Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-07-28

havea right to criticize.
We have said he is too close to corpo-
rations for us or the people generally,
and on this score We have nothing to
retract.
We were burt when he helped boot Dr.
Carter Berkeley, as gallant a Confed
crate soldier as ever breatbed. out Of
position as doOTkeeper of the Sen
ate in 1896. DIR. Berkeley was a Dem
ocrat, he deserved the place, he filled
it perfectly, he was our friend, and Mr..
Martin s conduct toward him we have
never cOndoDed. and in the light of
events it is objectionable. We said so
then, and We repeat it now.
Wedid look with doubt on his stability
of political character when he changed
in night from gold to 81 yer tumble
which Disguised his friends, made him
ridiculous, and branded him, it was
said at the time, as a trixter and Il
demagogue.
We did think he was trimming"
when he came to StauntOn to hear VIM.
j. Bryan lecture at the Baptist church
some time ago. We had heard enough
to know he was no real friend of Bry-
All g and his lukewarm support of the
Democratic ticket in 1896 seemed to
say that bis silver protesUations lacked
sincerity.
When later be appeared at banquet
given by one of our townsmen we have
always thought he was more hungry
for votes than food.
We always felt that cloud hung over
his first election. One that nothing
could dispel; that there WAS a secret
influence that elected him which he
must have known, and which laid
On the party the burden of constant
apology. 1t has never been enough to
say be has made good Senator, or a
better Senator than ,ien. Lee would
have made, when the people had chosen
Gen. Lee in their minds and failed of
him in the election.
We have committed a crime, we feel
sure, in not forever championing the
claims of Senator Martin against a
man who is our friend, and in our
judgment an ADLER and broader
statesman. 1t may be that
the price of our support of Gov.
Montague is the thankless position we
occupy on State Board. If we are
so cheap 1t is remarkable that the %
cents offered since by Senator Martin
did not break our faith with Gov.
Montague and carry us into that ''fOld
of friends and political heelers who
cheer Mr.. Martin when he speaks.
Mr.. Martin displayed what ne seemed
to think the vulnerable places in our
course to about $50 persons on
Monday last. These were all he could
command after extensive advertise
ment. This is the largest audience be
has ever been able to assemble here
Once he came and there was no audi
ence, again he came and a crowd could
not be gathered, then with Judge
Mann be dropped in and people
went to hear THEM. Monday
he talked to few and these were more
than tired before he finished and many
left. The excuse was that it had been
too wet in the country, but the reason
was that 1t was TOO DRY III town. Ones
before Mr.. Martin attacked a newspa,
er here. The Argus had said he was a
lobbyist. Mr.. Martin chastely replied
that the Argus was a liar. This and
his compliment to the editor of the
SPECTATOR On Monday are, so far as
we are able to learn, the two sentiments
which were most loudly appIauded and
present a fine sample Of his oratory.
The SPECTATOR will not 90 out OF
| business on account of Mr.. Martin s
displeasure, nor on account of his
effort to kill it by embarking in an op.
position enterprise in Staunton. Now
that Mr.. Martin has undertaken to
cOnstrue the motives of the editor of
the SPECTATOR, the editor may take
the same liberty, and if he does he is
certain that he will get as near the
truth, as did the honorable Senator IN
some of his constructions on Monday
last.