The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-06
MARTIN AND LEE. 1
FIGHT REVIEWED

FIGHT reviewed.
3s {coniinued from First Pase.)
was devoted ID a discussion OF tho tlrst
election OF Senator Martin TO the senate.
He said that the railroads sought Mar
tins scat for him by furnishing money
for the election OF delegates to the Legls s
laturc. He further declared that the ~.
vcstIgation Into the charge OF fraud at
that time was n. farce, and that Senator
Martins friends caused 1t TO BIO farce,
fearing TO have light thrown upon the
subject
4 Reading from h copy Of The Richmond
Times Dispatch, III which Mi Martin was
quoted as saying In a speech In this city,
Southern statesmen have spent too inuch
time talking about sentiment and the
sConstitution," Mr. Royal said, "No more
sordid dcbased or dlabolical sentiment
ever fell from the lips OF penitentiary
convict
Mr.. Royal Thankful.
After a few words OF introduction, Mr..
Royal said In part rs follows:
THANK God for the primary election.
Every man can now vote rs he plea aes.
/ am going to vote against Thomas s.
Martin and here arc my reasons:
Twelve years back. when our scnn-
tors were chosen by the Legislature,
United states senator was to be elected.
To the amazcment Of everybody, Thomas
s. Martin man who was practically
unknown In Virginia. was elected United
states senator by the Legislature and
General ITitzhugh Lee one OF the most
popular men that eHer did live IN VIZ,
ginia, man who was beloved by all
the people or Virginia, was turned down
that this unknown lawyer might be sent
10 the Senate Everybody was SO as
founded that people o. once begun 70
ask how such an event could come about.
Then there soon arose all sorts OF charges
of bribery and corruption, and that soon
settled down into the distinct charge that
the railroads Of the State had debauche
the Legislature with their money ana
had sent one of their attorneys to the
United States Senate to represent them,
rather than the people OF Virginia. The
air was soon rife with these charges.
Resolution Adopted,
to be done. So n resolution was passed
In the Legislature to appoint a committee
to investigate these charges. This reso-
luton directed the committee to inyestl-
gate .'all matters relating to the cleo
tlon here In Virginia on Novmber 7, 1888,
so far as the same relates to the election
of members OF the House of Delegates
and the Senate OF Virginia in favor OF
or against any candidate. and whether
or not any improper methods or means
we're used in electing said delegates or
senators III the interest Of any candidate
or candidates for the United States SEN
ate.";
Now you can see how broad that
resolution was. Well. that committee had
hardly organized before the Richmond
Times published an editorial article, In
which It stated that 1t was commonly
and universally known that the rail-
roads of the State had raised large
corruption fund to send into the negro
counties to have the ballot boxes stuffed
in favor OF candidates for the Legislature
who would do the bidding of the rail
roads. III
sas The Railroad Money.
1T had been already proven tAat Mr..
Barbour Thompson. Of the Southern Rail-
road Company, had had a fund Of $500
OF money put In his hands for the pur-
pose OF the election, and The Times ar
tlcle cha rged that wherever that money
went representative to the Legislature
came for Thomas S. Martin, although the
PEOPLE he represented had never heard
OF Thomas S. Martin, and although the
people he represented were all In favor
OF General Fitzhugh Lee. Here were dis
tinct charges, then publicly made. that
the railroads OF the State had done the
business. Here was the fact that 1'homp.
son had sent out $500 OF money to be
used in the election. Here was the fact
that wherever that money went Martin
got vote. Notwithstanding all this, as
soon as the committee organized, Mr.. X.
y J,,to lnoH tho Fri
In the Legislature. and his leading friend
on the committee, offered the following
resolution:
Resolved, That In the prosecution OF
this investigation inquiry shall be con-
fined strictly to the question OF the con-
duct of the senatorial candidates before
the election held on November Z. ls93,
and the caucus held on December IL,
1898" it
That resolution was Immediately adopt
ed by the committee. Now, what right
had Dow ming, Martins friend, to offer
that resolution? The Legislation had d.
rected the committee to inquire into
everything thnt affected the election and
Downlng's resolution confined the inquiry
to the acts Of the candidates for 80
United States Senate. ii
Committees Composition.
The committee was composed Of three
Martin men, three Lee men, and one man
who had voted for Mckinney, but Nc.
Kinney's friend and one OF Lees friends
came from the negro districts, and. y.
course II was vain to expect them to
permit any inquiry into our election
methods of those days, Naturally, there
fore, the resolution was adopted, but It
cut the heart out OF the resolution that
the Legislature had passed, and Mr.. Mar
tins friends not only offered 1t, but they
got 1t adopted. The smothering OF the
finvestiga ton, therefore, must be laid at
Mr.. Martins door. He and his frienus
defeated the will Of the Legislature and
prevented any Investigation OF the
charges that had been made. This reso-
luton, having been adopted. the lnvesti-
cation. AS | say, was smothered and al
once became a farce Whenever any
question of Importance was asked, when
ever any question was asked which tend
ed to show that the railroads had do.
"a 49,