Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-04-28
GOVERNOR MONTAGUE.

gracl0usly waived their custom |
favor of persons holding high Office
whom the people wish to hear on put
lie questions. The gathering was tn
largest we have known to be aesem
bled in Stanton in some years, an,
tells as nothing else can the deep in
terest they feel in the approachin
election of United States Senator.
| was likewise most representatiV
| body, and when contrasted with MI
| Martins reception of four weeks ago
was greatly in Mr.. Montagues favor
Mr.. Montague was appropriately in
troduced by Col H. II Wayt and wa
greeted by storm of applause, as b.
was when he entered the room.
He began by thanking the supervi
sors for their generosity, and the as
sembly for its size and interest HI
paid a glowing tribute to the Valley
and it's people, and said that he came
to announce to the people of StauntoL
and Augusta that he is a candidate
for the United States Senate. That the
people heretofore had had no direct
voice in the election Of that officer,
that they voted directly for no federal
officer but a member of Congress. The
president, the judges, the pOstmasters,
who come nearer the people than most
any other officer, the marShals. in fact
all other federal officers except the
member of Congress do not get their
positions by any direct voice of the
people. The Senator at one time was
a man of purity and such high ideals
that he could be trusted, but of late
corporate greed and combined wealth
had dictated SO many of the Senators
by legislatures controlled by them,
that conditions have changed, some
States today being deprived of Sena
tors, whilst others are represented by
men who have no interest of the PEG
pie at heart. Senator Mitchell of Ore
gon, Senator DIETRICH Of Nebraska and
Senator Burton of Kansas, have all
been indicted for "grafting" He ex
planned what the word graft meant.
and said that it was a new word when
applied to politics and public office.
He said that Pennsylvania had not in
years had any Senator who cared a
farthing for the people. but that these
had come into that body purely at the
dictates of corporations.
The time had come when either the
people must control the corporations
Dr. the corporations would control the
people. lie acknowledged that corpo
ratiOns have rights. but they should be
should be held within them. Railroads
Ire not private property, he SAID. The
lay was once when a mill owner had
lis compensation limited by law. so
llso tavern keeper, always turn
bike. A railroad was no higher than
hese. He read from resolution pro-
posed by Senator Call of Florida, ask
ng the Senate to look into the conduct
If corporations, on which resolution
Mr.. Martin voted No He said he had
ound nowhere that Senator Martin.
,r the Junior Senator as be called
lin, had taken any steps toward cleo
ion of U. S. Senators by popular vote.
lie read from an interview of Senator
Martin published III the Richmond
Dispatch in 1899, when Mr., Martin
aid he was opposed to election of Sen
ors by the people, but that after the
Virginia convention had declared for
! primary election Mr.. Martin had
aid that he approved of that.
He said that he had not assaulted +,
dr. Martin in any speech, that be con-
idered the public record of d public |
,fficer, public property, and he intended |
o treat Mr.. Martins record as such, |
md he would regret the day when any |
'fficer would rise above a just and de-
cent criticism. He would make his
criticisms decently and truthfully land |
n so far as his own record as Cover |
lor was concerned, be wanted the |
closest scrutiny. He had not found |
much done by Mr.. Martin that savored |
If exalted craftsmanship, nothing that |
my sensible. well informed, active |
nan might not have done equally as
we'll, he certainly had not heard of any
'trong public expression by him OIL
my great question. Just as we'll might |
|. preacher of the Gospel decline to
litter a word of encouragement or
preach a sermon after he had bis salary |
)aid and his collections up.
The newspapers were reporting him, |
le said, as VOluablA man full of |
hetoric and sentiment, but not prac
ical. He had never put the dollar |
lbove the man, and if such was an ev
dence of practicability he would never
)e practical. He said that Mr.. Martin |
vas telling that all the railroad presi-
Tents in Virginia are opposing him
Martini, but he said there are very |
ew railroad influences for him. and |
ome powerful strong ones against |
lin. He read from circular letter
ssued by Mr.. Martin in the last few |
lays in which Mr.. Martin said that be
vas unable to believe that the people
II Virginia would displace man of |
experience and one who had faithfully |
performed his duty, simply to give the
place to another. Mr.. Montague said |
he place. was not Mr.. Martins. He |
wanted no man g place. |
The office belonged to the people and |
vas about to become vacant, and the |
people must fill it. The question is
whom will they elect. Ii experience
)e requisite, inexperience should be
/ disqualification, but when Senator |
Martin Was elected he Was the least |
known and least experienced man in
public affairs who ever was elected to
,uch all Office in Virginia. He had
never held any position OF public trust
IA his life. He then picOured the man
whom he displaced and who was the
venerable Gen Eppa HuntOn. He said
that Maj. Holmes Conrad, one of the
DralniesG men in Virginia and man
If wide experience, was Il candidate
and got Only few vates. That Gen.
Fitz Lee went into the race with Il
vote that it would seem should have
elected him, and yet to the astonish
meut of the people Instructions were
and Mr.. Martin elected over
him. These things. he said, told loud
Ir 10 oh id