The Washington times., 1911-01-14
Jones Candidacy Follows.

The cry went UP at that time fOr some
one TO oppose Senator Martin when he
should offer for reelection The cry
has grown more insstent with the
passing months, and the candidacy Of
Representative Jones is the result. Mr..
Jones has entered into the spirit of the
campaign proposed by the independent
Democrats. His race is to be predi-
Gated upon his record and upon his
promise to smash the machine if such
a thing is possible.
The Virginia Representative and his
friends know that it is a big undertake
ing, for the Democratic organization in
that State has been in prime working
order for the past quarter of d cen
tury. 1t is not claimed that Senator
Martins methods are any worse than
any other State leaders system. 1t is
the principle of the thing: the fact that
the State has been under practically
one-man domination that has caused the
revolt
When Senator Martin was elected to
the Senate In 1895 he had but to weld
together a fairly compact and warrant
ed-to-wear State organization which had
been built up by the late Senator John s.
Barbour. After Senator Martin as
sumed the position of chief machinist'
he had but little to do, other than to
see that his cohorts in various sections
Of the State kept the machinery well
oiled. Heretofore the Virginia Senator
has been impregnable. as former Gov
ernor Tyler, former Gov. Andrew J.
Montague, and would-be Gov. Henry
ST. George Tucker will testify.
Fee System Proves Rich.
The fact that Virginia is still afflicted
with an antiquated fee system, under
which city and county offices-dozens
Of them-pay salaries better than those
drawn by United States Supreme
Court Justice or a member of Congress,
accounts for the wonderful manner in
which the machine has plugged along
with not a part of its mechanism out of
plumb.
The political allies of Senator Martin,
however, say that there must he lead
or of some sort and that the Senator is
a pretty good one; that he IS but at
tending 10 the job TO which he feel heir.
The "independents" in Norfolk, Rich
rnond. Ivnchburg, and elsewhere. say
that II is time for an upheaval, and Mr..
To1ee has been selected to turn the
trick. His clean-cut record in the low
or house has prompted the demand Tor
his candidacy. o.
gress for twenty years. He entered
the House with "CnCIe Lon livingston
of GEORGIA but the defeat OF Livingston
means that Jones would rank ahedu vi
all others in point Of service In the
Siytv-second Congress.
Doubtless Mr.. Jones can come 10 the
House from the First district so long
ae he chooses Of recent years his op-
nosition has been of no consequence.
No Republican wants to put up cam
naIpn money to make the race in the
general election, and it has been a
steady losing proposition for those
Democrats who have opposed him IN
the primaries.
Looks After His Constituents.
Representative Jones is quiet
worker: a counselor rather than an
orator He seldom raises his voice in
heated debate or in parliamentary
wrangles upon the House floor. He is
always to be counted upon, however,
interests of his constituents are well
cared for at the Government depart
ments and in the appropriation bills.
He comes from perhaps the biggest
shipbuilding district in the United
States-the Newport News Shipbuilding
Company, which has built some of the
Governments largest battleships, works
its thousands of employees in the First
Virginia district, and Mr.. Jones is solid
with the labor vote.
The race between the astute Martin
and the popular Jones is on and within
q little while Virginia will be in the
throes of one of the most protracted
and bitter factional fights ever waged
in this State. noted for its turbulent
poIitics-and its fee systems.