Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-08-25
WHAT THE PRIMARY DID.


1t elected Senator Martin, who was
charged by his opp 'nent a, opposing
it. 1t was land slide for Swanson,
who was also wrongfully charged
with being secretly against ir. So
far there is complete vindication.
But let us see what distress it brought
upon people and candidates.
Besides the more or less inllamma-
tory speeches on the stump the press
of the State has been teeming with
campaign publications. direct charges
or ihsidious attacks on records and
characters, and campaign documents
of every sort. Hundreds Of thousands
of letters have been written to the
individual voters and the more in
fiuential men of every community.
In only two or three cases have per-
sons other than candidates injected
themselves into the stump campaign,
aud these cases have been so few as
to leave the inference that they were
afterward recognized to have been
mistakes.
The campaign was actively opened
by Governor Montague in speech
at historic Spotsylvania Courthouse.
From that time to the last both can
didates appealed to the voters at
every county seat and arrsigned each
other upon act or inaction. The
issues of the campaign were the criti-
cisms of Senator Martin by the Gov
ernor, and the Senator's counter
criticisms of him. The Governor
was charged with negleoting his off,
cial duties, with egotism and vanity,
and with using his office and its
patronage to advance his private am-
billions. Senator Martin was accused
of claiming credit not justly due him;
with voting against a Senate resolu-
ton with reference to popular cleo
ton of Senators; with claiming to
have secured for the State appropria-
tons which he did not secure; with
being opposed to the primary plan,
and with being the head of corrupt
party organization.
AS fast as one charge was taken up
and abandoned, another was un-
earthed, until the Governor settled
down to the charge that the Senator
was the head and the beneficiary of
machine, and appealed to "the peo-
pie" from the machine. Senator
Martin retorted, charging the Cover.
nor with having the only machine in
the State, and with Wsging a cam
paign of inaccuracy. So it has gone
from April until mid-August.
The two Senatorial candidates con-
tinned their separate itineraries until
the campaign was well advanced,
when by some design or coincidence
both had appointments for King
George Courthouse. The Governor
challenged the Senator to joint de-
bate, and the Senator accepted. For
three hours the rivals riddled the
records aud speeches Of each other.
The Governor opened, add the Sena-
tor closed the debate. The partisans
of each generally claimed that their
favorite had the advantage, but some
of the Governors supporters admitted
that while the advantage was with
the Senator, it was due to the more
advantageous terms. Since then the
two have separately addressed audi
ences at varions points 10 the State,
swinging around the circle in a round
of exhausting travel and daily speak
ing.
The three Gubernatorial aspiran ts
CONGRESSMAN Claude A. Swanson,
Lientenant-Governor Willard and
Hon. William II. Mann-began their
oratorical campaign soon after the
Senatorial aspirants set the pace.
Mr.. Swanson made more addresses
than either of his competitors,
though recently Judge William H.
Mann has been making up for lost
time by delivering two or three a
day. Generally this canvass has been
conducted in better taste and temper
than the Senatorial canvass, the can
didates referring to each other in
terms of friendship and admiration,
bnt they did not fail to search out
the weak spots In their opponents
records and to penetrate the crevices
Ia their armor.