The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-07-21
FREDERICKSBURG, Va, THURSDAY. JULY 21. 1904

American system -rtpresfntAtiYe gov
trnmeHt II the people nrc HI wrnk. oi
~ lrrupt. nr M ignorant that they cnn
not select honest agents To IrAnaAl
their political business and rril ct th' II
will in convention. they are unfit inr sell
government, our system in u failure, II
will soon die and IL ought tn die. There
il nothing else for il to do. Better d
monarchy than the initiative aud refer
endum-bettrr an army than a mob
Again 1t will be IL cold day when a pri
mary will not he meat for your boss
Jones was defeated at Roanoke. bul
subsequently bis faction triumphed Al
the May conference, and the primary
il Yitslized in the party law, And thus
in the Old DImihi0n. it il politically as
certsined, politically adjndicated, pOliti
cally confessed that the Democracy u
old Virginia cannot hold an honest con
ventiOn. for Il dishonest convention i'
the only possible excuse for IL primary.
The liberty aud the glory of Athens
wrre lost in the primary.
TIE writer IL not very familiar with
political events in Virginia, but it il his
recollection that the famous May con
ference" WAS dominated by the enemies
of Martin, and Gov. Tyler was brought
ont Tor Senator against him, but Martin
had little difficulty in defeating him The
next event Of Importance was the ron
test between Montague and Swanson
| for the nomination for governor, which
resulted in a victory for the former This
WAS supposed 60 be the last Of Martin,
who was the friend Of Swanson in that
contest. Montague made whirlwind
campaign. he il the best stump speaker
in the State, and daily and every where
! he and his denounced the mAchinl.
Then it was that Tom Martin bgan
anew q look at things, and he saw
things-saw them with clearer vision
than Montague and farther vision than
Jones At the recent State convention,
when the organization was ovprhauled
there was nobody present in the ranks
| but Martin There WAS much and voice
iul speech making, some OF it very elO
quant and all OF it very patriotic which
il Democratic in old Virginia, but the
speech of he occasion WAS few terse
trenchsut, incisi'e, pertinent sentences
by Senator Martin, which every body
there yet remembers, though the elO-
qupnce OF the orators be forgot.
When Montague triumphed he took
every thing-the victor got the spOils
| Not 40 on this occasion. Marin WAs not
only magnauimnus to spare, but he wAr
generous 20 divide Montague WAS not
only delegs aI-large st. Louis, but
il represented in the organization. and
yet there il an impression ia some quar-
ters that Martin is a vulgar boss and
Montague a man OF the people, that Mar
tin il hog and Montague a prince.
! The | lited states Senate il good
| Judge OF men. and IA a member uf thai
body every Senator tiGds bis level. 1t IL
at once "A great council Of state and ar
exclusive social club. If a Senator il
capable of performing public business
and willing % perform IL, he is afforded
every opportunity TO that end. II, on
| the other haud. he il Senator b cAust
he il a good fellow, or n rich fellow, the
Senate has a place for him, too.
Martin il the working Senator. Here
are some Of his -i,laima, ON
merce District ofColumbia, Naval Affair'
each ogerrun with business. Inst ses
sion Martin was absent but a single day
and he IL the most indefatighble aud per
sistent worker the Senate has known
since James b. Beck. Nor Is that all II
il scarcely an eNaggeration 10 say that
the people OF Virginia call on him tC
transact more departmental husines,
than falls to all the other represeu tatiye'
! OF Virginia in both Houses.
lie il a man capable OF doing thinga
When Senator Tillmau made the intem
perate, provocative, violent, and defiant
speech on the appointment of the negro
Crum. az collector Of the port of Charles
ton, s c., the Republican Senators OF thu
| Committee ofCommerce were up in armi
and determined to report the cnse AND
have the nomination confirmed tn thee1
clusion OF every thing else. Then it wa'
that Martin took a hand. lie eXpOstu
lated lie exhorted. He conciliated. HI
pacified, with the result that Crum Is not
yet confirmed, though thrice appointed
He would make good general-he ID thI
executive. the man Of action, and thu
man OF affairs.
Likewise and slso-he can redeem G
|