Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-27
VIRGINIA POLITICS.
Echo of the Great Democratic
Fight.


the primary people. Back to the people"
has been heard. and the echo Of the cry Is
known In the result of the primary cleo
ton held last Tuesday. The primary
movement really started in 1896. when
William A Jones, Gov. Montague. NAL
William A. Anderson, John Goode ana
other state characters met here and set on
foot the scheme to have senator's nomi-
mated by the people, even IL an amendment
to the federal Constitution could not De
engrafted to provide for such election
Then the new order of things was ushered
In, the constitutional convention was call
cd and the electorate purified The party
met in convention at Norfolk nve years
ago and placed Andrew jackson Mon.aSue
in nomination for governor. dereatins
Claude A. Swanson. Then the electorate
or Virginia was purged, and clean poiitics
was the cry. , a.
With all the purifying. all the cry
against machine politics. with the electo
rate restricted and the purchasapie vote VI
the party relegated to the rear, the s.a.e
was to start in on an era or purify his"
ideals and lofty ambitions. the peopie
were to name all her officers ana the nsn'
was made on the ground that the ma
chine opposed TO the pr -
ways had been opposed ana "ouIu DC Wy
posed till time was no more Inc cam
nafpn waxed hot all the arts or politics
were applied and the date fixed for trlal OF
the plan. the promoters ana a'oWeu
friends confident that they Woulu WI WI
Never n more disconsolate. dlsgruntieu
and disappointed set of men II was d
blight to the ambitions of some Oh the
aspirants though 1t has almost passed
away Gov Montague and his 1rienus
were confident that he would be elected.
and it was thought by many that ne WouIa
make a better showing than the returns
have so far Indicated. ,so
The primary plan was given an aoso-
lutely fair and impartial trial in all parts
of the state though there are the usual
sporadic charges of fraud ana colius.u '
that follow the general electlohs. oll .ns
whole the state candidates nave acCepteu
the result with good grace ana nave SA-
messed a determination to form In line
and to continue the fghting-to be pri-
Yates when they could not be chlefs.
No man elected to office was ever given
n greater ovation in Virginia than that
given Senator Martin the night Oh MS MS
nomination. 1t was after cIoch III liie
morning before the crowds left his rooms
in Murphy's, while score OF messenger
bows formed a procession from the oHces
of the Postal and Western Union bringing
him congra tulatory messages. The telephone
was kcnt iingling, and many messages came
in that manner The senator. as CAIN anu
imperturbab!e as at any time IN Tue caui
naign. was as democratic and plain as ne
has always been. He was not disposed
10 crow over his victory. 1t had been a
hard fight and he was disposed to be con-
siderate He had been called upon 10 de-
fend his record he had done so ana the
people had passed upon his explanation ana
the record
Representative Swanson also held re-
ception receiving letters and messages
from all parts of the state. He was greatly
pleased. especially when 1t was consioereu
that he had defeated two of the strongest
men in the state-William Hodges Mann
and Joseph E. Willard. 1t had been mem
orable contest in which there had been
no semblance of mud-slngiis by the
tel ar,di Iaf
had not been to his congressional district
since last October. and did not make
speech there in his own behalf this year.
yet he had nearly 1000 majority Tor gov
ernor He carried all districts in the state
except the eighth. which went for Willard
by a good majority. Mr.. Swanson carried
Judge Manns district by good majority.
Unusually Slow.
The leisurely way in which the election
officers and others sent in the returns was
a subject of general comment Always
vslow. the returns were slower this year
than usual. Even at this time. the COM
plete returns are not in from all the pre-
cincts, and 1t is believed that the state
committee-to be convened some time In
September-will be compelled to await the
arrival OF some of the returns.
Politicians Specializing.
The politicians and others are speculat-
Mr.. Swanson when he shall go into office
February l of next year. He will be called
upon to make many appointments, and the
people who were opposed to him are be-
ginning to name the men whom he will
honor with various positions MIR. Swan
son was asked regarding the matter and
he made the reply that he was complying
strictly with the law, had made no intima
ton of who he would name had made no
promises and would make none until after
the election. He said that he had no OBJ
lection to having all the appointments made
for him, but that he reserved the right to
name whom he pleased.
Mr.. Swanson has gone to his home. at
Chatham, where he will spend a few days
in resting up. Then he viii attend to much
of his private affairs. and within two
weeks win go to Thousand Islands for a
fishing trip OF ten days or two weeks. He
Is pretty well worn out from the long
strain through which he has just passed
and wants to get ready for the struggle
this fall, which is to be another contest of
endurance. the republicans being his foe
men this time. And it will be little less
vigorous than was the democratic primary.
Senator Martin at Home.
Senator Martin left the city Thursday,
going to his home. at Scottsville. The SEN
ator was In the finest humor imaginable.
for ne mad been accorded the distinguished
honor OF receiving every vote cast at his
precinct-an honor accorded rev candidates
in this or any other state. The senator will
rest for three or four days and will resume
attention to business affairs-"another six
years to run the departments" as one ad
mirer suggested. Mrs. Martin remained up
and at her husbands side while the re-
turns We're being received. and kept up a
brilliant conversation with her friends.
On all sides the people are expressing
great pleasure that the campaign Is a
thing OF the past. 1t had reached an acute
stage In this city. where fights had resulted
the lie given direct to statements made by
the friends OF candidates and things gen.
orally were getting to such tension that
an explosion was likely to occur at any
moment Much bad blood had been en-
gendered and it Is really remarkable that
a tragedy did not result. The primary is
still being discussed-that is. party
measure. and there is opposition TO 1t on
all sides sim. the scheme is one that a
majority of the people favor. and 1t will
likely continue but will be modified con-
siderably before II is again subjected to a
test.
Capital City Notes.
The Colored Medical Society of Virginia
has been In session here for several days.
the meetings being held In the colored sec