Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-05-23
Swanson Tactics.

Henrico county Democrats have been
given taste of Martinism with Swanson
fiavoring. Rule or ruin seems to be the
motto of the machine crowd. The fol-
lowing statement shows the desperate
methods of the Swanson following, and
should be enough to turn against him
every Virginian who loves a square deal
The following statement appeared IN the
Richmond Times of yesterday
ave, the undersigned, hereby certify
that we are voters in Henrico county, at
Shumaker's precinct; that we attended the
meeting bed in Anderson's Hall on Clay
street, on the night of May 10TH, 1901;
that upon our arrival therS we found the
door locked, and when the door was open
ed we found that many people bad been
admitted through the side or back door;
that James Russell called the meeting to
order, announced himself chairman and
appointed his secretary and refused to al
low the meeting to elect chairman or
secretary. The self. Reconstructed chairman
called for nominations, and when an effort
was made to close the nominations with
out permitting any Montague delegates to
be put in nomination, great confusion
arose, whereupon Russell called upon his
secretary, Of his own appointing, to know
who was in nomination, and his secretary
read off the Swanson delegates, and only
one Montague delegate was on the list;
whereupon such great confusion arose that
Russell recanted and read the names of
the candidates on both tickets without the
aid of a secretary. After announcing the
candidates, Swanson man called for a
vote, and Russell decided that no one had
right to speak, and notwithstanding the
vigorous protests of the Montague men,
vino called for an honest vote by ballot, a
viva yoce vote was taken by Russell, a
few men around him voting for Swanson
delegates. When the vote was called for
the Montague delegates, at least three
times as many people voted for the Mon
tague delegates as did for the Swanson
delegates.
"Whereupon, Russell stated that he did
not care for hollering and tbroat-splitting;
that he was chairman of that meeting,
and he declared all of the Swanson dele
gates elected and the meeting adjourned.
"This decision was so manifestly unfair
that men, without regard to preference
for governor, denounced 1t openly as the
most outrageous proceeding they ever wit
messed. The Montague men repaired to
the street and organized a meeting, elect
ed George E. Wise chairman and John G.
Easley secretary, and proceeded to hold
an election. One hundred and ninety
ballots we're cast for Montague delegates
by voters, aud the name of the voter IN
each case was written on his ballot.
"The meeting then adopted the follow
ing resolution unanimously
Resolved, That we denounce the
meeting held in Anderson's Hall on May
10th, 1901, as unfair and coNardly.
"The meeting then appointed the un'
dersigned committee to report the facts
above stated to the public press and that
the same be published in the newspapers
of the State of Virginia.
eve hereby certify that we saw the bal
lots for tie Montague delegates cast and
counted, and that the number of ballot;
cast for the Montague delegates was one
hundred and ninety ESQ.,"
JOHN G. EAsLEY, j. b. POWELL,
VIM. B. WEST, j. ii. OLIVER,
B. Fl. CoTTRELL, GEO. E. WISE,
p. II. BANNAN, Z. +. EUBANK,
il. SALE, II. L. WINSTON,
Committee.