Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-07-21
Ex-senator Thomas Speaks
at Chatham
In Rousing Court Day Address
He Sustains Jones' Charges
Against Senator Martin
Special to Dispatch-News

Chatham, July 17.-Ex-Senator A.
F. Thomas, speaking under the aus
pieces of the Virginia Democratic Lea
que at chatham today said the true
test of good government was its alb
ility to keep the hands of the few |
out of the pockets of the many. The
strongest claim, said the speaker,
which the machine advanced for pub
lie support was that it gave Virginia
an honest government. 1t is true
that the treasurers and auditors OF
Virginia administer the funds they
receive faithfully. They are honest
men and deserve commentator, but
granting this does not establish the
machines right to rule because the
wrong against the people is perpe-
trated before the funds ever reach
the States officers. Mr.. Thomas
here discussed railroad taxation
along the lines of his Bedford City
speech, showing how the roads were
under-valued and that Virginia was
losing one and half million dollars
each year on this account, and that
this loss necessitated payment of 25
per cent more taxes by the people.
He discussed the railroad ring
now masquerading as the Democratic
party organization" and said that
Gods sunlight is now penetrating
and Illuminating as never before the
dark corners in the political struc-
ture, and that things which were
mere suspicion in the past are be-
coming established facts. The truth,
said he, has long been hidden but is
now becoming more apparent. He
didn't believe that the mass OF the
followers of the machine had any
idea of the real purpose for
which, the leaders and used their
| loyalty, but they were now find
| ing out that loyalty to what
| they supposed to be party Organiza-
| ton was abused and made to support
corporation SCENE to unload upon
the people an unjust share of the
public burdens. The railroads claim
ed to have helped rescue the State
from negro domination twenty years
ago and were still charging million
and half dollars a year for the ser
vice The real trouble, said he, now
is that we have the wrong leader
ship, we need leaders who wish to
serve the people in the place OF those
who wish to serve the interests. Mr..
Thomas here took up the charges
which Mr.. Jones had preferred
against Senator Martin and analysed
the letters which Jones had pro-,
duced. He said in part:
'sMr. Jones charges that Senator
Martin represented the railroad in
terests before the Legislature of Vir-
ginia, and that he was one of the dis
bursting agents of the ''yellow dog"
fund of the railroads. Senator Mar
tin denounced the charge, every
| word of it, to be absolutely false.
The issue is certainly squarely drawn
and as clear cut as language can
make it. Mr.. Jones produces let
tiers from Mr.. J. S. B. Thompson to
show that Senator Martin received
money from the railroads. Senator
Martin admits this fact but says it
was to aid the Democratic party to
4 preserve white supremacy. I take
it that Mr.. Jones means by yellow
dog fund" contributions from the
railroads for the purpose of affect
ing legislation through the control
or influence of the General Assembly.
/ If, as Senator Martin claims, the rail-
roads from whom he gQt money only
| gave it in order to aid thes Demo-
cratic party to maintain white sup
| remacy, it inevitably follows that
i when once the Democratic party had
won an election these railroads hav-
ing achieved the desired object
would have no further interest in
the politics of the State until anoth-
er election between the whites and
negroes came around. On the other
hand if Senator Martin is incorrect
and the railroads made contributions
for other selfish reasons affecting
legislation, their interest would not
cease with the election but would
continue until the General Assembly
had been Influenced or controlled.
'sThese letters which were dated
were written after the election, but
lust before the converting of the
General Assembly. There was abb
solutely no shadow of negro domina-
ton on the political sky. 1t was a
| Democratic General Assembly that
was about to be organized, and ac-
cording to Senator Martin the rail-
roads had nothing to fear. Why
then do we see Mr.. Thompson so in
sistently urging these men to go to
Richmond, report to Mr.. Thomas S..
Martin and stay there Monday and
Tuesday, and to help Mr.. Cardwell
and "our" other friends?
''The truth is plain that these rail-
roads had put out their ''yel1ow dog"
fund and assisted in the election of
members of the legislature, and were
then trying to organize the General
Assembly by electing Mr.. Cardwell
| Speaker, and by packing the COM
mittees with their toolsNsO as to be
able to control legislation. The
reference to Mr.. Thomas S. Martin
proves conclusiyely that he was per-
fectly familiar with the program
and that he was acting as the trust
ed agent of the railroads of the State,
and that Mr.. Thompson expected Mr..
Thomas S. Martin to be on the ground