Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-04-13
THURSDAY, APRIL Is, 1905.
VERY BAD FORM,

oNO
1t is not our fght-the contest that is
now being waged over the United States
Senatorship by Messrs. Montague and
Martin. But we cannot fail to be inter-
ested in the fight, just as every other
citizen of Virginia must be. That the
battle will be hot and bitter there can
hardly be doubt; and that it will be
very personal as between the rival
Democratic candidates seems also to be
assured. For this latter certain condi-
ton Mr.. Montague will be chiefly re-
sponsible. He won the nomination of
his party for Governor of the State by
making shrewd assault upon what he
called the Machine, and then smilingly
accepted the operations of that Ma
chine to secure the prize he coveted.
Mr.. Montague again ungratefully criti-
cises its work and purposes, well know
ing that but for it's manipulation of
votes in the negro counties he would
never have secured the Governship of
Virginia.
Governor Montague has opened his
campaign for the Senatorship, and re-
Gently fired his first gun" at Spottsyl-
vania C.. H. The manner in which he
assailed Senator Martin indicates that
he is desperately mad or that he is an
absurd egotist. He criticised the record
of Senator Martin in manner that was
impertinent and bordered on coarsness.
Itwas desperate effort to belittle the
capacity of Martin and magnify the i'm
portance and ability of Montague. The
junior Senator from Virginia was pic
tured as a machine politician who work
ed the departments at Washington, and
as the runner of press bureau. Mr..
Montague insisted that the great need
of Virginia was statesman in the
United States Senate instead of an or
binary worker. Then, he sought to i'm
press his hearers with the conviction
that he possessed in an unusual degree
the elements of great craftsmanship
/and was peculiarly qualified to fill the
place now occupied by Mr.. Martin. Of
course the friends of Senator Martin
are angry and Disguised. 1t is reason
able to suppose that many Democrats
in the State who were undecided as to
whom they would support of the rival
candidates will be most unfavorably i'm
pressed with the bad taste displayed by
the Governor of Virginia in his eager
ness to win the Senatorial prize. That
retort from Martin and his friends will
come, sharp and true, is to be expected.
Mr.. Martin, however, is likely to be
more discreet in what he says than has
been the Governor, thereby proving
himself the better politician, if not so
self-important and gifted as Montague.
The fact is that Andrew Jackson
Montague is suffering rom severe
attack of the "Big Head" He first
posed as one of the good sort, as re-
former, as machine smasher, and won
distinction in his party. But since his
elevation he has developed into ma
chine maker, and conceited, self
seeking politician of faulty judgment
and questionable taste. Possibly his
peculiar style of statesmanship may be
acceptable to a majority of Democrats
in this State and he may win out at the
coming primary. He may have con-
cluded that the best way to impress the
average Virginia Democrat is to mis-
represent and disparage ones equals
and superiors, as that was the tactics
he practiced in the campaign last year.
Speaking as the Chief Executive of
Virginia he did not scruple to face an
audience at Tazewell, and, with seem
ing sincerity, emphatically declare that
Theodore Roosevelt, the Chief Execu-
tive of this great Nation, was lunatic.
After hearing him speak thus of the
man who occupied the exalted position
of President of the United States we
should not be astonished at the bad
taste he has displayed in assaulting his
august competitor, Senator Martin.
THE WEEKLY PAPER.
Under the above heading two of our