The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-29

baa. CLAUDE n. swanson, In chi his
campaign for nomination TO the United
States senate In the primary on Sept. z:
My Fellow Democrats OF Virginia:
Il am delighted that. by the adjournment
Of Congress. ! am Gt last given an oppor-
tuuity to present my claims for your con
sidcration to succeed myself in the senate
Of the United states and to reply TO the many
false charges. misstatcmcnts and unjust
lnsinuat!ors which have been uttered against
me during the last few months. considered
H. my duty TO remain IN Washington aud
discharge as faithfully as | could the duties
Of the nigh office to which the governor OF
Virginia had commissioned me. The scs-
sion OF congress which has Just adjourned
was ono OF vast Importance and far-rcaching
significance. both to the Democratic party
and the nation. Having accepted this com
mission and being paid 10 remain in Wash
iugton to perform certain duties OF my po-
sitlon. l considered that l would be dcrclict
and false to the people X ! should desert my
post and abandon my work to advance my
own political fortunes. l may have suffered
from personal political loss on account of
pursuing this course. but / have the con-
scIousness OF knowing that no public interest
has suffered by my absence or negligence
During the terms OF my service the senate
has been in session almost eight months.
Within this time many important and varied
questions affecting Our national policies have
been under discussion and voted apou. and
although the campaign prosecuted against
me has been one OF great bitterness and
vindictivcncSs vet no one has pointed nor
can point to Il vote cast by me or a thing
done that was not I'm the interest OF the state
OF Virginia aud the nation or which they
would dare to criticize or disapp-oVc. Thus.
the commission the governor has given me.
will be returned to him without a blot or
blcruish. and challenging the scvcrcst
criticism. Those who are opposed to- the
renewal OF my commission to represent tho
Dcopic in tho senate OF the United STATES
do not and cannot claim that IL should be
refused on account o! any dcrcliction OF duty.
They present their opposition entirely upon
other grounds. | wish " say that | served
in the house OF representatives for thirteen
years, and during that time there was pend
ing in that body every conceivable question
affecting our national affairs. This service
extended from 1893 to 1905. years OF great
political disturbance. involving many new and
perplcxing Questions-tariff. currency, H.
nance. regulation Of trusts and railroads.
peace and war, TAXATION. regulation OF ma
tional resources. and almost everything
affecting our national wcll-being. I have
yet to sec or hear where anyone has
criticized q inGIc vote cast by me during
these thirteen years OF service.
invite the fullest scrutiny OF this record. and
| am satisfied that IL Is ono consistently
for the hest interests OF tho state of Virginia
and this great nation. I have strivcn ear
neStly ana faithfully to give to each the best
and most patriotic service nj which ] was
capable. | am satisfied. considering the
Misrepresentation and unjust criticism
which have been made against mo on small
and imnatcrial mattcrns that IL there was
anything in this public record which could
have been assailcd ! would ore this have
been severely subjected to Il. ! know OF no
charge affecting the duties OF n senator
which has been presented against me in this
campaign. The fullest examination and
scrutiny seem TO have failed to obtain IL
from my public record In congress. As ! am
a candidate to continue to serve the people
in the federal government IL would seem to me
that this fact should be sufficient to Justify
continued confidence and approval.
Vituperativc and False.
My opponent. noted for his yitupcrativo
and yindictivc methods OF campaign. being
unable to create any issue by any votes cast
or positions taken by me upon national
questions, has seen proper to conduct his
campaign entirely upon my record as gov
crnor and irreyclant personal matters. |
am perfectly willing to meet him upon these
N%Innttcrs and answer fully and completely
an the false charges and miSstatcmcnts lie
has r:ade In reference TO them. lam willing
to have my fitness for public office tested
by my record rs governor OF Virginia.
During these four years / gave tho people
of Virginia the best service OF which | was
capable. l laborcd necessarily in all d.
%rcctions for the progress and bettcrment
OF the state. | conducted my ca mpaign
for the snvernorship as an advocate OF spcci-
fc progressive policies. having promised the
people II elected l would exercise all tho
powers appertaininG to the high office of
governor for tho illrtherancc OF these policies
l fulfilled my pledge and did my utmost
for their accomplishment. Heartily CO.
operating with the general assembly OF
Virginia, the results achieved were beyond
my expectations. ! wish to say that do
not ascribc to myself the chief credit for
the great and manifold benefits which came
TO Virginia during the four years | was
governor. because | conceive that the creator
belongs to the member of the gen
eral assembly, who responded Loyalty and
to TIM recon lamentations | made. |
willingly share with them the responsibility
and the credit for what was lone during
those four years.
Public School System.
In my candidacy for governor. pre-
TO the people as one Of the most i'm
OF all questions the Improvement of
the, public school system. The public
school system Of Virginia had dor wears
made very little progress. The terms Of
the schools were entirely too short. The
children In the long vacations forgot what
trey learned during the short school months.
Tie school houses Of the state were wretched
ana unsanitary and many OF them nero
novels Thu state colleges and universities
were being Tar outstriDped by more progress
sive states. When was inaugurntcd ms
governor there were seventy -four high schools
In the state nearly all in tho cities and towns.
II was evident that the public schools Of Vir-
GINA must he invieoratcd and strcngthcned
or Virginia would rctrograde and be far
outstrippcd by her sister states. ! promised
that my first care should be directed toward
producing educational progress and i'm.
~proVemcnt. In my inaugural address as
governor, ! presented this matter To the
general assembly as f~orcil and US urgently
as ] could. | urged that the special appro-
prIation for primary schools should be dou-
blcd- This was done. The Improvement
OF the primary schools in every section OF the
state bears testimony TO the wisdom of this
appropriation. L urged that "a special high
school fund for rural schools should be pro-
Nded 10 give the rural sections the benefit
OF higher education. This recommendation
was enacted into law, and the nigh schools OF
the sthte during the four years | was governor
Increased in number from scycnty-four
20 i05. More than half the magisterial
districts OF Virginia TODAY DOsscys suicudid