The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-25
A SMALL CROWD
GREETS MARTIN
Given Close Attention and Re
ceives Liberal APP
plause.

Especial to The Times ispatch.)
ROANOKE. VA, May Ex-senator
Thomas s. Martin addressed O very small
crowd OF Democrats at the Academy OF
Music tonight. In the building, which
seats 1900, there were not more than 200
people, while on the stage only five
friends OF the senator were seated.
Whether, this small crowd was due to a
big religious tent meeting, prayer meet
ings and other entertainments, or lack
OF interest in the contest, cannot be said,
as this was the first speech made in the
State campaign. a.
Yet, the senator was received with APP
plause and was frequently cheered dur
Judge John w. Woods as ''the senator
who believes that the office is intended
for the service of the people, and he is
a servant OF the people, 's5
E Senator Martins speech was very much
on the same line as others he has made,
as reported in The Times-D ispatch Much
of 1t was devoted to&the criticisms of his
competitor.
He laid particular stress on the state
ment made by Governor Montague that
( he had voted against the Call resolu-
ton. He stated that 1t was a msstate-
ment, and the attention Of the Governor
I had been called to 1t. He had seen
newspaper report in which the Governor
had stated that he obtained his infor-
nation from bureau Of information In
Washington, and If he. was in error he
would correct it. Parties who had heard
the, statement at Bedford told him that
1.-The Governors explanation was very eva
sivc. 1t was, said the senator, as posi-
lively untrue as any statement could pc
He also devoted much of his speech to
showing what he had done for the work
ingrncn. His sympathies were always
with the man who worked. IL had Deen
charged that he opposed the employers
liability bill. 1t was wholly untrue; 1t
was rcgrettable that falsehoods Travelled
faster than truth.
Il He read an extract from the Railroad
Trainmens Journal, published at Cleve-
land, which eulogized him for the part
he had taken%in securing an amendment
to the rate commission bill and n letter
from Samuel Gompers also showed how
he had obtained equality for the navy
yard and other workers with the clerks
in the government service at Washington,
had secured the passage Of a bill which
gave to workers during the Spanish war
sCOO, 900 for overtime work, and read ex-
tracts from letter from q Richmond
paper box manufacturer, who stated that
through his efforts an amendment had
been made to bill which threatened to
destroy the paper box and throw thou
sands OF girls out Of employment.
He denied that he had any connec-
ton with a corporation and said he did
not know of a single railroad president
who was supporting him He also dis
cussed the railroad rate bill along the
~, ronNrtad
He said it was the most important mat
ter before the people, and predicted that
it would be passed at the next meeting
OF the Senate The senator wns heartily
applauded during his speech, and 1t was
much regretted that he did not have q
larger crowd. It was stated that he will
speak here again before the campaign
closes He goes from Roanoke to Pu-
laski, where he will speak Tomorrow.