The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-30

PIES the other Is TO be held up as the
machine candidate,
This is old device. old as the Pyramid.
and. from the days of Sylla and Marius down >
the present time no people have been led
astray, except by those protesting to act n
thir name 1t was in the name of the people"
that the great modern Ananias and consprator
claimed, the other day, to stand at Arranged don
and to battle for the Lord Everything done
in the name OF, the people, has not, by a good
deal. been done for the people and the PEG
pie Of this district have too much and
have passed through too many fiery trials, 10
be deceived at this late day by They
should know, and know better than anybody
tell them. that no machine combination
OF political leaders anywhere. seeking 10
M interfere In any manner with their choice II
Not only has this issue been raised TO dis
credit me; but il has been raised in behalf of
long beneficiary of the old order" and
who never. until lately, discovered any whe Is
in its mechanism, or lifted his voice for It's
overthrow In a public interview with The
thdex-Appeal. shortly after the senatorial pri-
mary last fall. he stated that his conduct IN
that contest had been inactive and cautious
even his own family did not know beforehand
how he was going to vote, And it was but
yesterday after the result i'll the Richmond
district had become known-a contest IN
which both candidates stood upon their own
merits and no extraneous isue was invoked,
that reached ont for Mr.. Montague's coat
tail and proclaimed he had discovered "a new
sentiment among the voters and their determi-
nation to change the old order OF things in
such discovery. and uttered no such threat
Ny wish is to speak plainly. and not mis-
lead any man as to my irter-party affiliations,
Our system Of government be administered
only by political parties: In practice. ii Is a
government by party. Organization is nects-
sary for the continued existence Of every pD-
iitfca party: and. unless it is sustained in
every proper effort by those behind II, no D.
Raniza tion--not even that of the Church--can
accomplish any thng important In any field
of human endeaNor.
In 81 hos oh cd with pr
tiun and conduct of our party affairs have had
my support; and they will nave it in the futur".
so long as they devote themselves to the we'-
fare OF the party and of the Democratic pc
Pile Of this State That much think all go'i
citizens owe their party organization
Inside the party between opposing Demo
Gratis. have never questioned any man 3
right to choose for himself. whom he would
have to hold office; and if any respectable man
in the district. from Mecklenburg to surry. viii
say l ever appealed to him for support, be-
cause my opponent and had differed on party
candidates. you are authorized, Mr.. Editor, 20
withdraw me from the congressional race.
In the course OF an unpretentous life II
has been my privilege to I'LL some important
public stations. and FOR the past seven years.
| have devoted myself assiduously to the work
OF the bench, far removed from scenes or po-
itical strife. And the attempt At this late
DAY, to stigmatze ME the candidate of son.
ina gnary machine, is the boldest and baldest
piece Of political hlackmail seen in this gen
Grafton. What have | thought, to suggest it.
what said to provoke it: what done, to JUST y
IT. No human being has stated, or even sug-
geSted.
NV only o~ense is that. IN the party contest
of year ago, stood on the same side wit1
some three thousand majority Of my fellow
Democrats in this district and some thirty
thousand ma jority in the State. Was that 4
crime for which a man should be outlawed in
his party
In the open and with fair weapons ] am
willing to take my chances in the political field,
without word spoken by me. and rise or
fall as my own people shall determine; but
am not content longer TO remain silent when
assailed from ambush and by weapons. no
man is vet quite willing to own
With much respect.
WAITER A. WATSON