Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1905-07-08


Swanson and Lieut. Governor willard
were present to submit their CLAIMS
for the offices to which they aspire
Gov. Montague was first introduced
in an appropriate and captivating
speech by Commonwealth Attorney
s. James burlington.
He began his speech with a oe-
nunciation of the way III whicn
United States Senator'S had been
elected in the past and showed that
if was failure by the number in office
who represented special interests and
used their high Office in the interest
of the few, forcibly illustrating the
correctness of his remarks by holding
ND to his audience the records CT
Onav. Platt. Cannon, Mitchell and
others, and stated that the Junior
Senator of Virginia despite the obJec-
tions to the present mode OF elecuhg
Senators, had never i'll his eleven
years service used his vote or IL
fiuence for the election of senators Dy
the people. That he had disregarded
the declarations of the Legislature,
the resolutions of the May Conference
of 1899. passed by vote of 81 to H.,
and the resolutions of the Richmoni
Convention. all for election of sena-
tors by the people. That the move
ment for Primary at the Roanoke
Convention was mainly defeated by
his efforts, and that he had only joined
the movement when it was an assured
success.
The Governor denied that he had
abused Senator Martin but that he
had the right to discuss his public
record and that it did not show thaJ
his qualifications as Senator were So
superior to those of everyone else
thatno one else should have aspirations
for the office.
In discussing his record, he stated
that the Junior Senator had never
secured the appropriation of dollar
for any river or harbor in the FIRST
Congress District; that the bill, unoer
which 5000 was appropriated for
Richmond College, originated in the
House of Representatives, and tna'
small amount was all he obtained for
Virginia of the 81 300, 900, which the
Senators secured for their constltu-
ents when the bill was amended II
the Senate; that in the settlement OF
the accounts between Virginia ana
the United States, the amount was
S5.5 and not 81, 200, 900 which he Sc
cured for the State. as was shown by
reports submitted by him, and that
while he commended him for answer
ing letters promptly and doing de
detrimental work, that was not ali
that was required of Senator anc
the standard had to be raised, If the
people were to rule.
The Governor having been reques-
ted to reply to questions published IN
this paper by the Drummondtown
Martin Club, did SO in a way which
elected the commentator and APP
plause of the most OF his audience.
The questions were;
Why did he, as Governor, refuse TO
sign the bill placing the statue OF
General Lee in Statuary Hall?
Why did he approve the bill remov-
ing the jail penalty from violatOrs OF
the Sunday liquor law?
Why did he pardon two men from
Jail in Elizabeth City county sent
there for keeping a crap game-the
lowest form of gambling?
Why did he continue in the employ
of the Southern Railroad when he was
district attorney, and as such officer
was required to sue railroads for viola
tions of the interstate commerce law
His answers were that first, that he
did not sign the bill to place the
statue of General Lee in Statuary
Hall, because many of the citizens OF
the State did not approve it, that
many of the Northern people did moi
want it there, and the name and fame
of General Lee was too sacred to him
greater as it was than either the city
of Washington or Statuary Hall, t.
show any great desire to place it any
where if objection was made, anC
because the time would come whel
the people of that city and the nation
would gladly ask that Virginia senC
his statue. He would not though vett
the bill, as he was requested by Gen
eral VIM. II. Payne and others, bu
permitted it to pass without his sigma
ture.
Second, that the bill removing tn
Jail penalty from violatOrs of the Sun
day liquor law was accepted as
measure to promote temperance b
the members of the Legislature and 5
unanimously passed by that body tina
it was useless to veto it.
Third, that he pardoned the tw
men in jail, one nearly dead wit
consumption, upon the recommend;
ton of the commemorative ttorne,
the presiding Judge and the atten'
ing physician.
Fourth, that his duties as attorne
for Southern Railroad and Distri,
Attorney did not conflict, as he cou,
institute no proceedings against IL
railroads unless ordered to do so
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT or Intersta
Commerce Commission. He was Wi