Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-06-09
Nj IL. MONTAGUE AS A RAIL
ROAD LAWYER.
(Petersburg Index-Appeal. }

Vetersourg inueN-Appeai-)
The friends of Mr. Montague have
found favorite mode of attack on
Senator Martin in the charge that
he was corporation lawyer and
they have worked upon the prejudice
of the people to create the impression
that he is still in the interests and
under the influence and control of
the corporations, to the detriment of
the public welfare. No mode of po-
litical attack, whether by innuendo
or open charge, could be more un-
worthy and false. Prior to Senator
Martins election to the United
States Senate lie was for a num-
Der of years counsel for the Chesa-
peake and Ohio railroad company in
four countits, viz: Albermarle, Buck
ipgham, Fiuvanna and Goochland,
at u salary Of 81, 900 per annum. He
was only employed TO look after the
legal business Of the road in that
territory, aud had nothing whatever
to do with matters pertaining to
legislation, or anything else. Dur
ing that time he held no Office that
imposed public duties upon him in
consistent with his relations to the
railroad. So far from his being the
creature of the railroad in his first
candidacy for the United States Sen
atorship, it is a fact that every rail-
road president in Virginia opposed
him then, and, so far as we can learn,
they are opposing him now. Dir. In-
gals, the President of the Chesa-
peake & Ohio railroad, was exceed
ingly active against him in his first
candidacy, and went so far as to
publish card in Richmond paper
advocating the election of General
Lee. When Mr.. Martin was elected
United States Senator, he severed his
connection with the Chesapeake &
Ohio railroad company, and has had
no relations with that corporation
since, except to bring suits against it.
So much for Mr.. Martin as corpor-
alton lawyer.
Now let las inquire how Mr.. Mon
tague stands in this respect? For a
humber of years he was attorney for
the Southern Railroad Company for
the city Of Danville aud county of
Pittsy lvania. That was proper
enough while he held no public
office incompatible with that posi-
ton. But on July 1, 1893, he enter
ed upon the discharge Of his duties
as District Attorney of the United
States for the Western District of
Virginia. Did he follow Mr.. Mar
tins example and resign his at
torneyship of the railroad company /?
Not much On the contrary, he
continued his relations with the
Southern Railroad after it had be-
come his duty as Federal official to
prosecute railroads for all criminal
violations of the Interstate Com
merce and other Federal laws, draw.
ing salary of $4,000 and mileage
from the Government and a salary
and free passes from the railroad.
These facts were conspiciously print
ed in the Danville Register, Mr.. Mon
tague's home paper, on February 10,
1905. In all this time they have
not been denied, and we do not be-
lieve that they will be denied. This
state of things went on for more
than four years, or until August 10,
1897, when Mr.. Montague was NOM
mated by the Democratic Conven-
ton, at Roanoke, for Attorney-Gen-
eral Of Virginia. The load was TOO
heavy to go before the people with,
ard II was then--on the very day of
his nomination, We believe-thst Mr..
Montague did what he should have
done more than four years before.
Here is the deadly parallel of the
two mems records The facts are
matters of record that are easy of ac-
cess and may be refuted if not accu-
rately stated here. We challenge
refutation of them.
On comparison of these records,
the fair and impartial voters of Vir..
ginia can decide for themselves
which candidate has the more cred
liable record-the one that resigned
as corporation attorney when his
public duties became incompatible
with that position, or the one that
held on In defiance of such ineom
patibility.
Anyhow, let us have fair play!