The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-20
Martin. Willard, Swan
son and Local Candi-
dates Speak.
SMALL CROWD AND
SMALL ENTHUSIASM.
The County Close With the
Chances in Favor Of Montague
for Senate and Swanson for
Governor-Strode At
tacks Massie's
Record.
tspeciaI 70 The rime,- plspatch. J

Special to The Times -Dispatch.)
AMHERST, VA, June 10.-Senator
Thomas $. Martin, Congressman Claude
"A. Swanson and Captain Joseph E. Will
4 lard made speeches here to-day. The
crowd, was a small one, as many OF the
farmers were delayed at home by the
wheat harvest. The crowd numbered
about three hundred persons.
Martin spoke first. Swanson second
and Willard last. Not n great deal Of
enthusiasm was manifested for any OF
the candidates. though the crowd listened
to all them attcntivey. MIR. w. T.. Wat
son, chairman OF the Executive Commit
tee OF the county, presided Court was
not opened until after the speaking was
over, so that the candidates had the
crowd to themselves.
III Mr.. W. IS. Allen. an attorney OF Am.
u hcrst introduced Senator Martin. He
referred in complimentary terms to the
service which Senator Martin had rcn-l
dcred the State In the Senate, and criti-5
cised those who had made charges
against him. Senator Martin spoke for
about an hour. His speech was de-
fei,se Of his record against the charges
made against him BY Governor Montague
Il in the Spotsylvania speech and other
speeches.. SS S.,g
His speech was filled with allusions
to his distinguished competitor" To.
whom he did not refer a single time by
al name. He reviewed his services in se-
curing appropriations /. for various Sec
tions OF the State and repelled the
charge that he had been mere depart
tfnv, ,tu
ton with the railroads OF the State. and
81 made tho assertion that the presidents
u OF both the Norfolk and Western and
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroads were
actively supporting his competitor. He
denied that he had ever received a fee;
D from any railroad for anything other.
than for the transaction of legal busi-a
ness.
He said that he had tried to conduct
his campaign upon a high plane. and
that though his distinguished competitor
talked more than any one else a bout
high ideals in politics, yet that he prac-33
t!ced few of the doctrine which he
81 preached.
Toss-of- f-the-Coin Speaker.
The matter OF which speaker should
4 follow Martin, Swanson or Willard, was
decided by the toss OF a coin. Swanson
s won the toss. He was introduced by
S.t
lard sat on the platform while Swanson
was speaking. The speaker referred to!
4 the fact that he carried Amherst four
years ago. and said that he came be
& lore them seeking the same office, not
as the ca andidate of any class or faction
Hc said that all three Of the candidates
for the nomination for Governor stood
Il upon practically the same platform. but
that both Captain Willard and Judge Mann
q had had opportunities OF advancing the
! measures for which they claimed to stand
while they were members OF the Legisla-
ture OF Virginia. But that he had never
had this opportunity
He claimed to have written a letter
favorng the single list Of school books
as far back as 1898. Taking 5uplthe ques-5
ton of roads, he alluded to the. fact
that convlcts were not now available for.
services upon the, public roads Of the.
State for the reason that the Virginia
Legislature. OF which both .Tndge Mann
e and Captain Willard were members had
4 passed a resolution allowing a contract
with the Davis Boot and Shoe Company.
OF Richmond. to be renewed whereby the
State was deprived Of the services OF
eight hundred able bodied conylcts upon
v the public roads. 81
Mr.. Swanson recounted the services
which he had rendered the party In
the campaign of four wears $Ago, and
denied that he had sulked after he had
been defeated for the nomination. Mr..
Swanson's speech was lnterspersed with
anecdotes which seemed to please the
crowds. His references to both of his
opponents We're complimentary and cour-
teous, His speech occupied something
Ii over an hour.
Storm Struck Willard,
CAPTAIN Willard was introduced by
u l. A IN
Soon after Captain Willard had been;
speaking, the crowd was compelled to
move from the courthouse green, where
Il tho speaking had been, to the courthouse,
< on account Of a thunder shower.
s R Captain Willard announced as his plat
form a. square deal to every man and
progress for Virginia. He made an np-
81 peal that we should make It desirable to
the young men who are constantly NOV
ing from Virginia to remain with US,
Bit that we could not expect them TO
do this until we put sVirg lnia abreast Of
the other States of the Union, Touching
on the question of feducation, lie made a
strong argument for the primary schools
OF Virginia. He said that OF the 400
boys from Virginia matrlculated Al the
University of Virginia, 232 Of them We're
from tho cities Of the State and only
III from the counties, though a large
Per cent, Of he population&of the State
u lives In the country.
+ 4 He thus claimed that the cities Of tho
state We're obtaining An unfair adyan-
tage, AS the people of the country were
not. able with the schools which they
now have to prepare their children for
4 the University. he favored the establish.
ment Of high schools In every county Of
the State.
He attempted to explain why the Davis
Root and Shoe Company contract cover
Ing the use Of the conycts OF the State
had been adopted by stating that at the
Nh time Of tile adoption OF this contract the
state was in desperate financial straits
and had to run every department of the