The Washington times., 1905-04-18
POLITICAL HUNT ON
IN OLD DOMINION
Interest in Goyernorship
and Senatorship.

Virginia has entered upon it's open
political hunting season with zest, and
from now on until August u the valiant
srortsmen who are seeking to bag the
big offices of Senator aad governor will
continue their tourings through the
State internationally, while their
speeches will be circulated incesSantly
their declarations delivered insistently
and their den.als made Indignantly on
the slightest pi'oyocatson.
Martin Hard at Work.
Senator Mars:a is making the most of
his opportunities and is giving his con-
stituents q straight tip that the best
way for them to be prosperous and get
results is to keep him in office. He Is
picturing himssalf to his admiring con-
stituents-and il must be said their
name is legion-as their willing worker
III visiting the Government departments
here and getting them nice, fat jobs.
Governor Montague has his own ideas
about who would make good Senator
to succeed Martin, and is not withholding
his views from the people who have
the votes,
1t must be admitted that the Senator
is getting in a good many fine licks in
his speeches to his constituents. In
opening his campaign at Suffolk this
week he told them he thanked the
Deity that mis- course In politics had
gwen MIN the reputation of standing
by his friends. He said he wanted to
do more for them than to wrap himself
up in the cloak of his Senatorial dignity
and exclaim: Il am a statesman" What
he is aching TO do is to get them Gov
ernrnent jobs and not with lifted head
and protruding chest as he said, re
fuse 10 visit the departments.
This sort of an argument falls as
sweet music on the ears of the Virgin
ian who has tired of cultiyating the old
farm and Yearns for the delights of city
life as Government employe. So that
one part of the electorate is already ac-
counted for But then comes the com
mercial element which would be more
pleased with river and harbor improve
ments and public buildings for all the
budding metropolises of the Old Domin-
ion. TO these the experienced Senator
gives of his eioquence and logic as fol-
lows:
Wants to Realize Now.
The South has been too sentimental.
This is a practical age. Our Northern
neighbors have been getting the best of
everything. We have been talking con-
stltutions, While they have been getting
appropriations We have been theoriz-
ing; they have been realizing"
That's the kind Of talk that pleases
the energetic constituent who likes 10
see results. 1t seems to indicate that
the Senator. II returned for another six
years. will run Il little shorter on theor-
izing and play heavy on realizing some
thing in the way of appropriations. Ex-
perience in the halls of Congress al
ways helps along, and is a mighty good
recommendation for an incumbent to
advance. So Senator Martins S friends are
looking ahead hopefully and, in fact,
confidently. They see only one outcome
at the primary. and that, OF course, the
Endorsement OF Thomas Staples, Martin.
Governor Montague has been kept
busy making explanations of the things
his opponents have been saying.
The most important utterance in this
line was his answer TO Representative
Flood, of the Tenth district, one Of
Martins closest friends and felloW-carn-
paigners. Flood declared Montague had
been away from his official duties for
l66 days altogether. The governor took
the stand that his absences making
speeches and getting better In touch
with the people of the State, are part
OF his regular duties and that such a
statement regarding them is sufficient
te close the subject