The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-08-19

in a financial way. as you learned a
Bristol this was needed for success
out hers more so than ever before
strong nominees made from the
q strict will tend TO help largel6
but we have had the hardest fight
in years on account OF the constltu
iional convention"
County chairman of the Third
district wrote. THE principal dif
s.culty We have To contend with Is
the feeling prevailing amongst the
masses Of people that the constitu
tlOnal convention Is going to change
everything. and it will not make
much difference If they neglect "a
vote in the coming election. An
other difficulty we have is the grea
opposition among lot OF the white
people to the constitutional conyen
ton. This is the particular cause,
think. IN large falling off Of Demo
cratic Votes in 1900. People OF this
class will vote the Republican tick
q under the bollef and with the
hope that in some way the election
Of a Republican governor will re-
suit in the defeat of the work OF
the convention.
Money Was Needed.
The chairman Of the Fourth con
grcssional district wrote: Il have
not heard from you since you left
our Petersburg meeting for the
Southwest. Important that the mon
ey to be- used should be distributed
without delay"
From the Tenth congressional
district: THE situation Is Indeed
serious, especially as TO state ticket
Our people are so worked up about
the supposed action OF the conyen-
lion
From one OF our leading speakers
who had been canvassing the FiftA
congressional district. II find a
good deal Of dlscontent here and
the Republicans are very active;
think help is very much needed.
From the Eighth congressional
district q county chairman wrote:
We have quite a number OF float
ers In this county. am reliably
informed that cue OF the very rich
men here Is endeavoring to carry
them against our nominee; there
fore, ! do not consider the fight so
easy. There Is great disposition
amongst the lower classes 10 20
against the party on account
OF suspicion in their minds about
suffrage question. The negroes will
be hard to handle now"
q Il. . fff4 Of IA
First congressional district this let
ter was received I'VE have a hard
fight on hand in this county. and
in the senatorial district have
had no funds promised by any one
yet. II your committee can give me
any assistance. It will be most
thankfully received"
Campaign OF 1904.
These are just a few OF the letters
received In a recent communica-
ton to the public press Mr.. Monta-
que says told him there was no
railroad contribution made In 1901,
that had not received any railroad
contribution. Mr.. Montague had just
returned from visit to the South
west, and he was very much de-
morallzed with condition OF things
as he saw them lie conferred with
me, as he more than once did about
the finances and asked me If | had
received any money from the rail-
reads | told him | had not. but
would approach them and see
what could be done. He thought
they ought to help. ] did approach
them and secured some contribu-
tions. and this. as Is stated in a
previous communication, was the last
year in which | solicited or receiv-
ed money from the railroads.
He then inquired: What has Joe
Willard done?" | replied telling
him what had received. His COM
ment was, He is a very rich man,
he ought to do better than that.
and suggested how II might be done
but did not volunteer to do II him
self He thought it might be bet
ter done through another channel.
He stated in his public statement
that Colonel Willard had financed
the campaign. | was then and
am still grateful to Colonel Willard
for his generous contributions. but
Mr.. willard did not finance the
State campaign OF that year and II
Mr. Montague is right. then he must
have done so not through the State
committee, but through some other
agency with which Governor Monta-
que may be better informed than |
am. The governor has perhaps con-
founded the financing OF the cam
palgn for the nomination with that
for the election.
Cowardly Indictment.
But what good is to be accom-
plished by all this? Why should
Governor Montague and those associ
ated with him In the conduct of the
campaign seek to make the m
preston that the railroads controll-
ed and directed the campaign with
a view OF obtaining control Of the
General Assembly, or, as they some
times add. not only in electing mem
bers OF the General Assembly fav-
orable TO their interests, but OF
using yellow dog" fund, as they
term It, in influencing votes OF
members of the General Assembly
after they are elected? This whole
sale indictment of honorable men
who have represented US in the Gen
eral Assembly In the last 20 years
is as cowardly as Il is cruel. II
there be any guilty ones. have the
courage to name who they are. When
Mr. Montague was a candidate for Of
flee, he was willing to accept contri-
buttons from anyone desirous of Civ
ing aid to the campaign fund. He
was constantly urging both in 1897
and 1901 that We should take moth
ing for granted. but insisted the sit
uations in those contests were SO
grave that II necessitated the great
est vigilance and activity on the
part OF the State committee. and
that money vas needed to secure the
election OF our State ticket. And
now with a changed public opinion
as TO the part the railroads ought
10 take in our elections, and with
knowledge on his part, certainly
with the statement repeated by me
dozen times, that the railroads
nave not since 1901 been solicited
nor so far as know given a dollar
towards the campaign fund OF the
Democratic committee Of Virginia
Mr.. Montague would now have the
public think that he never bene
lifted. but always objected to these
contributions. Mr.. Montague has
oenefitted as few men have done
Dy the generous contributions OF
the campaign fund when he was a