The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-17
The Public View.
"a 1,ristol 11ornltl, a Democratic news.

The Bristol Herald, q Dem cratic ne"
80 TIC cat IS oeyu,t Of the bag. The
nnona were informed point blank byl
Senator 13arksdalc, In. the closing days
of the General Assembly. that u 1 ~, y.
were not I'd have ~ general primary o. NV ~.
because such Il law might htrt sg ~ -
chances Of Senator Thomn!s ?. NAIL
FOR re- election. Isn't thnt.sn sweet
.,norsel e; set before an Intelligent COM
monwealth? Does It not speak well
fnrstthe future OF the state? Senator
Marti,, is "a good man III the Senate.
I'll would be hard to find q better pu ~
Notwithstanding that he is the servant
OF tho people, and it IS not for nm o. !
any other otice-seeker NJ CHOKE 'i'H tIol !
Legislation simply because i r r ~,
dale assnot helped himself to q igher
place In the estimate Of the public !. bY
Incoming the mouthpiece of any SUCH
political jobbcry. Y. n Y IN Il. !. u.
s5,.1N general primary law is what this
state needs, and Is something II $
sooner OF later going to have Further
more, this State is going TO say ~ az
the POLLS whom It wants to serve u II
and whom It proposes to pay for. sel'v-
inr A. at Washington and at home
Such stuff as that put forth In the GER
eral Assembly may go down the peoples
sthoats once but they don't swallow
doses OF that kind more than once II
they can help it-and they thiEk they c Gun
help it.'' 81 n
III The following letter to tho News y )
Loader Senator Barksdale absolutely de-.
rles that 5ho said the primary bill was as
intended to defeat Martin aud to elect
Montague: si3 I, 5 "
Editor The News Leader: isa. 5
In your editorial OF QScstcrday evening
You say I am quoted as having said III
my speech OH the primary bill that be-
lieved 1t 10 be tended to dofcat Martin
and to elect M,.tngue. I never made any
such statements and was not so quoted
in either your papers account OF my
speech or 1.-The account Of The Ilmes-
8Dispntch.a = s9yg5 4; =,
:5s1t is true that tho Washington Post
and other ;out-of- town papers so quo TED
me. but for what purpose ! am at q loss
TO understand 4 Ia l v r \ Ss
The effort to drag Senator Martin irtQ
this mattcrs an outrage pure and simple
ASH have frequently stated, i alone am
responsible for my position In this mat
ter, ana the effort to damage Senator
Martin on tllls account Is cruel TO me
ard an outrage upon him. lie is not re-
sponsble for mo In any matter of legls-
lation, ana the attempt to make him
suffer on account OF my action In the
Legislature because Isthappon to be his
personal friend and udmlrer IS petty and
NEAR to a degree. n.
Yours,
WILLIAM P. BARKsDALE.
To this extent, therefore. our conten-
porary is misinformed; but Senator
Barksdale has not stated, and cannot
deny, that his personal animoslty to the
primary went to the extent of senatorial
| slaughter. Nor have the public lost
sight of Representative Floods state
ment that the bill was distasteful to the
majority OF his collea cues, though per-
sonally ho was rather sorry, It had been
defeated. These facts have directed at
| tention forcibly- to Senator Martin, be-
cause Senator Barksdale and Represen-
| tative Flood are two of Mr. Martins
warmest personal admirers and most
active political supporters. "a man is
known by tho company he keeps has
been fundamental truth In human ma
ture since human nature existed It
| is therefore. with no desire to DO cruel
| to Senator Bnrksdale or outrageous to
Senator Martin that the public Of Vir-
gir,la ply the latter gentleman with ques-
lions on his attitude TO the primary
The issue may be only imaginary. Y,
may DO that the friends OF the primary
who are tho great majority OF tho voters
of Virginia, have Senator Martins gooe
wishes and support. If so. and despite
tho embarrassment to his friends, who
arc Of u contrary opinion, Senator Mar
tin Will do well to declare himself. Blu
until candid declaration OF friend.
ship or hostility is made by Senator Mar
tin, tho insistent questioning OF Thu
Democratic voters Of Virginia will 10
down.
i OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES