The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-16
IN THE FIELD
OF POLITICS
Talk About the Election of Supreme
Judge.
+ WILL BE A HOT BATTLE.
Probability Of an Early State Con-
rcn,ion Next Year Bright
Political Future for
Dir. Lawlcss.
T WILL BE A HOT BATTLE.

Tho fight for the supreme Court Judge
shf;, IS growing warm.
The friends OF Judge a. a. Phiegar.
whom Governor Tyler appointed to hold
tho Mace until the Legislature shall elect
q successor TO Judge Rely, believe that
MS chances Of nomination by the caucus
,-o frightening every dny and that ne
vii finally bear away the PAIN. They
-u-thcr believe that If he snail fall of
.bc nomination. his votes Will go "a Ions
xay towards deciding the contest between
The other a.sp.rants and that the key TO
Tho situation Is in the hands OF the
friends OF the Montgomery county man
The trends % Judge Whittlc appear
,cualiv confident Of the success Of their
+ayorite and believe that things viii begin
10 como iheir way after several ballots
shul have Deen taken. They are count
Ing uron much Of Judge Ph!eSar's
s,rc-cfh should he not win out himself,
and are spcsed to lay much stress upon
the splendid endorsement OF the bar OF
me State, which they claim FOR Judge
Wh!tte.
or Industrious friends than Judge Mann
and among them VIII De found some OF
tine most powerful political organizers in
the State
i
t,.rength Of Judge Prentis, and there are
those who believe that III case of dead
Hook between the three leading candidates
,he stands a fine chance OF success.
| 1t IS going to be hot fight to the very
finish and the battle in the caucus will be
lone of the most spirited which has been
fought out there for many years
MAY MEET IN JUNE.
1t is generally thought in political circles
ithat the State Democratic Convention
iwill be held much earlier than usual next
lyesar Nominations for the State ticket are
generally made in August.
| II would not be surprising il the State
COMMITTEE should be called TO meet here
during The session of the Legislature In
that event, the convention may be called
Ito meet as early as June.
The campaign opened UP unusually ear
llv. il has been known for a long time that
Hon. J. Taylor Ellyson. Auorn"y-General
Montague, Col r. e. Marshall. Hon
tClaude a. Swanson and Lieutenant-Gov-
ternor Edward Echols We're avowed ca1ldi-
tiates for the governorship Most of the
democratic voters nave no doubt. made
zap their minds as to whom they shall
Support.
The contest up to this time has been
perfectly friendly, and there has hsen
an active absence Of ''mud-slinging.
The political market was very dull and
y
latter the holiday season is over.
| OF course, there Is some gossip among
THE leaders. but nothing tangible on any
lof the great questions is being DONE and
all hands agree that it VIII be well to take
"a rest until the first week in January.
From that time. however. until the close
of the coming year. the State will be in
!one continuous uproar over political mat
tiers
Perhaps the year will have no equal in
the pas; history of the State along this
iline. The trouble viii begin with the
opening OF the extra session in January.
land viii not end until the gubernatorial
land legislative elections in The following
November II may be that the Constitu-
'donal Convention will prevent the re-
lcurrercc of such q state OF affairs II the
future.
The announcement by Hon. Joseph
IT. Lawless Of his candidacy for
chairman of the State Democratic Com
frnittee next year. has set his admirers 10
talking about his political future, ana II
Us the opinion Of many mat green pas
lures. await him in the field of Virginia
politics
Mr.. Iawless is known to have the ear
Iof nearly every prominent Democrat in
1.-THE State. and his record as a faithful and
deficient officer. and his unerring fidelity
land constant labors in the vineyard of
Democracy, combined with his youth.
liability and popularity give his friends
igood ground for the suspicion that he Will
igo up higher before mis- political career
tshall end.
! 1t IS believed that Mr.. Lawless could
ihave had The Democratic nomination for
congress in the Second District last fall
for the asking. but he stoutly refused to
hear his friends on the subject. and re-
Inained steadfast n his loyalty to his
friend, Maynard. whose candidacy he
managed to n successful issue. The ca
ireer of the popular young Secretary OF the
commonwealth VIII be watched with in
tterest throughout the State.