Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-11
WHERE INTEREST CENTRES.
The Fight for the eAttorney-General-
ship-PIatfOrm Talk.


Especial from a stan Correspondent OF
the Dispatch)
ROANOKE, VA, August 1O-1he
fight for Attorney-General is the
one on which public interest centres,
and that for second place attracts at
tention. more particularly because OF the
natural effect that the choice made in
the one case may have on that 10 he
made in the other. The number OF con-
gressmen who are taking active part IN
this contest is something or a Gomez
dence Three Of the nominating speech-
e. will probably be made by members OF
the House TWO of them certainly VIII.
Mr.. Alexander will be nominated py
Richard T. Byrd. of Winchester; Major
Lassiter by Senator W. B. Mcllwalhe'
Judge Mann by Senator II. ID. flood'
Hon. II. r. Pollard by Congressman
John Lamb. Hon A. j. Montague by CON
gressman Swanson. and Mr.. Lloyd l.
Smith by Congressman Jones.
All six of these gentlemen, who wish
to assume charge OF the legal department
of the State Government, are In soou
shane and spirits tonight, and so are
their friends. They are all hopeful anu
Messrs. Montague and Lassiter ana theif
adherents are sanguine. 1t is impossl-
managers for the various candidates are
not much inclined TO give figures tonight
or to say where they have their greatest
strength Major Lassiter claims that nc
will 20 into the convention with JO votes
and lead all OF his competitors from the
start. A more conservative friend OF MS
places his vote on the first ballot at 4V''
and admits that Montague VIII nave
about the same. while the latter geAue-
l. hg
90 into the meeting considerably ahead
of ANYBODY else Hal. Flood. tireless
and influential worker, is engineering the
Mann fight. and while he does not give
ont any figures, he says the Nottoway
favorite will certainly fill third place
Judge Mann was the first or the aspi-
rants for this office to get here, ana
considerable sentiment has been worked
up in his favor.
SICK, BUT FRIENDS WORKING.
Mr.. Alexander was quite sick the great
er part of to-day, and spent some time In
bed. but his friends did not allow his in
terests TO suffer. They were active both
at headquarters and in the lobby. and
pressed the claims of Winchesters gallant
and fearless son. Mr.. Pollard is looking
after his own interests In quiet but
energetic way, and is ably assisted by
Captain Lamb and others. Mr.. Smith
is fortunate in having Hon. William A.
Jones as his ardent supporter, and. to-
gether they are making an earnest, quiet
canvass. Altogether, the fight is very
pretty one. and the result is uncertain.
The general impression is that Mr.. Mon
taeue will lead on the first ballot. but
Judge Mann is named by more people as
the winner than any other one of the six.
A more evenly punched race could not
be imagined. 1t seems to be the pre-
vafling opinion that the name OF Mr..
r. Carter Scott will not be brought be-
fore the convention. His friends, who
arrived here tonight. have talked the
matter over, and this seems to be the
sentiment among them. He is very popL-
lar. as his father was, but could hardly
hope 10 win now.
LITTLE PLATFORM TALK.
one hears very little talk about the
platform. The men OF the gold persua-
sion who are here have no idea OF trying
TO prevent tho endorsement Of the finan-
cial plank adopted at Chicago last year.
In fact, it is fully settled that the ma
tional platform viii be reafhrmed as a
whole. and in all probability. the cur
rency plank will be especially en-
phasized. 1t is thought that State issues
There will almost certainly be a response
to the popular demand that there shall
be a declaration In favor Of greater
economy In State expenditures and the
work accomplished along educational,
eleemosynary and material lines under
Democr tic rule will be aceentuated. 1t
Is proposed 10 summarize what progress
has been made since the party has been
In power. and pledge its continuance in
these directions.
There is considerable talk about the
matter of nominating senator's by prl-
mary or convention, but there is a di-
vision OF opinion as to whether any ac-
ton will be taken favoring change.
Hon. william a. Jones IS the father Of
this scheme and will probably bring it
before the Committee on Resolutions
Senator Daniel, who, 1t is expected, will
be chairman OF this committee. as usual,
has been confined TO his bed ever since
his arrival here yesterday afternoon. he
took cold on the train and has had some
fever. but expects to be up and about in
the morning
WILL NOT BE LONG.
He said tonight that he had not been
able TO do anything at all, but that the
nlatform would not be hard to draw.
He was in conference with Congressman
Otev Sneaker Ryan, Hon. b. B. Munford.
and others likely to be consulted in this
York which will probably be pretty well
manned out by morning. The paper will
,robablv not be long one. Ii is very
douhtfnl whether the name Of Major
Raser p. Lee will be presented 70 the
convention for Governor. The chances
are that IT will not be. Mr.. Il. T.. Mon
taeue had been selected TO nominate him,
hnt the Dispatch correspondent is in
formed tonight. on high authority, that
Major Lee will not be here. and 1t is
moi believed that his name will be men
toned.
There has been practically no talk of
making Cooke the Populist. nominee for
Ijeutenant-G Governor. There IS some senti-
ment In the Fifth and Sixth districts in
favor of such fusion, but there is no