Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-09-30
MARTIN VS.. MONTAGUE.
(Fr0,n Fredeyicks6,,ro Io,,r,o,N

MARTIN VS.. MONTAGUE,
(FrOms Fredericksburg Journan
Gov. Montague's announcement of
his candidacy for the U. S. Senate
which appears in today's issue of this
paper will cause no surprise anon
the voters of this State since it has
been known for long time that the
tight next summer would be between
Montague and Martin. Going back
some years to the famous Nav con-
ference, called at the instance of VIM
a. Jones, Hoge Tyler, Andrew Jack.
son Montague and others, we find the
movement in this State to defeat Hon
Thos. S. Martin. True there were in
that famous conference, which i'm the
end amounted to nothing, a few
friends of the junior Senator, but its
deliberations were controlled by the
bitter enemies of Martin and its
prime purpose was to engineer hi:
defeat in order to elevate Jones, Tyler
or Montague. Senator Martin was in.
vlted to participate in that confer
ence OF his enemies so that he might
be bound by its action-in other
words Jones and the rest were the
spiders and Martin was the fly--but
Tom Martin wasn't so easy to catch
In so plain trap, and in consequence
had nothing to do with the MAY con-
ference. The whole thing was fiascc
from beginning to end; but one thing
was accomplished to wit, the iSnomi-
nous defeat of Hoge Tyler for the
Senate. Mr.. Tyler, an estimable
gentleman, was put up to be sacri-
iced by those two political genulses,
Messrs. Montague and Jones, both
of whom were entirely two shrewd to
lead forlorn hope though nothing
averse to Tyler's candidacy. Well
that fight ended by Martin succeed
ing himself in the Senate and by
Tyler's retirement from public life;
but in the meantime neither
Jones nor Montague was idle. They
laid their plans slowly but surely and
thanks to these plans and to Capt.
Willard's barrel Hon. Andrew Jack
son Montague in the succeeding Cub
ernatorial campaign rose to the high
tide of his political success. Martins
name was the "bogie man. of that
campaign and every time the anti
Martin men cried Martin, they like
wise cried machine, until the good
people of Virginia almost expected
to see the terrible thing come flying
down the road. Swanson was defeated
and Montague was Governor. Jones,
who did a large portion of the work,
had to give way 1T this juncture
when everything looked rosy to the
ambition of the newly elected Cover
nor. 1t was to be Montague VS.. Martin
and Jones was to remain satisfied
with his position in the lower house
of Congress. No sooner was Montague
elected Governor of Virginia than he
began to lay his plans to succeed
Martin in the Senate. Everything
was auspicious. The cry of machine
had aroused and angered the voters
in this State and Montague had
reached the pinnacle of his popular
ity. But 10, "The mills of the gods
grind slowly, yet they grind exceed
ing small" Montague began to appear
before the people of Virginia IN his
proper light as the head of a machine
of his own ard as an officeholder
hardly elected to one office before
beginning to look out for another.
On the other hand the eyes of the
people were opened to Tom Martins
real value to this State. They found
out that whenever the interests of
Virginia were involved her Junior
Senator was on hand to represent
her; they found out that Martin was
a hardworking, influential member
of Congress, and they found out that
many untruths had been stated dur.
ing the gubernatorial campaign
Naturally the tide began to turn
until to-day there are but few men in
Virginia yersed in politics who SEE
anything ahead for Governor Monta
que except inevitable defeat. Our
own city of fredericksburg furnishes
an apt example of the change in sen,
timent. Once stronghold of the
anti Martin crowd, it is now filled
with friends of Thos. S. Martin and
this, despite the fact that Congress
man Jones is supposed to WELD q
potent influence in political circles
here. If the change of sentiment
here furnishes any indication the
Governors friends may as well offel
c0ndolauoaa IN .d dyanoa