Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-05
Delegation Started Thursday
for the Convention.
MONTAGUE DENIES STORY
Contest of the Liquor Men With the
Commonwealth.
METHODISTS ARE IN DISPUTE
Fuss Over Macon System
Of Schools and Colleges-Pension
for Veteran Employe.
Special Correspondence of The Star

Special Correspondence Of The Star
RICHMOND. Va. July 4. 1908.
The Virginia delegation left here Thurs
day for Denver, the delegates and their
friends filling two Pullman cars. Inc
party Travelled over the Chesapeake ana
Ohio, and will reach Colorado Springs
Sunday morning. The day will be spent
there and the party will leave for Denver
at an early hour Monday. reaching that
city not later than 9 O'Clock. Just whom
the delegates are favorable to for the vice
presidency is not known, but the belief Is
that there is a good deal of sentiment for
Lieut.. Gov. Chanler of New York Others
are strong for Judge George Gray of Del
aware, and from what was gathered just
before the train left. the impression is
that powerful influences are at work IN
interest Of Judge Gray.
The democrats down this way say that
a good eastern man must be given d place
on the ticket. and they contend that there
is some demand for the Delaware man to
have the first place. and for many rea-
sons the preference of Judge Gray is be-
coming more and more pronounced. 1t is
known that Gov. Swanson is to be made
chairman of the Virginia delegation, but
he may give way and allow that honor to
go to Senator Daniel.
The fact that Senator Martin could not
accompany the delegation was source
of deep regret to every member. He is
one Of the best informed and most sue
cessful organizers in the country, fact
which has been demonstrated in his fight
for the United States Senate, having de-
feated three former governors in the three
times he has made the race-Ciov. FltZ
Lee the first time. Gov. Tyler the second
time and Gov. Montague the third time.
fac g hat lin, eli
to leave home to go any distance, for the
reason that member of his family is in
poor health and he prefers to be close
at home all the time. There Is no lack
of support on his part for the choice of
the Virginia democrats, and he will sup
port Mr. Bryan Loyalty.
The Montague, Detection.
Former Gov. Andrew J. Montague lost
no time in making an emphatic denial of
the report regarding his change of po-
litical faith. The reason he hesitated SO
long was that he did not clearly under
stand the nature of the allegation made
against him. and he was far removed from
telegraph and telephone communication.
AS soon as he had read the papers he
dictated statement which set at rest for
all time the truth Of the report. announc
ing his allegiance to the party. There
were those OF the governors friends who
began to give credence to the report mere
ly because he heSitated or delayed making
answer. Just how the report originated
is not known, but the fact is that it came
to this city from two different sections Of
the state the same day and was related by
gentlemen who are holding public position
at this time.
One of the closest friends Of the gov
ernOr called attention to the fact that the
administration of Gov. Montague was the
only one in the last quarter OF a century
which has hppn allowed n 70
close with state convention Of the domi-
nant party having come and gone and no
expression of commentator OF the execu-
tive having been made. That is a state
OF anairs which few people Of the state
have given attention, but a search of the
records of the conventions discloses that
such is the case. 1t is unusual, to say the
least.
The state convention assembled in this
city just bit more than year before the
expiration of Gov. Montague's term, and
whether 1t was an oversight or an intend
ed affront to the then governor is not
known. 1t cannot be ascertained If the
governor has ever given this fact any
consideration or made reference to it in
any way to even his closest friends
Testing Liquor Laws.
The National Liquor Dealers Associa-
ton Is engaged In contest with the state
Of Virginia to the constitutionality of
the liquor laws. The matter has come to
the attention Of the courts. and the first
victory is recorded for the state. John
B. BinfOrd, agent for a Baltimore dis
tributing house, is the man who is the
victim of the laws of the state. He is
acting under the directions of Levi Cooke
of Washington, counsel for the national
organization. and Samuel L. Kelley of
this city. local counsel. Binford came
here, obtained a store and announced to
the officers that he would engage in the
sale of liquor for distilling company
and that he had no license for such bust
ness. The officers came down and found
him in the act Of making a sale by sample
to a local dealer He was arrested and
taken to the police court. where fine of
500 and costs was imposed on him. He
refused to pay and his counsel noted an
appeal.
The case will be carried to the court
of appeals. the contention being that the
act imposing license tax OF $500 on the
agents of distributing houses is null and
void. There Is no denying that the case
Is brought to test the validity Of the Byrd
law, and no desire is entertained TO vio-
late the law.
This action on the part of the liquor
dealers is having the effect of arOusing
the anti-salOOn element That ii will be
an important factor in forcing fight on
the prohibition issue is accepted as true.
That the result will be detrimental to
the welfare of the saloon men no one for
q moment QOuDtS L lie IdCl Is lIldt more
than SO per cent of the counties of the
state are dry at this time. with several
of the cities without legaliZed sale Of
LIQUOR. The question of ordering an cleo
ton on the question Of prohibition is one
for the general assembly to decide. and if
the Byrd law is held unconstitutional the
election will be so ordered within the next
two years.
Contention Over College.
Methodists of the state of Virginia and
of the state of Maryland are much inter-
ested and concerned in the dispute which
has arisen over the control of the Ran
dolph- Macon system of schools and COL
leges. The system us an extensive one,
with number of schools and colleges at
various points in the state. The owner
ship and control of the system is in dis
pute. The trustees are anxious that the
control and management shall be non
sectarian. The pastors and the laity are
very much opposed to this suggestion.
There is no question but that the real OBJ
ject In view is to place the Randolph
Macon system in such position that it can
receive funds from other than Methodist
sources-Andrew Carnegie. for instance.
II is known that Carnegie will not con-
tribute to the support of sectarian insti-
tutions.
1t is believed that if the Randolph
Macon system can be segregated from
church domination the result will be bene-
fetal from financial viewpoint. But the