The Washington times., 1905-08-13
FAMILY TROUBLES
ARE DETAILED
Democratic Differences in
Virginia Explained.
PRIMARY PLAN INVOLVED
Conditions Brought to Surface by Sena-
torial Fight Between Mon
tague and Martin.

cratic party OF Virginia. a nomination
for United States Senator, as we'll for
governor and other st tie officers. is to
De made by primary on Tuesday. August
s2 The election itself viii be the cuI-
mination OF one of the most unique.
strenuous. and altogether. remarkable
campaigns ever known in this state.
This one is unique In that the contest
Is one among Democrats for nomiDa-
tions, and not between me old party
rivals.
The growing sentiment for popular
election of Senator'S had assumed such
force in 1909 that the party in convention
At Norfolk authorized the State central
committee to draft and promulgaUe a
general primary plan TINS action was
itself the outgrovth &C 4 determined
movement begun in the city of Washing
ton by q number OF prominent Virginia
Democrats carly in 1889. This informal
conference determined to call a more
numerous and representative gathering
of the party il what came 10 be known
as the May conference. The election
Of the entire house Of delegates and half
the State senate, which was TO elect q
successor TO United States Senator
Thomas s. Martin, vas scheduled Tor
the following November, and it was with
the purpose of molding sentiment for
ference was called.
The Interior purpose of the conference,
II was widely charged, was TO compass
the defeat OF Senator Martin. who. six
years before. had defeated the popular
idol Gen. Fttzhugh Lee. Among the
men foremost in that gathering were
Attorney General (uow Governor) A. ].
Montague. Representative William A
tones, OF the First district; Hon. r. Wal
ton Moore. Eppa Hunton, and others.
Even before that time. in the party-con-
venrion al Roanoke in the summer of
1897. Representative Jones had made a
determined and almost q successful fight
for popular nomination OF Senators, the
defeat of the effort being helped by the
influence of Senator Daniel and his
friends
In 1901 Attorney General Montague be-
came a candidate for governor and won,
defeating Representative Swanson. He
dominated the convention. which direct
ed the State committee TO draw and
make operative party primary plan.
Ever since that time the governor has
been recognized as a prospective candi-
date 10 succeed Mr. Martin.
Primary Plan Explained.
Resides the United States Senator. a
governor, a lieutenant governor. an at
torney general and a superintendent of
public instruction are TO be nominated.
Under the primary plan. the incumbents
OF the office of State treasurer, secretary
of the Commonwealth and commissioner
OF agriculture viii be proclaimed the
nominees OF the party. having no oppo-
sition within the ranks. AT the same
election the 100 members of the house OF
delegates and twenty Of the forty mem
bers OF the State senate are to be nomi-
mated. and In many places county and
city oEfcsrs. also. The Democrats have
dominated The State for so many years
that the nominations IN these primaries
are generally considered equivalent to
election. and the real eIection>i IN Novem-
ber is usually g mere formality. This
year, however, the Republicans propose
10 make real contest. and have just
nominated a strong ticket for all the
State Offices.
The present campaign actively begar
last April, when Governor Montague, Z
formally avowed candidate for the sue
cession TO Senator Martin. took the
stump In his own behalf His first ap-
Peal TO voters was at Spottsylvanil
Courthouse. the Bloody Angle" o.
forty years before. In that speech tn,
governor fiercely attacked the equip
ment and services or Senator Martin
dlspsraging his achievements In TIT
Senate and characterizing him as
mere runner 10 the departments" anC
"a department clerk That phrase. a.
department runner" soon became IN,
keynote OF the campaign.
The governor realized that his Rttacl
had been too severe. and that his De
fractions from his opponent had pro
Yoked harsh criticism and resentment
oh &.
taunted with using the term IN the join
discussion aith Senator Martin at KIM
George courthouse in July. ne PARTIAL,
denied It. and has not used II since
His opponent has accepted the charac
terizaJtOn and has turned IL 10 his own
account by declaring MS willingness 1
serve the people OF his State even Il
this humble capacity
Martin Took Up Gauntlet.
When The governor made his openin
speech at Spottsylvania II is believes
that ne did not expect Senator Marti
10 take the stump Although a SOUND
and even an able. lawyer. Senator Mar
tin had not been widely known, and. In
deed. scarcely known at all. as a pub
lie speaker One OF his opponents, i
an Introductory address. presentin
Governor Montague. referred TO Mi
Martins ten years service IN the Sen
ate as "a decade OF dumbness." an
the governor himself twitted the Sen
ator with never having made a publt
address. IL was a surprise. therefore
when Senator Martin promptly took IN
stump and In an address in this cit
soon afterward. evoked the admiratio
OF a large audience by his powerfl
sDSech. answering the governors Spott
gyivania address and effectively defend
ing his record From that time 10 tn
present both candidates have mad
three or four speeches d week. and bot
are now making one or more per da
as the close OF the memorable poIeml
campaign approaches
Governor Montague has an exceller
voice. IS a trained speaker and an e1
Tectiye orator. He IS especially eifte
with the power OF Implication and [
insinuation. and ne knows now /
marshal arguments and how 20 apPe1
10 the popuIace effectively, as he den
onstrated four years ago in his cand
dacy for governor. Martin. on In