Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-04-28


ment of the States bonds held by the
government, the Senator said: "Judge
Dew says two millions: the Governor
says, $3.50. Dew has no interest iu
the matter. "a paGse) Perhaps
the Governor has," cloud laughter
and applause.)
The Senator then detailed the leg.
islative process by which he had
tackled an amendment on the ompi.
bus claims bill, this claim, which
for seventy.odd years Senators had
sought to settle in vain. Senator
Johnston, father of DR.. George Ben
Johnston, General Malone, Senator
Barbour and later Senator Daniel had
all sought TO secure passage Of bill
to secure this claim. The junior
Senator declared that he claimed nc
superiority to these men, and that he
would be glad to be considered second
to them. The opportunity came
however, and he saw and seized it
He was the senior Democratic mem.
Der of the Committee on Claims and
had insisted on lacking on this claim
and had insisted that he would block
the bill if 1t were not included.
Great applause.)
This was not the only claim that
he had secured passage Of in the same
way and at the same time. He
mentioned the claim of Richmond
College, IN which he said he had
had the assistance of our distin
guished Representative, Hon. John
Lamb, to whom he paid handsome
tribute. He had told the committee
that there were two claims that had
to be recognized or he would prove
an obstructionist. "I held them up
said the Senators when you can't get
things you are entitled to otherwise
you have to do that sometimes
Great applause.)
AS q parting shot at the Govern
or's charge that this State had got
ten but $3.50 in its settlement with
the national government, the speak
er asked: sis the moral sense SO
blunted or the conception so stupid
that you think you have gotten moth
ing unless it is cash?" Great APP.
plause.)
Hurrying on, the speaker traced
the history of the bill for the im-
provement of James River, CARRYING
an appropriation of $Y5O,OO0. He
had sought and secured membership
on the Committee on Rivers and
Harbors that he might be of service
to this State.
Referring to the visit of dele
cations from this city the Senator
again stated that if any one who
went to Washington and sent in his
card to him failed to see him he
owed that man al apology if he had
not done what he could.
The speaker enumerated various
other appropriations he had secured
for other parts of the State as Senate
amendments to House bills. He
was the senator of the Republicans
as we'll as of Democrats. Though
not an inventive genius, he did have
intelligence enough to apprehend
suggestions and take advantage of
opportunities.
In closing his speech the senator
enumerated some things he had Sc
cured for the workingmen, to whom
ne paid Q SINCERE and earnest tribute
declaring that he had az much re-
speot for them as for the presidents
of banks.
The Senator was about to close,
but amid cries of "Go on" he re-
sumed and touched upon the ques-
ton of government regulation and
control of transportation companies.
He declared thae the country must
have a rate commission, and that the
railroads had proved themselves un-
able to mete out JUSTICE, and should
be required to do 90. Senator Mar
tin then took up and disposed of the
charge that he was railroad lawyer
declaring that if he represented
them or any one of them in any ca.
pacity, it was a strange thing that
they were all against him for re-
election. He had nothing to saw
against railroad presidents, but he
did not know of a one in this State
who was for him. Every railroad in
the State is making war ON him, he
said. "The sepatorship does not be.
long to me, and ! do not want it un-
less that record eommends itself
to you. ! want every mans support
given in an honest conscientious
manner. What / have said on this
subject of railroads is enough to sat-
isfy any man who does not prefer a
lie to the truth, and 1 am sorry to
say that there seem to be some who
prefer slander to truth and justice.
! defy any msn to say that ! have
ever represented any railroad or
other corporation in any way since
my election to the Senate. Nothing
pleases me better than to stand be-
fore an intelligent Virginia jury
with good case against a railroad.
At no period of MY career have / had
the support Of the railway presi.
dents" -"
The speaker declared himself ia
yorable to national appropriations
for good roads as the only method
this section had of securing any
equitable share of its contributions
I'd the resenne of the country. he
favored the working of eopglcts ON
public roads rather than putting
them in competition with skilled
labor.
In conclusion, the Senator declared
that he was a candidate for re-elect-
ion to the Senate, and that he stood
On his record. If he had been faith.
fGl to the trust confided to him, he
asked fs-electi9p 1T the hands of
the people of Virginia and not upon
any infrmities, defects or short
of his competitor. (Great