Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-26
Virginia Governor Will Not Discuss
Status of Independents.
his STRENGTH LIES WITH THEM
Regulars Try to Force Him to
Declare for Them.
CAMPAIGN LACKS INTEREST
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star

democratic committee has been gathering
information as to the Independent candi-
dates in the field for the Legislature.
Under the election laws of this state
every person who is to be voted for is re-
quired to submit his name to the clerks of
the courts twenty days in advance of the
election. Some of the candidates have
failed to comply fully with the provisions of
the acts. For instance, John II. Lot, who is
running as independent against Frank
hume, for the house, certified his name to
the clerk of the corporation court of Alex
andria, but failed to inform the clerk of
the county court of Alexandria of his can
d:dacy. Therefore, his name will appear
on the ticket only in the city. Similar mis-
takes have been made by the candidates in
other districts. but these oversights in
every case have been on the part of the
independents
Secretary Button has not received reports
from every county, but he has learned that
nine of the twenty regular nominees for the
senate have opposition. The republicans
have in the field less than half Il dozen
nominees. Most of the opponents of the
regular democrats are independents There
only five coiored men running, small
er number than in any previous campaign
since the civil war.
Gov. Tyler is silent.
Gov Tyler is remaining silent as to his
attitude toward the independents. Every
effort to draw him out has proven fruitless
The Martin people have on some occasions
praised him a stanch party man and as
one who would frown upon opposition to
the nominees. AT other times they have
charged that the governor was encourage
ing the opposition. His eXcellency keeps
his mouth shut and views the situation with
apparent satisfaction. He contends that
he will win out but unbiased politicians
think he will be very badly beaten.
The Independents, as a rule, are trying to
conjurc with the name Of Tyler Their
campaign cry is Down with the machine,
and Tyler for the Senate. w hat rev IN
dependents will be elected will really have
no voice in the nomination of the senatorial
candidate. No matter how good democrats
they may be- if they have opposed the reg
ular nominees they will be shut out of the
caucus Tyler'S only hope, and 1t Is a very
faint one is that enough independents may
win to form alliance with the regular
candidates friendly to him to control the
legislature. In that event, MS supporters
might stay out of the caucus. But this is
a thing that 10 one save, perhaps, the gov
ernor and a few friends has any idea Will
happen.
While the Martin people have been pokins
all sorts of queries to the governor. and he
has remained silent, it is said that when he
does speak he will fire some embarrassing
questions to the other side. He Will want
to know # it is by accident or design that
in nearly every case where a nominee Tor
the legislature is favorable to him that per
son has opposition. 1t can be stated as
fact that the governor thinks there are
some people who are talking very loudly
about regularity who would not hesitate 10
knife a nominee that is favorable to Tyler
for senator. 1t is believed that when the
executive does speak on this subject he
will have something mighty interesting to
say But he will hardly make a statement
before the election. The governor is Just
now absent. being in Huntington, w. Va,
presiding over the Presbyterian synod in
Virginia and West Virginia.
The Vote VIII BE Small.
The vote in Virginia will be the smallest,
perhaps, cast in many years. There is
practically no interest manifested, except
in very few counties. The great war be-
tween the Martin and the anti-Martin fac
tons seems to have exhausted all interest.
There has been less public speaking than in
any canvass since the war. And, by the
way. il may be remarked here that there
are not anything like as many attractive
stump speakers available as formerly. The
democrats, that is, the Chicago platform
democrats. lost some Of their best men in
the campaign of 1896. EX-Gov. Charles r.
O'FerTau Holmes Conrad, K. T. Burton
and others who would always draw g~eat
crowds. no longer asked to make
speeches. not even when national issues are
not involved Senator Daniel is, OF course,
the faVorite orator, but Daniel is not avail
able on all occasions, as formerly. He is
giving more time to his law practice and to
private affairs Former Senator Joe Black
burn has appealed to him to come to Ken
lucky to help the cause there, but the SEN
ator says previous engagements will keep
him from accepting.
Representatives William A Jones, Will
liam f. Rhea and Claude A. Swanson and
Attorney General Montague are the four
men who will attract the most attention on
the stump. In a red-hot fight between the
two great parties a number of good stump
speakers would probably be developed but
1t must be admitted that there are exceed
ingly few men of ability in the state who
now turning their attention to politics.