Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-10
WASHINGTON COUNTY.
An Account OF the split I'm Our Party
There.
To the Editor OF the Dispatch:

4
party in Washington county, ana unies'
"wise counsel" is listened to the county
may be irrevocably lost to the DEM
ocracy. For several years the pattie "a'
been raging now and then-no otner result
than a Republican victory. Botn sues
are 10 blame, and doubtless the sreeu ioi
office has added much TO the strife. Inc
two factions are Familiarity known as III
dependents" on one side and Regulars
or "Waterrhelons," as they are NICK
named. on the other. There had been one
or more tickets elected to the Legislature
and persons elected to county ana district
Offices. who were amenable to the charge
Of incompetency. and these mistakes were
charged to the Regulars" who then mad
full charge OF the party machinery, ana
who It was alleged, were striving - hold
| themselves in office as well as In power.
When the primaries were held to nomi-
nate candidates for the Legislature four
years ago, 1t Yves openly claimed that
they were packed" for a purpose. ana
that parties had participated in the pri-
maries who had heretofore been stran-
gers to the party. Then came open revolt,
resulting in an "Independent' ticket for
the Legislature-hence the name INDIE
] pendent" Although their ticket was de-
| feated. il is a recognized fact that 1t had
| the support Of very many Of the leapihs
/ Democrats q the county, and 1t served
as a powerful warning to the Regulars
who then were called "Watermelons," be-
cause il was claimed they controlled the
| primaries by A too liberal use of tnat pop
! ular fruit.
| Some Of the more Radical among the
| "Independents" were not satisfied with
! this result, and although the water
melons" showed signs OF distress, and
| werc ready TO make terms, the kaIlcalS
| determined upon 4 war OF eXtermlnauOn'
! AS n result, although n fairly good ticket
was placed I'm the field for county officers
! the following spring the Radical lnde-
nendents" paid no heed to it, and before
| the end was reached made a combine
| with the ever willing Republicans, By
which two of the best county offices. that
/ Of commemorative attorney and sheriff,
were for the first time transferred TO the
| Republicans in consideration Of their aid
| in electing other and minor officers
| agreed upon.
This trade with the Republicans re-
| ceved, OF course, the rebuke Of the con-
! il was by common consent determined
| that such action as this should be guard
ed against and prevented in the future.
| As a result, most Of the leaders OF the
two wings came together. as the last le-
| gislative election approached, and 1t was
suggested and agreed that there should
| be a reorganization of the party. that
| the county committee should be selected
as evenly as possible from the respective
factions, and that each faction should
place i'm nomination candidate for the
| House Of Delegates 0he county being
entitled to two, who should receive the
support Of both factions. As the result,
Mir. Connally L. Trigg was named upon
the legislative ticket by the Indepen-
dents. and Mr. Ingram by the Regulars"
and the county committee was selected.
TO which no objection could be urged.
Thus matters seemed healed. But not
So Some of the more radical "Inde-
pendents' felt too much elated over
| their successful combination with the
Republicans to think Of again asso-
ciating with the "Watermeons." They at
once set TO work either to defeat the
| Democratic ticket in whole or part. The
very large majority of them were
pleased with Mr. Trigg's nomination,
but they declared open war upon MIR.
! Ingram, and Il few, Of course, were
| found to oppose both the candidates,
upon grounds purely personal They
succeeded in making another combine
with the Republicans. by which Mr.. A.
| T. Rambo a Republican, and Joseph H..
Butt. a Democrat, became independent
candidates, and were elected to the Le-
| glslature. Mr.. Rambo by a good ma
| jority, and Mr.. Butt by fourteen votes
| over Mr. Trigs, it being an acknowI-
| edged fact that his election was due TO
the disaffected Democrats, who voted
for both Trigg and himself. That very
| many of the independent Democrats
even amongst the radicals. were sur
! prised, and in fact chagrined, at Mr..
| Trigg's defeat. goes without saying. 1t
| is believed this was never intended by
the rank and file, and was only dreamed
| of and hoped for by a few who were IN
| tensey radical and bitter, or who
doubtless. personally opposed him. This
! defeat. Of course, was accepted, as 1t
| should be, and it was hoped that 1t
| would only serve to demonstrate to the
| true Democracy OF the county the
danger and folly of dividing their ranks
| and OF making combinations with the Re-
publicans. As an evidence Of the I'M
proprety of such a course, and Of the
methods resorted to, it has just come TO
| light that. in order TO achieve success,
Mr. Butt, who had heretofore been re-
| garded as a staunch Democrat. absolute
| ~ signed an agreement. pledging him
self to cooperate with the Republicans,
IN the event OF his election in the Legis-
lature. He acted, however, in that body
with the Democrats This brings US 10
the present crisis, and We pause to ask
which is right.
The Democratic County Committee.
regularly selected from both factions as
before stated. held a meeting on the goth
day Of June for the purpose of fixing the
time and place for holding conventions or
primaries to select delegates TO the Roam
oke Convention. The full committee We're
present i'm person or by proxy. There
were eight Regulars or water
melons," and six independents or
"Squashes." Mr.. Whitaker Independent
moved that primaries be held on the Slst
Of July in the various districts Of the
| county (naming them 10 elect delegates
TO the Roanoke Convention. Mr. Hamil-
! ton. another Independent, moved an
amendment, requiring a new committee TO
be selected at the same time, thereby re-
| organizing the party. The amendmeh.
! was lost by a vote of eight to six, ana
| thereupon Mr.. Whlttaker's resolution was
adopted by the same vote, eight "Hegu-
lars" for and six independents against,
Mr.. Whitaker voting against his own
motion. Subsequently. the chairman
having been authorized 10 fix, with the
chairman of Smyth county and OF the
city Of Bristol, the time and place Tor
| holding a senatorial convention. and then
10 call primaries to elect delegates TO said
convention, Mr.. Steel, a Regular
moved that at the time of the senatorial
| primaries new committee should De
selected. thus in effect renewing Mr..