The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-09-25
" The TatIlGT y Writes.
On the Chances OF Hon. J. NJ. s:abbs.


To The Free Lance
For some years the nomination OF q
Republican candidate for Congress in
the First District has been regarded as
a sort Of joke by the Democrats. and
glance over the election returns would
seem to show a good reason for their
hilarity. The majorities have been
growing larger each year, although the
total vote has steadily diminished for
the last ten years With the exception
Of the year Of the redemption Of the
district. the vote in the "on year has
been light. but the decrease has been
largely Republican. In 1883 Kendall
polled probably the largest vote ever
cast for a defeated Democratic candi-
date in the district it being something
over fourteen thousand. In the "jubi-
lee year" Of 1890 the total vote reached
about twenty.nine thousand, the largest
"od year" vote probably ever cast, and
larger by far than any since. The Re-
publican vote had then passed over the
apex Of its power, and gradual dissolu-
tion appears to have set in. In the
heated campaign following, the Demo.
Gratis increased their vote By some three
hundred, raising the figures to fifteen
thousand, while the Republicans drop
ped about fifteen hundred, and have
been dropping down ever since. -Four
years later the Democrats slightly in
creased their vote, and, as usual, the
Republicans fell away again. Since
then both sides have lost votes, until
two years ago the total vote was only
about half what it was when Browne
defeated Kendall, and yet the Demo
Gratis had a very large majority.
The present census ought to show not
less than thirty.fve thousand voters in
the district, but when an election brings
out less than three-fourths Of the sover-
eigns to the polls it means that there is
q lot Of apathy somewhere; and where
the proportion falls below one-half 1t
offers inducements to an active canvass
Of the stay.at. homes.
With new and stirring issues before
the people it is quite possible that
new alignment Of parties may result
and that many surprises are in store for
the politicians. That the Democrats
are alive to the possibilities Of the stu
alton is evidenced by the efforts being
put forth to stir up the people and the
number Of orators, both hedgliDg and
full .feathered, that are being scattered
over the field would indicate that Mr..
Stubbs chances are not quite 90 hope
less as the papers would have it believed.
At any rate, the Democratic managers
are not going to trust anything to
chance. but are bent on putting in their
biggest licks for the success Of their
ticket.
This has beer fearfully hot summer,
and that all pervading "tired feeling"
has been quite prevalent, even in poll
tics, and the average man doesn't care
a button about the situation anyway II
he can only get little comfort 1t is
possible that as the days grow cooler
the friction caused by the misuse Of the
atmosphere By the windjsmmers may
electrify things considerably, and that
there may be sizzling old time after
all before November.
Mr.. Stubbs is said by the Democrats
to have been chosen because OF his
''bar'l," and one correspondent Of one
Of the Neck papers invites him to open
it in Westmoreland. on the ground that
Mr.. Jones will receive the votes Of some
of the colored brothers. Mr.. Stubs
may retort by saying that some OF the
colored population ought to vote for
Mr.. Jones in return for Mr.. Jones' sue
cess in getting that negro postmaster
appointed few years ago. A 'bar'l'
is q mighty handy argument to hold
in reservation for a political campaign,
and none know the fact better than
some Of the Democratic leaders. If MIR.
Stubbs should promptly respond to the
invitation, and put portion Of its con-
tents In each county for judicious use,
no doubt but there would be the liyeli.
est old time seen for many years.
There are certain ones. who may pos
sibly see this, that could tell Of their