The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-26
FUS|ON's FATE
IS QUESTION
OF THE HOUR
Norfolk Clans Gathering for
Fight Before State
Committee
FUSlONIST DESCRIBES
NORFOLK SITUATION
Says His Faction Constitutes
Real Democracy of Coun-
ty and FusioniSm is
Merely Individual

NiCiNiJ Iii0lN iQudl
The clans are gathering and merry
war Will be waged tonight before
the Democratic State Central Com
mittee.
The atmosphere OF the Big hotels
Is fairly humming with politics, and
the great question of hour Is, What
will the committee do with fusion
ism"
All other questions before the State
body have dwindled into insignia
canoe, and the Democracy of the
State Is awaiting with intense interest
the report Of the subcommittee and
the action of the highest court Of
the party on the report
Last night quite a. number OF gem
tlernen. some OF whom referred to
themselves laughingiy as the fusion
crowd" reached the city from Nor
folk Among them were Captain Il.
{. Marshall. Commonwealth attor-
ney of Norfolk county for many years;
John A. Codd, l.. NJ. Sylvester. Sher-
lift A. G. Cromwell. George Pitcher,
Colonel James Mann and George
Lindsay.
Tries to Explain 1t.
member of the party tried TO
make clear TO Il representative Of The
Richmond Virglnian exactly what the
people referred to as "fusionists"
were "up against" as he described
II Assured that The yirgtnian could
give even fusionist's views fair pub
iicatson, he stated that the fusion or
sanizaiop o-called was the regular
Democratic organization OF the coun-
~. He declared that there was moth
ing in the nature of fusion between
the Democratic organization and the
Repu hEcan organization, while all
hitting that there were many indi-
riduais who would participate in the
primaries and then support whom
saessr they pleased in the general
election. He said that his people re-
garded this AS very unfortunate sit
uation. but IL was a matter over
which they had no control
Bob up Infrcquerriy.
lie declared that the "straigh touts'
bohbed up every six years 10 par
ticfpate in fight on Alvah Martin.
hut that between times they would
take no interest and frequently did
not qualify themselves to vote He
said that Alvah Martin and the other
Republicans who had retained office
were good men and. had gotten a hold
on the people that couldn't be broken
and that the Fusion faction made
the best OF il. The speaker referred
10 the fact that Mr., Martin had been
clerk OF the courts for some thirty
years and that in this position he had
been able To make many friends, who
stuck by him on election day.
The gentlemen OF the Fusion camp
did not seem downcast nor did they
express themselves in any way as to
what result they expected from to-
nights meeting.
Fusions Defense
The gist of the defense before the
executive committee tonight on the
part of the Fussonists will he that
there is now no fusionisn, that the
rank and file Of the men denominated
Fusionists are loyal Democrats and
that as to those who do participate
In the primary and then vote for Re-
publicans In local elections IL is
local condition that they are unable
to combat and is a question in the
hands OF the individual voters.
On the other hand the Straight
outs will declare that the policy and
candidates or the democracy of Nor
folk county are being dictated by men
who are not Democrats. who go into
primaries for the sole purpose OF en-
deavoring to procure In many cases
the nomination OF weak or straw"
candidate of the Democracy of Nor
for the Republican candidates. They
viii urge that the last primary was
controlled by voters of this character
and they will ask for general house
cleaning that will put the machinery
Of the Democratic party of Norfolk
county out of the hands of men who
permit such participation.
The subcommittee appointed to In
vestigate the Norfolk county sitnatlan
VIII hold meeting to-day for the
purpose of formulating its report to
be presented when the full committee
meets tonight. There has been no
intimation as to the nature OF the re-
port, although It has been the gener-
ally entertained belief that the reso-
luton passed by the committee at
the meeting at which the subcommft-
- was named could be safely taken
as forecast OF the committees ac-
ton. This resolution clearly defined
the committees attitude as being alb
solutely opposed to fusionism IN every
form.
Up to this time there have been no
real contests formally brought before
the committee. The Goochland- Flu
wanna mix-up will, OF course. have
to be Strengthened out by the BODY.
and the rights Of Messrs A. T. Tay.
Tor and John Rutherford with refer
ence to the seat In the House Of Dele
gates determined.
Up to last night no formal notice
Of contest had been received from
the Norfolk county legislative candi-
dates in the primary OF September :.
although 1t had been commonly re-
ported that these candidates had ac-
tually filed notice Of contest
As the counting OF the VOTES In the
senatorial primary will be a mere mat
ter Of arithmetic. The real interest OF
tho committee meeting WIN, Of course.
attach to the committees action on
the fusion question.
AMATEUR AVIATOR
KILLED BY FALL