Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-06-17
W. MCDONALD LEE. EDITOR.
CONVENTION sIDELIGHTs.

1oiS0 oGS lhOShoS OaIltS ndO OtSu
wsged within the party throughout
this State for many weeks. The re-
suit was overwhelmingly decisive,
and this was known many days be-
fore the assembling of the Demo.
cratic hosts in Richmond city. The
day before the Convention the papers
of that city-which are anything but
friendly to the Martin or dominant
element in the party-conceded the
organization of the Convention over
whelmingly to the friends of Senator
Martin. These papers began to
warn and threaten if certain things
were not done, and one in very
childish manner urged that Cover
nor Montague, at the mercy of the
opposition, be not sighted. This
petition was taken up by individual
friends of the Governors faction and
waited to the ears of the victorious
clan. The selfsame papers and the
Governors followers had forgotten,
else they would have hesitated to
beg, how three years ago at Norfolk
his faction had ridden rough-shod
over the opposition, trampled con-
scienceless under foot the pledges of
delegates and instructions of counties
to John Jeffries for encouragement
and whipped into line" (their own
language for a partisan weakling
many Montague men who had given
their word to support Jeffries, who
had fairly won the nomination. And
by the same mailed hand the gallant
LeCato had to give place for one
whose ducats had churned the Mon.
tague effervescent tide. Wherever this
element had gained the ascendancy
70 quarter was given, though the de-
feated scorned to ask it. We of this
section know how in Northumber-
land the minority was hooted and
swept aside, which very harshness
today makes our sister county one
OF the strongest Martin counties in
the State.
Senator Martin seemed to have for
gotten the Norfolk Convention, but
many of his friends had not. The
Senator plead for the exercise of mod
Grafton now in his hour of ascendancy.
aud finally his council prevailed, AL
though there were many delegates vino
seemed relentless. The Montague
Jones people were treated as brother
Democrats aud given high posts of
honor. Nothing was denied them
but the organization of the State
Committee, the supreme power in
party affairs here. 1t would have
been too much concession to have
granted away this power. For
three years the enemies of Senator
Martin have had control of party
affairs in the State, and no iugger-
maui ever crushed and mangled as
rdthlessly as has the new machine
IN It's transient life of three short
years. And it is safe to predict that
not Tor many years to come will this
management be again
entrusted with control by Democrats
of the State.
Webelieve Senator Martin did right.
though it was more than should have
been expected. With a we'll sun
ported claim of majority of the
delegates from the First District he
advised no opposition to the Jones'
Smith organization; with supreme
,ontrol-four out of five-in the |
Convention he urged that Governor
Montague, his bitterest and most
lnrelenting opponent, be accorded
The honor of delegate-at-large to st. |
Louis; ne cheerfully assented to the
Platforms being drafted by Con-
gresham Jones (the only public man
mat has stumped the State to abuse
llm). He would not yield to Mr..
Jones viva voce primary plan, but
ipon the Senator's motion the
plan with secret ballot was
carried through with a whoop.
Never before was known such mag.
by a victorious foe over a
action that had numerically shown
10 quarter when clothed with
little brief authority.
The Richmond papers threatened,
'aJoled and coaxed for all these con-
sessions, and they were freely made.
How far these papers recognize the
great concession we propose to show.
Here is all the credit the Neus
Ie1aer gives Senator Martin-littIe
or the honor to Mr.. Montague, and
'et 1t was known of all men that the
Governor would never have seen the
light but for Senator Martins an
reals In his behalf. Saws the Mems
Leader: ,
The State Democratic Convention is
be congratulated on its choice OF dele
ates at large to the national convention.
chose the four biggest and strongest {
zen IN the State to represent us at ST I
'ouis, which is exactly what it should :
ave done. 1t is gratifying and impor-
ant fact that these men were chosen
egardless OF factional lines. That prom a
'es well for the future of the party and