The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-28
THINK It VICTORY
FOR FUS|0N|SM
Little Fish Scotched But Big
Ones Are White
washed
STRAIGHTOUTS GO
HOME DISGUISED
They Had Hoped for House
Cleaning-Action Re-
garded AS Lacking
Strength

Opinions were at wide variance
yesterday as TO the result To be
expected from the action OF the State
Democratic Executive Committee In
the Norfolk county primary case.
Many well known men in party
affairs who did not, however. desire
to be quoted viewed the action OF
the committee in the light OF rea-
sonabie adjustment of the situation.
holding that it would serve to elirni-
nate the straw candidates and give
the party opportunity 10 nominate
other and bona fde candidates.
story which was going tbs rounds
yesterday was that Alvah II. Martin
expended eighteen dollars in tele
phone tolls to keep In touch with
the action of the committee. and
that his representative a, the meet
ing of the committee borrowed the
only copy OF the majority report
available for the purpose of tele-
phoning It 10 Mr.. Martin.
Straightouts Disguised.
Tho "straightouts' embarked for
home yesterday morning after the
almost alI-night seanee. carrying with
them mixed feelings but disgust was
A local friend OF the Straight
outs" sized the situation up about
as follows:
THE straightouts have right to
feel sore. The State committee sent
unbiased men. members OF the body.
down TO Norfolk TO investigate the
situation and ascertain the needs OF
the case They were told that II
was a war measure The resolution
rtsrf,< tbts4ss al IN ia
that the State committee abhorred
fusionism and would not tolerate
And what ls the result The men
who have been cheek -jowl with
Aivah II. Martin and have Tor years
betrayed Democracy by means OF
straw candidates and every form or
political deals, are whftewashed, de-
! ciared 70 be simon-pure democrats,
while their tools, the straw chndi~
dates themselves are given all the
castigation.
"Is Ii not perfectly apparent that
Mr. Cromwell and his associates
either have connived at the straw can
dtdates' recently nominated or had a
guilty knowledge OF the scheme
And this being true, are they not as
guilty OF an oftense against the Dem,
ncratic party as the straw canaioaAeS
themselves?
Not a Blow At AL
ct Is not too much to say that fu-
sionjsm has not only not been dealt
blow Try the State committees sc
ton but that the failure or the State
committee TO stand behind the ma
3ority report and handle the Norfolk
county situation with a firm hand VIII
be taken as an indication Of weak
ness by the fusionist element, and viii
encourage them 10 a further defiance
OF the public sentiment OF the State,
4 Political Side Light.
THE straightouts came into rms
fight at very inopportune time Tor
their interests They were the in
vesti4-ators OF the senatorial campaign
Of Hon. ". A. Jones. 1t was only
after repeated requests on the part
OF many OF the principal men iaen-
titled with the "atraightouts' that
Mr.. Jones consented To run. This fact
was not lost upon the State commit
tee composed in q large measure ol
political admirers Of Senator Martin
On the other hand, in the primary
the fusion folk rallied To Senator
Martin and rolled up big ma1otit,
for him. Consequently when the!
came before the committee they VI
that they We're In the house of &
friend They were looked upon a.
friend. They We're looked upon a!
Of the committee who stood by theli
friends.
4 Local Question.
A fusion man said yesterday tina
II the Democratic State eommitte,
had adopted the majority report tn
people OF the county would not HAY,
stood for" II, but would have gon,
over to the Republican party III
claimed that the fusion question wa
4 local one, which the people or hi
county had the right to settle an,
which they would settle to suit them
selves, whatever outside political au
thorities might do"