Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1905-04-08


charges against him. In making ohe
suggestion the opinion was not even
expressed by us "that he did not get
the nomination fairly'' when first
elected or "that he has since kept
himself in power by machine meth-
odsn That it was intimated by us,
though. that reports to that effect
were current in the Commonwealth
we do not deny, nor will the FRIEND
who in another column, takes up the
cudpel with so much zeal and earnest
ness in his behalf. If these reports
then exist. is Senator Martin hedged
about with so much sanctity that he
cannot be called upon to explain
them? Is it not the right of the num-
blest citizen of the Commonwealth 10
call upon him to give an account OF
his stewardship and should he not be
glad of the opportunity to show to his
constituents, that he was not only
elected "fairly" the first time but has
since held the office as the choice OF
the people?
1t is not denied that Senator Martin
is not a favorite with us, but our critic
Fair Play, is wrong in saying that we
intensely dislike" him, His record
he should have said, in spirit OF fair
ness, does not suit us nor does it, we
believe, commend him generally to
the people of the State. We did not
understand, when he was first elected,
the methods by which man, so OBJ
scure, that the query went up through
out the State-Who is Thos 5. Mar
tin?-could have won out in race with
a man like General Fitzhugh Lee, and
have not since been enlightened to
orr satisfaction. We did not under
stand the methods by which he was
reelected to another term, as he had
rendered no service as Senator, which
entitled him, in our opinion, to a
further lease of the office. Will our
critic say, that he believed he was OF
Senatorial size when he first emerged
from obscurity, or that he has since
done anything by his voice or pen to
contribute to the honor and glory OF
the Old Commonwealth? Can he deny,
that the suspicion still prevails
throughout the State in both instan-
ces, that he was backed by improper
influences" and that it is due to him.
self to come out in the open and eX-
plain. A man big enough to be Uni
ted States Senator surely ought to be
big enough "to speak in public on the
stage"
That cit should be the effort OF
every good democrat to conduct the
canvass in as harmonious manner as
possible" as our critic asserts, we be-
lieve, but will not harmony be best
promoted and the interests OF the
party be best subserved if the light
is turned upon the candidates, who
submit their claims for our support
so that we may be able to decide in
diligently between them? The OBJ
iect of the primary, was to give the
people an opportunity to steer cleal
of machine methods" and to rio
themselves of "bosses" but if under
the plea of harmony the records Of
the candidates cannot be investigated
then primary means nothing more
than to continue along in the same
old ruts, however Objectionable can
didate may be to us. Does our critic
want harmony, that will make Mr.
Martin his own successor, if "as some
allege" he owes his election in the
past to machine methods? We
know he does not want that harmony
which would elevate Mr.. Montague tc
the Senatorship, until he gives sex
plantations of his record, which IL
his opinion, "has not been satisfac
tory in many respects to quite large
proportion of the people of the State. ,
Each has a record, as our critic says
and ought not everyone who loves
his State and is interested il
it's welfare, have the opportunity
to Judge between them, not from
"cut and dried" documents sent out
from their headquarters, but by
public discussion of what they have
done in the past and will stand for IL
the future?
Our critic is right too, perhaps, IL
saying that we have not given Mr.
Martin credit ''for single particle o
beneficial legislation that he has beer
instrumental in enacting for the Stat
at large" and sufficient answer t.
the charge is, we cannot sing hi
praises until he or some of his friend
will tell us what he has done to de
serve it. Werepeat theque of thous
ands of intelligent voters Throughout
the tate,-What has he done?
Senator Martin may be able to tel
us, as he has recently threatened h
will, but until then, we have to say t.
the voters of Accomac, not with tn
view "of poisoning their minds" a
has been charged, but that they ma.
not be induced by the importunitie
of Mr.. Martins friends TO pledge hin
their support, to wait until they cal
intelligently decide which they pre-
fer as their next Senator. Under tn
primary system you have again com
into the possession of your birthrigh'
guard it so well, that you will nc
vote as the bosses tell you, but a
freemen.