The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-05

{ same plan to dominate the Legislatures,
! the town councils. the State and county
courts. and finally to name your SEN
! ators and Representatives In Wash
ington. 1t is this situation which
causes good men of the North to watch
win concern your primaries at homo
and your votes in Congress- II YOU
succeed in putting down these corrupt
men and their organizations, YOU will,
as your fathers did a half q century
4 ago. govern this country. The North
VIII help you put Woodrow Wilson in
the White House. and then your Sena-
| tors and Representatives will aid that
great and good man to make our coun-
try place where all of us shall have
equal chances to succeed in life, II
only you send the right men to Wash.
ington.
Il do not know how you, as Virgin
ians and Southerners. feel about this
state OF things. But It would seem
that every true man. every Intelligent
voter, would decline to support any
man for any place Of public trust who
mad tailed to live up to his own solemn
pledges. /, for one. would not defend
my own brother IL he had voted for
the lumber schedule or supported Aid
rich in his nefarious work of 1909. And
do not believe you men intend thus
10 barter away your rights and your
interests for any man. even II he is
ieaoer oil the minority In the Senate.
Study of Conditions
-Four years ago had the honor and
great pleasure to teach your sons his.
tory and political science in one of the
hne old colleges OF this State. made
a study of political conditions in Han
over and in the legislature 1t was
found that the chief counsel of one of
your railway corporations had repre-
sented Hanover, Caroline and King
William in the Senate for twenty years
mat this employe of q great railroad
was chairman of the Finance Commit
tee OF the State Senate. and that his
friends had already promised to make
him Governor of Virginia This seemed
strange But looking a little further,
1t was seen that Hanovers representa-
tive In the House was a lobbyist by
profession. When suggested that he
ought TO be defeated in the next pri-
mary. the machine men in the county
declared: why. he is Speaker o. the
House; he is an honor to the county:
we expect him to be Governor of Vlr-
ginia one of these days This seemed
stranger still Next II was seen that
the counsel Of the Norfolk and Western
was also a Senator and chairman
The idea that this was Improper was
nooted at. Why, he Is author of the
great Mann law against the liquor bus
mess reformer, a Sunday school
teacher can never be put out of the
Senate. And find that you have since
made him Governor, and they tell me
the liquor interests actually supported
him. contributed TO the campaign fund
what was needed after Ryan's barrel
was exhausted!
This is not all. Certain interests
IN virginia. i found. had looked about
the State when the people were prepar-
Ing for their new Constitution in 100
1901, for the great railway LAWYERS
and they actually succeeded in putting
INTO their convention the representa-.
tiVes Of the Richmond. Fredericksbur
and Potomac, the Southern ana the
Norfolk and Western! OF course
these able lawyers thought that they
represented the people, but the rail.
road companies were satisfied that they
represented the railroads Anyway
have never heard that the corpora.
lions suffered any attacks from them
Yes, we work up to the realiza ton In
Hanover that Virginia was corporate
ridden And when. about that time
] visited a session of the Assembly.
saw sleek. lean and fat lobbyists every.
where. could not even get seat
In the gallery. while these lobbyists
sat In the places of my representatives
/ was not permitted TO consult friend
In the House except In the crowd eG
lobby. while smooth corporation law.
yers filled the committee rooms. Be.
Ing student OF political conditions anI
OF history I was disgusted, for 1t wa.
plain that the house OF Justice anC
honor. the great council of Virginia
had been converted into market rlac,
for the money changers Some of yo,
may think this hard statement: 1t Il
q very moderate one.
For at that ,ime not only the i'm
portant positions named were filled b,
the special interests, but many other
Senators and Representatives who's
names would be familiar to you mad,