The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-28

Old Virginia will have more politics
 this year, according to present inoica-
 ton, than any other state In the
 Union, and the land of Patrick Henry,
 n1other of Presidents and of common
 Iealths, will resound with oratory and
 almost vibrate with the handshaking Of candidates.
 Two great political battles are to be fought within the Democratic party in
 the Old Dominion. One is for state ofh-
 cers and the other Is for United States
 Senator to succeed the present incum-
 bent, Thomas Staples Martin. When
 the nominations shall have been decid :
 ed, then another fight will be on, for
 the Republicans promise to make the most vigorous opposition they have
 tried in many years. Thel are boosting new blood, and have the moral comfort
 of the encouragement of the Federal administration. Perhaps President Roosevelt has made more respectable appointments to office in Virginia since he had the power than was ever to be credited to any Republican President. This the Republicans think will help some, if it does not make gaps in the Democratic ranks which may two years from now see gains of Republican Con- gressmen from the state. For the first time in the history of the dignified old commonwealth Demo- cratic nominations are to be made at primary election. The Democratic Con- vention which last nominated Governor Montague adopted the primary plan,
 ship. the Senatorship, the office of Sec retary of State. State Treasurer, Super intendent of Public Instruction ana Commissioner of Agriculture.
 Although there is the keenest interest 1 in the contest for the nomination for Governor the most general concern seems to attach to the race for Senator. The personality of the two men who are now foremost in the race for the | junior toga doubtless has most to do with the superior attention given to this particular fight. Senator Martin. who is a candidate to succeed himself, came first into public notice and at- tracted national attention when he de- feated Fitzhugh Lee for the United States Senate in 1893. MT. Martin Is lawyer, if not with the ornate accom- plishments that distinguish leaders Of the Virginia bar, still having and main taining an enviable reputation for sound and rarely erring Judgment. Be- fore becoming a candidate he had for many years been a member of the State Democratic Committee, and his counsel was sought and relied upon throughout the State. When he decided to ru9 for the Senate he went after the place in a way that surprised Virginians all around Nobody dreamed that he could beat General FitZhugh Lee, except few who knew Martin would not ven- ture into such a campaign without the assurance of excellent chance for win ning It was thought by most people that the prestige of Fitzhugh nimselI and the luster of the name of Lee would
 make him invincible. So. when the com paratively obscure lawyer from Aloe marie, Tom Martin, captured the prize, ii was not until long after he had taken his seat in the Senate by the side Of John W. Daniel that Virginians 'recov- cred from the jolt to their equanimity. He was triumphantly reelected In lSse' defeating Governor Tyler.
 Now. undeterred by the discontinue of Tyler, Governor Montague who IS distinguished for his confidence in him. self and who is not without fair reason for self-reliance as a politician, has en- tered the race with an evident determi- nation to make it extremely interesting for the junior Senator. The outcome or the battle is regarded as doubtful AL | though without extraordinary intellec- | tual endowments, Governor Montague has considerable reputation as a puD- | lie speaker and Is by a good many Nl ginfans looked upon as an orator' anu | in Virginia oratory has not ceased to count for something since Patrick Hen ry thundered and flashed The governor stirs a crowd pretty much as senator Daniel though he does not make the impression that dwells with the listener and improves with the recollection or
 the speakers style and sentiments But Montague. they say, knows how to talk to the voters both on the stump and on the ground in a manner that fre- ouently captures their ballots, as he has proved in past contests. Moreover he has builded a potent machine ana has carefully kept it running through out his administration as Governor. On the other hand, Senator Martin has d large and staunch following. Many Virginians comprehend lntelh- gently the estimate of outsiders that the state has in Daniel and Martin an ideal team. It is Daniel for lofty adornment and Martin for solid su- perstructure in the Virginia senatorial representation. Certain 1t Is that among Democrats in the Senate, with out display Senator Martin is regarded as one of the safest party men In the
 Senate. Always vigilant, he Is never precipitatc, but ever careful not only of the interests in detail of his con stituents but of the welfare of his party in the Senate. He and Senator Daniel have always been the closest of friends and 1t is said that the se- nior Senator will soon declare himself outright for his colleagues cause. IT he does it will be a powerful stroke for Martin, for in no Commonwealth Is any man more genuinely beloved than
 John W. Daniel. He is regarded at home, as here in Washington, as of the grandest type of Southern gentleman, orator and statesman. an epftome or Virginias best manhood, not eXcelled by any who ever held commission from the State at the national capital. Nevertheless, 1t Is said that enthu- siasm such as Governor Montague is capable of arouslng would furnish dan gerous opposition to any man. however well established his power.
 The race for Governor Is a three coruered affair The candidates are
 Judge William Hodges Mann of Prince
 Edward County, Representative Swan son of Danville, in the Fifth District, who was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor four years ago, and Lieuter- ant Governor Joseph E. Willard, who lives just across the Potomac from Washington and owns much valuable property here. including the splendid New Willard Hotel. MT. Willard liV es In Fairfax County and no Virginian Is more generously and thoroughly iden-
 tified with the State than he. Im-
 mensely wealthy. his bearing is full of simplicity and kindliness. and natural " he is exceedingly popular.
 Judge Mann has been a leading mem-