Arizona republican., 1901-10-13
Republicans Have the First
 Chance in Twenty Years
Bitter Fractional Dissension in Demo cratic Ranks and Division Over the Various Proposed Revisions of the Constitution.

tiie lHt eleCtlOr. Not only do many of the democrats ac- knowledge this, but Some express plea sure at the prospect and while they will not vote the republican ticket they are determined not to bestir themselves 10 assist the democratic nominees. The republican leaders have been quick to grasp the situation. They have nom mated one of the most aggressive men on the stump in the state for governor and they are putting up legislative can- didates wherever there seems to be any show for them to win.
 Virginia, so long overwhelmingly democratic. appears inclined to get into the republican column. The cause of the dissatisfaction is twofold The first is the result of the struggle betweea Attorney General Andrew Jackson Montague and Congressman Claude A. Swanson for the nomination for gov ernor. which the former finally won by a tremendous majority. Swanson was the protege of United States Senator Thomas A. Martin, the Croker of Vir- ginia politics. He announced early ia the ensa cement that he was Martins man, and the state machine went solid | ly for him. Montague made his can vass as the 5presentative of the peo- pie. the advocate of honest elections. and the opponent of ring rule As 2 iNSoAI liAc iidCflHe was smashed into Fragments and no attempt has yet been made to collect them and get it in run | ming order again.
 But the machine men, though in the | minority. are numerous, active and cunning. With their lips they tendered their fealty to MT Montague as the | nominee of the party, but their hearts were and are far from him. The pre- vailing sentiment is that as MT. Mon l a iG ,1t, | elections he will get one next Noven- ber,and that the result will be a sur | prise to him. The machine msn say l they will not steal votes for a man wh, has denounced ballot box stufing. but | expect to let every man who is regis i tered be he black or white. cast his vote. and then count the vote as cast. Machine democrats admit privately that if the election laws of the state were honestly administered Virginia would return considerable republican | majority both in the state and national elections. This. then, is the first peril that looms up ahead of MT. Montague and seems to give color to the belief that he will go down before J. Hampton 1 Hoge, tSe nominee of the republicans The second. and probably the most potent, enemy with which the demo- crats have to deal is within their own
 
 Since June F last the suffrage commit | tee of that body has been endeavoring to frame law which shall sweep the | negro from politics without touching the ignorant white man. The commit! ;! tee has so far met with success the twenty-two members having brought in four reports. over which the conven- ! ton will wrangle for weeks to come
 The uncertainty of what kind of suf- l Ia " fira odO
 tating the people not little and has
 greatly weakened their faith in the democratic party. Strange as it may appear, the democrats living in what is known as the black belt where the
 negroes outnumber the whites two to
 one, do not wish the blacks to be dis
 placed, for by the manipulation of
 their votes it has been found possible in the past to carry elections according
 to the will of the democratic leaders.
 With the negro voters cut off the sit
 uation will be entirely changed. In
 the white sections the people are not
 opposed to honest elections.
 From the foregoing it is apparent
 that the democratic nominees have a
 rough road ahead of them. The ancient
 stamp of speakers of the party are si- l lent in the time of greatest need. Mar
 tin and Swanson have betaken them
 selves to Europe. and the machinists
 are dtermined that for once in the his
 tory of Virginia there shall be d fair
 election.
 Of the four suffrage plans presented
 to the constitutional convention only
 two seem to stand any chance of being
 adopted. One endorsed by twelve of
 .ae tive rty-two members of che com mitto .. presents the following essential features:
 Res i.ienCe in the state two ya:lrs Poll tax must be paid six months in advance of the election.
 Any man whose wife has paid $1 in taxes for the preceding year can vote. | Any person who can give reason
 able explanation of the duties of sIe of fices ne is to vote for can vote. ! After January l. 1904, the elector
 must make application to register in | his own handwriting and shall prepare his ballot without aid from another.
 No educational test before January 1. 1904.
 All who register before January 1. ] 1901. shall remain electors fo- life. No distinguishing marks or symbols on the ballots
 : The list of thosa who have paid cari- ? tation tax to be posted.
 : Veterans of the war exempted from
 certain provisions.
 Provisions made for county electoral l boards.
 s The other plan, indorsed by six mem- l bers of the committee. headed b. : United States Senator John W. Daniel has these provisions:
 l Residence in the state. two wears. Poll tax must be paid six months in 9 advance of the elections after January . l. 1903.
 2 The voter shall be able to read any l section of the constitution or he shall p be able to understand its provisions l when read to him il registered before