The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-24
The COMING LEGISLATURE.
This Session Of the Body Promises 10
Be a Most Important One.
TO ENACT AN HONEST ELECTION LAW
The Reduction of Criminal Expenses and
the Oyster Questioned Few Interest
lug Contests for Election to
the Legislature.
one week from next Tuesday will be

one week from next Tuesday will be
election day.
AS FAR as Virginia is concerned. the
contest is settled in advance. Everyone
knows Major HOge Tyler will be elected
Governor and that the Democrats will
have very large majority In the Gene
raj Assembly
There has been little interest in the
contest on account of the one-sided Tight.
The vote promises to be small Ac-
cording to the shrewdest political calcu-
lators, Tyler will receive probably 10000
votes; McCaull about 5000; Rev. J.. A..
Cutler, the Prohibitionist, 5000 and Mr..
J. J. Quantz, Socialist-Labor nominee,
perhaps 800.
Captain Edmund II. Cooke, the Popu-
list nominee for observation-disclosures,
may poll as many as 1900 votes.
IL this estimate proves correct the total
vote Will be only I5l 500, providing. of
course. that tire 10000 persons who shall
vote for Cooke cast their ballots for can
didates for first place on the ticket.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
IL is a difficult matter to ascertain just
now how many candidates there are in
the field in opposition to the Democratic
nominees for the Legislature. An esti-
mate, which is probably very nearly cor
rect is that less than One-third Of the
Democratic candidates nave opposition.
Tho Republicans have made very few
nominations. IN some instances there
are Republicans, POpulists and Democrats
running as Independents IL looks at
this time very much as II the anti-Demo-
cratic representation in the General As
sembly would be smaller than II was at
the last session.
The Republicans are very much split
up into factions. and the Populists are
somewhat disorganized. AS far as Is
known the Prohibitionists have made no
Legislative nominations and the Social
ist-Labor party has candidates in the neld
for only Governor and Lieutenant-Gover-
nor.
HONEST ELECTIONS MOVEMENT.
A significant fact in connection with the
legislative contests is that the Democrats
have clear fields i'm some Of the districts
which gave Republican majOritles on the
Presidential vote last fall. The secret Of
this is said to be that the Democratic can
didates pledged themselves to vote for
q bill that will bring about long-needed
reform in the conduct Of elections.
There is no question about the fact that
the honest elections sentiment has grown
rapidly in the last two years, and is grow
ing.
Many influential Democrats who were
disposed to treat the subject lightly few
years ago are now earnest advocates Of a
law that will be fair TO all parties.
This is going to be a subject that will
attract much attention at the hands Of the
Legislature next winter. The prospects
are encouraging for the passage OF a
proper bill by a Legislature that will be
overwhelmingly Democratic.
WHERE TIE FIGHT is HOTTEST
one OF the most interesting contests. is
that in the Wytheville Senatorial District
where Mr. Thomas l.. Tate is the Demo-
cratic nominee. and is opposed by Mr..
Walter 5. Poage. a relative OF General
James A. Walker. Last fall the Senate
rial District gave Republican majority.
Each side is making a red hot canvass,
and big vote will be brought out. Mr..
Poage is a young lawyer of Wytheville,
and Mr.. Tate is an influential business
man Of Tazewell county
There are some interesting House con-
tests in the Southwest. but the fight that
IS attracting more attention IN that sec
ton than any other. excepting that OF
Tate against Poage is the one In Wash
ington county. There are two Democratic
tickets in me field known as the Water
melon and anti Watermelon tickets. The
Watermelon ticket headed by Mr.. Charles
w. steele. for the Senate. has been de-
cided 10 be a Republican one The Repub-
licans are divided IN their choice. The
machine Republicans II is said, will vote
for Steele.
The contest which Is Of most interest
20 Richmond peOple is that i'm the House
district which comprises Manchester
Chesterfield and Powhatan. To say the
situation is very much mixed over there
hardly expresses the condition of things.
Nrossrs. Harry y. owen and r. G. Wood
are the Democratic candidates. me
Populists have put up Messrs. J. Haskins
Hobson and James NJ. Gregory Two OF
their leaders. The Republicans endorsed
Mr. Hobson and named Mr. j. W. Nun
nally as his running mate whle MI.
Uowlo announced himself an Independent
Republican candidate.
All Of the candidates are making a
vigorous canvass. ard as the district IS
always a close one the result is I'm doubt.
and II may be that IL will require the
official count 20 decide who shall repre-
sent the district
The Legislature will have to elect a
United States Senator and It is fore
gone conclusion that Major Daniel will
succeed himself.
AS already stated I'm The Times. there
will be interesting contests for the state
offices. Many candidates already are in
the field and others will enter. County
Judges are also to be chosen.
SUBJECTS FOR LEGISLATION.
The General Assembly will have many
important subjects TO deal with. There
will he the election laws. A big fight
will be made 10 have a bill passed TO re-
form the method Of conducting elections
in this state There is talk OF a bill 10
amend and perfect the Richmond primary
election law. This latter act Is regarded
nv many as defective in some particulars.
Denocrats are now considering the mat
ter NJ changing some Of its provisions
and making II compulsory upon ne City
Democratic Committee TO conduct all
nr,maries according to the legalized plan.
CRIMINAL EXPENSES.
The matter Of the reduction of criminal
expenses will attract much attention. Inc
Conmonwealth has to make provision 70
meet the increased interest on the state
debt, and expenses will nave 10 De re-
duced as much as possible.
Many amendments TO the constitution
are talked Of, and several DIS LOOKING
to changing the organic law OF the state
will be introduced. one that IS spoken
OF is to reduce the number OF county
Judges and Commonwealth attorneys
Those who think money could be saved IN
this direction, advocate the establishing oil
judicial districts, whereby judge and
an attorney will have some three or four