The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-07
THOMPSON GIVES
OUT STATEMENT
DENIES CORRUPTION CHARGE AND
BRANDS "YELLOw DOG-
FUND FALSE.
ADMITS CONTRIBUTIONS
SAYS MONEY GIVEN by RAILROADS
WAS TO MAINTAIN WHITE
SUPREMACY AND USED
PROPERLY.

Mr.. j. s. Barbour Thompson, i've
OF whose letters have been read b.
itep, sentative Wiylliam A. Jones in
his campaign for nomination for tn >
United States senate in opposition to
Senator Thomas s. Martin and which
have tceE. the principal matter Of
interest in the campaign, has re+urn-
ed from an outing in Europe, where
he was at the time the letters were
read, landing in New York on Sat-
urdays
MIR. Thompson expressed indigna-
ton at the meaning given the let
ters by Mr., Jones and his friends
and made the following stat EN- ent
concerning the letters and their pur-
port
Il am not a citizen of Virginia
now, and prefer not to be brought
into this matter. ON the face of
these letters, which are construed az
having reference to a yellow dog
fund. l. will say that the State legis-
lature threshed this matter out.
was witness before it's commit
tee and its report and the legisla-
lures action is II matter of record.
This question was settled then.
There was no yellow dog or corrup-
ton fund. as is charged AS a mat
ter of course, l did solicit and con-
tribute to the campaign fund. and,
SO tar as ] know. every dollar was
spent legitimately and with the
knowledge of the campaign commit
tee. glory in being able TO say
this. There was no corruption Of
which l was aware.
Il am charged with having con-
Quoted this yellow dog fund in 1891.
Al that time the late Senator Bar
oour. my uncle. was in the senate,
and Martins campaign was not even
thought Of. In 1899 the legislature,
composed Of young Nirginians. elect
ed Mr. Martin. after the death of my
uncle.
Stolen From His FILES.
The letters about which you ask
/ purport to have been written in 1891.
/ now twenty years ago. and, Of course,
l have no independent memory of
! them / have no reason to suppose,
however. that l did not write them.
II they are copies, as I understand
they are said TO be, they were stolen
from my letter files.
After this long la pse OF years IL is
impossible for me to recall in detail
all the circumstances under which the
letters were written but II is evident
that an effort Is being made to dis
tort their meaning and to put an in
depreciation upon theSn entirely un-
justified By the facts
For example, IL Is claimed tina,
these letters show that yellow dog
fund had been provided by the rail-
roads and that Senator Martin was
one of the railroad agents for the
disbursement of this fund. This is
OF course. intended 10 make on the
/ public mind the impression that the
railroads had subscribed and were
using a corruption fund.
Such statement is absolutely
false There was no yellow dog OF
corruption fund, SO far as I eve,
| heard or believe, Virginia has. In
my belief, always been free from
any such corruption. and does no,
deserve this stigma. Certainly. so far
as an attempt is made to link my
| name with any such fund. | indig-
nantly repudase II and denounce il
as false.
The. letters, In so far as they relate
| to money have reference TO the cam.
patgn funds contributed by the rail.
roads or by their owners and by men
OF means generally to the Democratic
party Of the State. Such contrihu-
tons We're professionally made, and
were made at the earnest solicitation
or the Democratic managers.
Different Issue Then.
The issues, then. were not between
the railroads or the property inter.
ests, on the one side. and the people
on the other, but were between An
CLIO Saxon civilization, represented hy
the Democratic party. and negro
domination, represented by Its OPP
ponents
Under these circumstances appeals
We're made to the railroads and others
capable of contributing to help sus-
tain the Democratic party and Anglo
Saxon civilization. and the plea was
presented that from the Democratic
| party alone could law and order and
just treatment Of the property in
terests be expected.
1T was In answer to this plea OF
the Democratic managers that these
contributions were made. and l &C
lively participated with Mr.. Ellyson
the Democratic chairman, and with
o<Sers, including Mr.. Martin. who a,
OF the Dem ocratic committee, in rails
ing the necessary funds.
Contributions OF the kind men.
toned, made TO uphold and sustain
the things that were dearest TO the
people of the South. and most i'm
portant to their civilization, were full,
approved by the sentiment OF that
day, and to make these contributions
was considered a patriotic service"
ITO seek to condemn them now
by an appeal to an altered public
sentiment, when the conditions which
required the mhave disappeared. IL
an effort to secure political advance
ment by sacrificing the Democratic
sentiment and management, which al
the time approved and profited b,
them. and In this way continued the
Democratic party in successful and
consecutive control OF our State gov
eminent
Martin and Jones operate.