The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-07-15

position he made of the money that
the letters of September 2Sth and
October 9 show to have been placed
in his hands by the Richmond and
Danville and the c. G o. X. r. If,
as he claims, that money was not eX
pended in connection with any mat
ter pertaining to the Legislature, II
Is hardly believable that II was used
to help elect any member OF the
Legislature who would vote for the
Kent bill | do not hesitate to eX-
press my conviction that the money
contributed by the railroads prior to
the election as well as that con
tributed subsequent TO election was
alike intended to further the in
tercsis OF the railroads hut the
three letters written just prior to
the assembling of the Legisla-
ture clearly and most conclusive
~ establishes the fact that Senator
Martin was in Richmond on Mon
day. the Goth day of November. and
Tuesday. the LIST day of December,
for the purpose OF advancing the
interests Of the four great railroad
corporations which contributed the
yellow dog fund" employed i'm or
ganizing the Legislature in the in
terest Of the railroads and i'm de-
feating the Kent bill, to which the
ID mocratic party in Virginia was
solemnly pledged.
When Senator Martin explains why
Leonard Marbury and J. H. BOgart
and others whose names | am able
70 furnish.if need be, were directed
10 hunt him up and put themselves
in touch with him just prior to the
convcning of the legislature. il will
be time enough to adduce further
tes .imOny in subsiantiation OF the
charges which l have made against
aim. | repeat. he admits by his 81
lence as to these letters that he
has no explanation TO offer |
knew as well when | read the let
ters of September 2Sth and OctO-
.er 9th at Woodstock what Senator
Martins reply To them would be
as | know now What | would like
10 know ana what the public would
lik' 20 bc informed in regard TO is
what explanation Senator Martin
mas to offer as to the three letters
written long after the election. The
Logan letter alone constitutes the
most damnin2 e,id,uc against Sen
atOr Martin
Senator Martins statement il
much more r. kab,e for what IL
Omiis TO state than for what il ac-
tually stat for what il fails TO
a nt4in l.rs g.. -
plains.
In my Lynchburg speech | quated
the testimony of William L. Royal
and tn late Joseph Bryan in the
Lea Martin investigation of 1898
as TO what took place between Sem
atOr Martin and MIR Bryan in re-
gard to the Kent bill. of which !
have spoken. IL was then testifit ii
that Mr.. Bryan sought to have Sen
ator Martin withdraw his opposition
to some Of the features OF that
measure. regarded by Mr.. Bryan
AS just and reasonable. but that
Senator Martin replied that the rail
roads controlled the Legislature and
he would have none OF that bill
Iher upon Mr. Bryan replied in sub
stance: You may control the Leg
stature, but there will be another
aud yet another until the people get
their reasonable demands"
senator Martin misht have de
voted a sentence or two OF his
statement to an explanation Of this
testimony, which does not compOrt
with his statement that never in his
life had he represented railroad
corporation or any persons, with or
without compensation. in conn elton
with any matter pending before any
legislative body State or national