Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-21
DEMOCRATIC STRIFE.
Many Charges Have Been
Made.
BITTER IN VIRGINIA
HOT POLITICAL CAMPAIGN
CLOSED YESTERDAY.
Struggle for the Nomination for Gov
ernor One Of the Most Per-
sistent in Years


close with meetings Saturday night in
various parts of the state. The campaign
| has been remarkable In that the candidates
for office are all democrats and more bit
terness and strife have developed than any
man dreamed was possible Charges OF in
competency, corruption. neglect OF duty.
untruthfulness and SANDER have been OPEN
ly and repeatedly made.
The greatest amount OF bitterness has
suited from the canvass for the nomination
for United States senator. The candidates
are, as has been repeatedly printed, Thomas
Staples Martin of AlbemarIe. n candidate
foi reelection, and Gov. Andrew jackson
Montague. The senator has been charged
with conniving at and defeating Gen. Ftz
Lee for the Senate, with being a mere de-
partment runner and executive clerk. In
capable of making a speech, resorting to
trickery to defeat the will of the people OF
the state, with being the head OF a political
ring and various other offenses and acts
prejudicial to the publication of the cleo
torate and the elimination of evil practices
In politics.
Gov. Montague has not wholly escaped
censure at the hands of the friends OF the
senator. and the senator has not been slow
to hand back some doubtful compliments
the governor. who has been charged with
| overlooking frauds and corruption on the
part of state officials. neglect of duty, vio-
lating his oath of Office in being a cand-
date for position while holding the position
of governor. of being the central figure in
the school ma chine ring and of denouncing
the men and the methods which have placed
him In office for the past twelve years
The Primary Plan.
All these things have been made possible
by the party primary plan, which Is
being tried for the first time in state con-
test. The primary plan is manfestly the
fairest plan. all sides conCedng that but IT
affords an excellent opportunity for furnish
ing the opposition with all sorts of cam
paign thunder, and after the nomin tons
are made the aspirants will be expected 10
take the stump and eSpouse the cause OF
the successful candidates. In the hands OF
a good, strong republican speaker it can be
seen that the democrats will have their
hands full explaining what they meant
when the charges We're made, and If they
We're true then. what reason Is there Tor
believing they are untrue now.
Never has there been such organizing and
such systematic work to get AT the voters.
TO have an expression of opinion and 10 get
every voter lined up before the primary
Not voter in the state who has not gotten
from one to five communications through
the mails from the candidates Stenogra-
pliers and -typewriters to the number or
fifty have been engaged in getting out let
tiers and campaign material for the past
four months. Newspapers have had good
pickings in the campaign, better than ever
before for under the laws of the state can
| didates are allowed to spend money for le-
| Ultimate advertising, and some of the coun-
| try papers with crculations of less than
| 800 copies have been getting eXorbltant
rates for printing sketches and licensees
of the candidates who have had the pleas
ure of seeing good words said of them IL
has been a harvest for the country week
lies, and the last week will find a round up
of the easy marks, when columns and col
umnS of stuff will appear. the bills TO DS
paid after the election.
Senator Martin has conducted the most
unique of all campaigns. He did not want
to take the stump. holding that 1t was I'M
4 for SenaTe
ta Ike the stump in his own behalf He was
attacked by the governor, who went right
after his record and stirred the senator up.
and then he went on the stump, ana ms
course has been of defense from the
first But in making his defense opportun-
ity has developed for some Of the most
whitening sarcasm heard on the hustings IN
many a day. He has answered fully and
frankly every charge made by the gov
ernor demonstrating that he Is one OF the
cleverest and strongest debaters in the
state On the other hand, the governor Is
being ratulated on having introduced
the junior senator to the people or the
state and he has forced the senator to ex-
plain why il was that he was at hrst OPP
posed to the primary plan
The gubernatorial contest is still at the
yery forefront, with more uncertainty in
the minds of the people as to the maj OUT
come than at any time since the campaign
opened. No person is found who can tell
how it will end 1t is a complicated affair.
Judge Mann started late In the campaign,
but he has made record time in covering
the state. Mr.. Swanson has done the hard
est work in his political experience while
Col Willard has proven his claim to being
one of the gamest fighters in the state. he
has perhaps made more speeches. travelled
more miles. endured more hardships than
any of his competitors. and he has come up
smiling at every turn OF the game.
Look Like Winners.
With all the Information obtainable from
what is regarded reliable sources, and
eliminating the claims of candidates, the
indications on the surface at this time are
that the winners for places on the state
ticket will be as follows:
For the United States Senate-Thomas s.
Martin over A. j. Montague
For governor-Claude A. Swanson over
Judge Mann and Col. Willard.
For lieutenant GOVERNOR. Taylor Ely
son over James Aston Cabell
For superintendent of public instruction
Joseph d. Eggleston, jr, over George w.
Hulvey.
For attorney general-WiIiam A. Ander-
son over Samuel w. Williams.
David Q. Eggleston, for secretary of
state Asher w Hartman for state treas
urer and George w. Koner for commits
sioner of agriculture have no opposition,
and have been declared the party nominees.
With the Republicans.
The republicans are keeping an eye on
the troubles in the democratic camp. They
are not worrying over what Is being done
by the democrats to stir up strife. 1t is
good news to them, and the republicans
are hoping and praying that Judge Mann
will be nominated for governor, for it is
easy to see that many democrats will go
a-fshing on election day or openly bolt the
nomination and vote for Judge Lewis.
More would vote for Judge Lewis than
would absent themselves from the polls
because of being disgruntled. They would
thus undertake to give the democrats a
rebuke for nominitin Judge Mann, for to
vote for him they would indorse the pro-
hibition views which are charged against
Judge Mann Then there are many who
are known to be anxious for some excuse
10 cut loose from the democratic party
any way, and the nomination of Judge
Mann would afford the chance, which
would be grasped by hundreds, certainly
for this one time.
c. Bascom Slemp, chairman of the state
republican committee. in town a night or
two ago for a short while, spent the bulk
of his stay i'll company with Judge I-uns-
ford l.. Lewis, the republican candidate for
governor. They talked over party affairs,
Mr.. Slemp saying that much Mr.. Slemp
also said that all the candidates on the