The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-18
WILLIAMS RAPS
CITY NEWSPAPERS
Attorney-Gencral Says They
Have Never Given Him Credit
for Good Work.
BIG RALLY IN WEST END
Candidates for State Office Speak
and Others Appear by
Proxy.


In an address before the West End
Citizens Association last night At
torncy-General Samuel W. Williams
charged that the newspapers OF Rich
mond and Of the State had consistent
~ failed to give him credit for the
work done by his department; that
ne had never been treated fairly, and
that some Of those opposed TO him
had tried to spread the impression
that he was not competent to conduct
the Office. He reviewed his record of
the past four years at some length,
citing important state cases in which
he had been sustained by the courts.
The occasion was the first general
speaking In Richmond of this cam
paign. Mayor Ainslie presided, brie1-
~ introducing the various candidates.
Lieutcnant-Governor j. Taylor Ely
son and Lewis II. Machen, Of Alex
andria. did not appear. a. j. Weddcr-
burn. OF Fairfax. the third candidate
for Licutenant- Governor, said that ne
had high opinion of Lieutenant-Go:
ernor Ellyson. but thought he had
held office long enough. Mr.. I;llyson
had had the "impudcnce" ne said 70
write him a letter and ask him TO
vote for him. He had nothing to say
against Mr.. Ellyson. but he had much
to say against Mr.. Machcn. Amy
man who comes here and asks for
your suffrage should be able 10 show
that he has done something for the
Commonwealth" said Mr. Wedderburn.
defy any man TO show that Mr..
Machen has ever done anything for
this State. He was In the Senate and
never introduced but one lnerItorious
bill and that failed TO get through.
Yet the papers praise Mach-n 10 the
skies. say unkind things about Ely
son. and ridicule m.
II am no, an advocate of State
wide prohibition. and am not afraid
to state my position either"
Mr. Cumming Spenks.
S. Gordon Cumming. candidate tor
Attorney General. called attention TO
the large number 81 State officers
from the Ninth District. and 10 the
fact that FOR the past forty years
Tidcwaier virginia has not had rep
resentat'on among the elective Offices
OF thc Commonwealth.
Il want to take this opportunity"
said Mr.. Cumming. TO pu, forever at
rest any int!mation from whatever
source that Viii withdraw from this
contest VIII be In the race until
the night OF August 3, when expect
70 receive the nomination. II you
hear any OF the constantly circulated
reports Of my withdrawal. will thank
whole cloth.
Mr.. Pollard has seen ~ 10 empha-
size the Importance OF primary cleo
lions The taul; IN Virginia is not so
much in lack OF law &C IN lack OF laa
enforcement. In the Legislature OF
lsoe-3-i was on the General Laws
Committee. which drew out the general
election law which the Supreme Court
holds is applicable to primaries. had
the credit, therefore, OF drawing the
very laws that Nh Pollard claims the
credit OF compiling. and that Judge
williams claims credit OF seeking 10
enforce.
the law that carries out the wishes
Of the people In ninety nine counties.
II properly executed, can be made 10
carry it out IN the one hundredth
tlon which Mr.. Pollard relagates to
second place is that OF tax reform.
have not fully studied Auditor
Moorc's plan. but believe in the prin-
c.ple OF segregation as mos; compati-
bic with local self government"
Has All lie Can DO.
Judge Williams said that his com
pctltor from Ginter Park. Mr. Pollard,
had said ne wanted enough votes IN
Richmond to Offset the votes cast
against him elsewhere He regretted
Il
against the city AS TO Mr. Cummings
promise 10 aid in preparing plan OF
tax reform, II elected. Judge Williams
said that the Attorney General had all
he could do 10 attend 70 his own busi-
ness without instructing the Legisla-
ture or taking one side in regard TO
some statute that later he might jul
Ideally De called on to interpret. 1t
had been the unwritten Law. he said,
n ra-alcCt the Acknowledgement Tor
n second term when he desired It, and
had made good He had not heard
OF any unkind criticism of any act he
had performed. though he had dealt
with some OF the most important and
difficult problems the state has faced.
II have no newspapers 10 pun me-
he said, but record OF four years
of hard work y certain editorial said
that Mr. Pollard had more ability than
Mr.. King, Mr. Cumming and myself
combined asked Mr.. Pollard about
1t and he disclaims it-sa!d he was not
responsible for 1t. Why is that kind
OF attack made on me? / appeal to
my competitors to say what have
done to bring that sort OF criticism. In
the state debt case l found that at
torneys had prepared the case with
wonderful skill and ability, and Sc
cured the services of former Attorney
Gene: al Anderson without It costing
Virginia one cent, and we won the case
TO the tune OF some seven millions Of
dollars
"In the Richmond. Fredericksburg
and Potomac case. l found Major An
dcrson ready to go on with 1t when
came into office. and with the Gov
crnor'S consent / secured his services,
and we won that case against a rail
road which had been lighting taxation