The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-05-06
WHAT IT HAS. DONE AND WHAT IT is DOING.
STATE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEES
ACTION MADE BASIS OF TALK

When seen in the office OF the
Virginia Democratic League and ask
ed as TO the effect Of the state
Democratic Committees refusing TO
define the term. white Democrat
In the primary plan, Mr.. {. u. Car
nett. general manager Of the league
gave out the following Interview.
in my view, fusion and Avian
Martinism is not confined to Norfolk
county: but this disease has attack
ed the Democratic State Committee
and swallowed It whole. When only
two men on the State Committee
are in favor OF keeping Republicans
out OF Democratic primary, 1t Is
time for the people to ask what Is
the difference between a Democrat
and a Republican. AS Interpreted
by the committee, a white Demo-
crat may be life long Republican,
who changes his mind the day OF
the primary.
Instead OF instructing the local
committees as TO what is meant by
the term. White Democrat our
State Committee has left this term
to be defined by each local commit
tee. and has refused TO say that in
order TO vote in a Democratic pri-
mary. a man must have voted in the
preceding election for the Democrat
ic nominees. If he voted at all.
1T is strange doctrine that a
Republican can express his change
OF heart I'm contest between two
Democrats. and not in contest be-
tween a Democrat and Republican.
II would strike the ordinary man
that this voting by Republican IN
Democratic primary FOR the hrst
time would be merely an expression
Of individual choice. or. perhaps.
the result OF a corrupt bargain with
tho Democratic Committee. as mas
happened in Norfolk county i'm times
gone by.
When asked what would be the
line OF Mr. Jones speech on Friday
night. Mr.. Garnett said that he un-
dersiood that Mr. Jones would ques-
lion whether Senator Thomas S. Mar
tin was q true Democrat or not. in
view OF the fact that when the
Dinglev tariff bill was before the
Senate Mr.. Martin failed TO vote at
all on gS out OF l43 aye-and-
no votes on Democratic amendments
and that I'm the - votes on these
amendments no other Democrat yot-
ed as persistcntly with the Republi-
cans rs Senator Martin. and also in
view OF the fact that on the Payne
Aldrich tariff bill. Senator Martin
voted with the Republicans more
pcrsistontiy than any other Demo
cratic Senator. except the Senators
from Louisiana
Mr.. Garnett referred also TO tho
fact that the New York Globe and
Commercial Advertiser had printed
story OH May 2nd OF split be-
tween Senator O'Gorman and Tam
many Boss Murphy. which arose be
cause OF O'Gorman' refusal TO sup
port Senator Martin Senator O'Gor-
man is quoted as having given as
his reasons for voting against Sena-
tor Martin the following.
In the first place replied Sen
ator O'Gorman In substance. Il vot-
ed against him on principle. am
for the people and against privilege;
but principle aside, would IL not be
poor politics for me TO vote for Mar
tin. a Thomas +. Ryan Senator-a
man who was al the head of the ma
chine Of Virginia for years. and
whose election was absolutely forced
by Ryan? When ! was elected Sen
ator at Albany II was understood
by members Of the Legislature who
voted for me, and especially the so
called insurgents, that they voted
for a man not controlled by Thomas
F. Ryan. Had | voted for Ryan's
man for minority leader in the Uni
ted States Senate. is it not true
that would have placed myself in
a strange position before the men
who elected me-"
Mr.. Garnett continued when We
consider the close connection be
tween Tammany Hall and the Repub
lican machine in New York in days
gone by. It is not strange that the
Democratic machine in Virginia, con
trolled and backed by a Tammany
Hall politician, should seek a pro-
longation Of its power by appealing
to Republicans to aid them in the
primaries.