Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-07-20

| between Martin and Montague, OUT Cne
Senator did not fail in that discussion to
remind the Governor of the corruption
that had been prevailing in two Of the
State departments-that of Public Edu-
cation and the Corporation Commission.
His excellency is a member of the
State Board of Education and appoint
ed the members of the Corporation
Commission. Senator Martin told the
Governor that if he would give a
'Geetle" more attention to what was
going on at Richmond and 'leetle"
less attention to what was going on in
Washington in the way of corruption
and scandal he would be serving the
Commonwealth better. Of course, the
governor disclaims any responsibility for
the scandals connected with the Educa-
ton Department and the Corporation
Commission. By the partial investiga-
ton of those scandals the little fellows
have been exposed and dismissed and
the big fellows still hold on.
Now the Martin men have sprung
another ugly charge against the Cover
nor. They say he has been a "tax
dodger," and the Governor virtually
admits that he is amenable to the
charge. AS we understand it, for sew
en- years prior to the time the poll tax
qualification for voting went into oper-
alton Mr.. Montague paid no poll taxes
to help support the public schools of
which he claims to be such an earnest
friend. In his speech at Bristol on the
18th inst, Mr.. Montague admitted that
he had not paid any poll tax for seven
wears, but claimed that his delinquency
was caused by his removal from Dan
vile to Richmond. After the payment
of poll taxes became prerequisite for
voting he paid the seven years poll tax
in bulk. He tries to offer an excuse
for his delinquency by saying that he
had not been assessed for poll tax dur
ing these seven years, either at Rich
mond or Danville. A rather lame ex-
cuse, this, for one who has argued that
no man should be allowed to vote who
failed to pay a poll tax, and no man
was good citizen who was unwilling
to contribute one dollar a year as a
head tax to help support the free
schools.
1.-THE Senatorial race is not the only
one in which dirty linen is being aired
and washed. We find the same thing
occurring in the Gubernatorial contest.
Mr.. Willard was attacked early in the
campaign as a tax dodger, and was
forced to make an effort to satisfy the
public that he was not guilty of the
charge. His record has also been as
sailed on the liquor question. Recently
letter written by him was given out,
bearing upon that question. He had
written a letter recommending that
liquor license be granted to a certain
man to sell liquor in one of the most OBJ
iectionable quarters of Washington,
D. C. Mr.. Willard has responded to
that charge, and while he states that
the letter was written by one of his
secretaries and signed by another, he
assumes all responsibility for the let
ter in question and makes no apology
for the offense. His record has also
been quietly assailed because he is the
son of a major in the Yankee army.
This assault is made to injure him with
the Confederate element.
Mr.. Swanson is being severely criti-
cised for his conduct in the last Guber-
Material campaign, because his con-
gressional district gave a majority for
John Hampton Hoge, the Republican
candidate for governor. Good Demo
Gratis (O say that if he was able to car.
ny the district by sound majority for
himself when candidate for Congress,
it was his duty to carry it for the man
who defeated him for the nomination
for Governor. They argue, and justly
so, that his majorities lin congressional
elections were fraudulent, or that he
was unfaithful to his party when Mr..
Montague was the candidate for Gov
ernor.
So far, the only charge made against
Judge Mann is, that he is not true
Democrat, but is really the candidate
Of the Anti-Saloon League. He re-
spends to that accusation by saying
that he has been lifelong Democrat;
that the Mann law is not prohibition
measure, that it was only intended to
regulate the sale of liquor, and that it
has greatly increased the revenues of
the State by increasing the license tax
and making the sale Of whiskey more
respectable. We have been surprised