The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-01

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pie Of Virginia and not TO political
cahal. --.-=-.-
Stands for Clean Politics.
II has been assumed by certain
newspapers hostile to me that the
public record Of the, governors ap-
pointee sufficiently indicates hts atti-
tude on the issues OF the day, while
at the same time r In suggested that
should state where / stand upon
public questions. l do not know whe-
Their this 10 mere caviling or = sa-
tirical inumation that my public life
has been one Of concealment, or OF
SO inconsequential g. character as TO
argue me unknown. Upon what pub
lie question IL information desired?
For twenty years there has been no
issue as to men or measures raised in
the politics OF Virginia upon which
! have not taken a stand that no man
could misapprehend. In State matters
stand first and foremost for Clean
politics. l stand for honest elections.
whether the result may mean the sue.
cess OF one faction or another, or OF
ono party or tire other. 1t Was for
this reason that j fought for con
stttutional convention--fought for IL
In the General Assembly. fought for
1t on the hustings. fought for It In
party convention. II was upon this
principle that in the convention l ad.
vocated the by-psytisan system OF
election boards and election officers.
| l think any man who, under existing
| conditions. cheats At elections should
be mercilessly pursued and landed In
States prison, and l think any set
of men who practice, eonnive at or
! GhnttfA fHdiR.
nantly driven from power.
For Lsgnlizcd Primary.
II Stand for q iegaiiled primary,
hedged about BY every safeguard that
legislative wit can devise" l may
frankly say that ] am not among
those who initiated the primary
movement in Virginia: but from the
moment it was put into practice /
have openly ursed that It be made an
| honest system and be rescued from
the state OF depravity into which evil
| men have thrust II. do not know
what 10 the attitude OF the Governors
appointee on this question: but ] had
not supposed any Intelligent man In
| Virginia was in ignorance OF my
position. More than ten years ago
/ I resigned from the STATE Democratic
Executive Committee because il
ueuld not repudiate the corrupt III.
/ HicH al &NOLAOAh 0oGotI AuA NAV
! frauds which prevailed in conss-
quence thereof, and I went in person
to Norfolk, and, face to face. de-
nounced the thieves who were pros
.tituting the elections and parceling
out the spoils. From that day to this
! have maintained my attitude OF hos
tility to that sort OF practice and to
that type Of knaves, would not
I, compromise with them to-day for
every vote they might muster. multi
piled 4 thousand ttrTses. do not
| want their votes would feel hu-
inflated to receive them. would
not carry a commission from Rich
mond to Washington that was tainted
by their favor.
| ! noticed from the public prints the
other day that Mr. Alvah H. Martin.
the Republican boss OF Norfolk coun-
ty. suggested that the people OF that
county could manage their own at
fairs without the interference OF out.
Il that he and his coteris OF corrupt
politicians can masae the affairs OF
the county to their own xatisfaction.
But I would give him to understand
that the rascality practiced there has
it, evil consequences beyond thu bor-
dsrs OF Norfolk county. II affects
the integrity Of Virginia's State gov
eminent 1t breeds . defiance Of law
elsewhere. It has 90 vital . relation
to the general conduct even OF pri-
mary elections IS to cause many PEG.
pie in this State to wonder what was
tha real result Of the last guberna-
torial contest--to make many people
wonder whether the distinguished
gentleman who got the returns also
received tho votes.
interruptions and Dcpraved-
II believe. my fellow citiSens, ~ =
general proposition that the election
officers OF the State are honest and
fair; but do not hesitate to sxpresa
1.-THE conviction that. not IN NORFOLK
city and county alone. but In some
other localities. they are unscrupu-
lousy and utterly depraved, ana that
practices OF grave irregularities arc
such as to vitiate the true results and
subvert free government; and wheth-
er shall 60 to the United States Ben
ate. remain in the House Of Repre-
sentatives, or take my place again In
the ranks OF my party, ! shall de-
nounce these frauds and the men whb
perpetrate them as long a. can writV
or talk. ! have no sympathy with
them. no part in their plans or as-
pirations. and would not be q bench
ciary OF their methods.
Perhaps you will expect me 10 charge
that machine politics and machine peli.
tieians are entirely rsspenaibas for thil
state Of affairs. I shalt do nothing 81
the kind. They ars the moving causes
and the sctual instrumenta sf this Dc.
finance Of the popular wilt but the ~.
spensibiiity Of II Ill rssGs largely upon
thoee people In Virginia WIS ds<sst die.
honesty. but % lightly regard thslr
own sovereign rights that they tamsiy
aubsnit to such shameless missovsrr.
nent. My appeal ID not the men wins
sanction or perpstrats irrsaulsritiss,
Thorn; not 10 shp oseioiaI esn,hinatioss
that thrivss BY the eehesivs psNser n
/ psountAry reward. but my appeal L. e
tha naArio<ic veaaa6a - Vir0ielarsa ,nsle