The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-08-19
.ELLYS0N REPLIES
TO MONTAGUE
Reviews Past Campaigns of
Party When Money Was
Freely Used.
HE QUOTES FROM MANY LETTERS
MIR. Montague Himself Benefited And
iSaw Danger 10 Party Years After
Time Mentioned.

State Chairman J.. Taylor Ellyson ha:
issued the following reply TO the adj
dress of former Governor Andrew Jack
son Montague, delivered in Stanton OF
Friday night, IN which the former gov
ernor bitterly assailed the party ina
chine:
Andrew Jackson Montague is the last
man in the Commonwealth to utter any
complaint against her people, who have
done so much for him, and when ! say
her people, | mean the Democratic
party, to whose members he owes al
the political honOrs that have come tC
him from his fellow citizens of Virginia.
If there is anything IN his address at
Staunton more prominent than another
it is his plain purpose Of seeking to
overthrow the present party manage
ment in Virginia on the ground of ITS
lack Of efficiency and It's failure to put
in the high places Of the State men who
were to represent her best traditions.
In Office Twelve Years.
He complains that eighteen years of
ring rule Is enough, and yet, m these
eighteen years he has been in office not
less than twelve Of the eighteen. not
counting the two years when he filled
appointments from Republican Presi-
dents.
at takes money to run the machine,
be is declared TO have said. ! venture
to affirm, without fear Of successful
contradiction, that it cost more money
10 nominate and elect the ticket Of which
Mr.. Montague was the head than was
ever expended on a ticket at any time
in the last twenty years.
He "dehes' any one 10 say that white
supremacy was imperllled m 1891 and
1893. II he il correct, then why did John
w. Daniel, Fitzhugh Lee. Joseph Bryan,
Beverley B. Munford and other men OF
like character deem II important that
they should lend their personal assist
ance 10 the State chairman in collecting
funds for the successful conduct of the
campaign? What was the question at
issue, if il was not the welfare of the
Democratic party? There must have
been some reason why the leaders of
the party deemed il necessary not only
to collect money in Virginia, but to 90
to other States and ask our friends TO
help, especially to call upon the railroad
interests TO lend their aid and support.
Ii should be remembered that in 1897,
which was six years and four years. re-
spectively, after the two campaigns
above mentioned. Mr.. Montague was
nominated for the position of Attorney
General on the State ticket On Oct. z,
1897, Mr.. Montague wrote from Dan
vile, saying: Permit me to suggest
that in my judgment this senatorial dis
trict, Danville and Pittsylyania, as well
as the House, are in great danger.
81 think that Agnew (Republican
State chairman) is in touch with the
gold committee in New York, and that
any amount Of money can be obtained
by him il necessary; indeed unless q
most vigorous campaign is waged, !
am apprehensive as to Major Daniel s
reelection, and quicksands are ahead
of US at nearly every step. A more
treacherous campaign. have never
been engaged in. Now, if we lose the
State this year, we will lose it for many
years TO come, because the Republicans
will so redistrict and so manipulate the
election machinery as to render our re-
turn TO power unceraIn.
Might Lose Ticket
Under date of October is, 1897, writ
ing from Abingdon, Va, he says: Il
am afraid we will lose the State ticket
in Washington county. The surface of
things so indicates. When cOnsidera-
ton is given 10 the fact that this county
went Overwhelmingly Republican last
fall, conclusions are difficult to draw.
1t would be we'll for the State Commit
tee to make unusual efforts to carry
the senatorial district Of Wythe, Pu-
laski, Giles and Bland. II Walker s
backbone can be broken now in this
fight the chances are most favorable TO
a victory for us in the next congress
sional election. 1t will take a deal of
money to do this, as Walker will have
money for his nephew Poage-much of
IT,. D."
Was it strange that having received
such letters as these from our candl-
date for Attorney-Gener that | should
have promptly proceeded to collect
money, and should naturally have ask
ed the railroads to help US? | applied
to them, and they did help US, and MIR.
Montague was the beneficiary Of the
assistance thus rendered, and yet Mr..
Montague and those whose campaign he
is sustaining, continually declare there
was no need for the expenditure Of vast
sums of money, because white supre
macy was no longer in danger.
Hu-not,,Iofo1 Ellpoon
In 1901, Mr.. Montague was nomi-
mated as our candidate for Governor.
This was ten years after the campaign
of 1891, when he declared all danger 10
white supremacy had passed away.
dc not recall any candidate who was,
from the beginning of the campaign to
its close, so frequently in conference
with the State chairman in regard to
matters pertaining to the campaign.
| certainly was only too happy, as II
was clearly my duty, to aid in every
way in the successful conduct of his
campaign, and that ! did so was evil
denced first by his words Of hearty ap-
proyaI that | should retain the chair
manship of the State Committee and
his congratulations upon the close OF
the campaign upon my successful con-
duet of the campaign.
But 1901 was ten years after 1891.
IL there was no need for funds in 1891
because there were no dangers to
white supremacy, surely there could
have been no need of money in the
campaigs of 1901. 1t is all very well
to talk about the railroads and their
control of politics in the State after
all these long years. There never was a
campaign in which their help was more
needed, and more acceptable than that
of 1901. The real danger in that cam
paipn grew out of the fact that the
Constitutional Convention was in ses-
sion, and the consideration Of the suf-
fraee clause had occasioned great un-
easiness throughout the Commonwealth,
so naturally no man in the State was SO
much disturbed about the condition OF
affairs as was the candidate for COVER
nor. He was constantly in conference
with me, and recognized the dangers.
As evidence Of unrest in that campaign
which justified the uneasiness of Mr..
Montague, | will quote from just few
letters.
Republicans at Work.
The chairman from Stafford wrote:
THE Republicans have two good