-pulled itself together,
started widespread agitation and
held May convention of the truly
loyal and simon-pure, but before the
agitators could elect Senator, Tom
Martin, the spirit that denies,
stretched forth his hand and again
seized the glittering prize under the
nose of the faction which paraded
itself as the only pure and honest
Democrats in the State.
Meanwhile the restless activity and
ceaseless plotting of this mysterious
manipulation and party manager was
In constant manifestation all over the
State. Everywhere he was in evil
dence as an issue, no matter how
great or how small the occasion. His
protestations had no effect. In vain
he declared that he was neither for
nor against the primary plan for
nominating Democratic candidates,
but was willing to leave the decision
of that question entirely with Demo-
cratic voters, and to submit his own
chances for nomination to the party
under any plan chosen. This was
construed to mean that he was
bitterly opposed to the primary plan,
and so, In spite of himself and his
most emphatic declarations, we find
him an issue in the recent election in
Richmond, and more or less so in
Norfolk. His latest development is
in the Sixth district, where the can
didacy of Mr.. Barksdale is ascribed
to his bold Italian hand as punish
ment of Carter Glass for being the
personal and political friend of Gov
ernor Montague. Exactly what ad-
vantage can accrue to Mr.. Martin
from mixing in this contest does not
appear, but the assumption is con-
sistent with other misrepresentation
of the Senator, and every whit as
reasonable as any of them.
The truth of the matter is, Mr..
Martin is a plain and unassuming
man, a hard working congress
man who attends strictly to his
duties as Senator and who relies
upon his record of faithful service to
vindicate his right to the confidence
and support of the Democratic voters
of Virginia.