Evening star., 1902-08-23
VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS
Talk With Chairman Park
Agnew.
AS TO CANDIDATES
THEIR SELECTION LEFT TO DIS
TRIcT COMMITTEES.
But One Nomination Made Up to Date
Names Suggested in Some of
the Other Districts.
IS TO CANDIDATES
Special Dispstch to The Evening Star.

ALEXANDRIA, Va, August p, 1902
The prospect for republican nominations
In Virginia this fall for the House of Rep
resentatives was discussed by Chairman
Park Agnew of the state republican COM
mittee when Star reporter called at his
office this morning. The matter Of placing
candidates in the field had been left to the
discretion Of the various district commit
tees" said Mr.. Agnew. 'At a meeting of
the state executive held in Richmond June
IL resolution was adopted to this effect.
1t was held by the central body to be the
best method of dealing with the question,
as the district committees are fully advised
as to local conditions and the probab
of success at the polls. THE republicans
of the state" said the chairman, will
make every effort to elect their nominees"
When asked IL he anticipated any in
creased activity in the party in Virginia as
the result of the recent criticism OF south
ern republican methods attributed to Presi-
dent Roosevelt, Mr.. Agnew replied that he
was as yet unaware of what the President
had really said concerning the matter. The
chairman then stated that the republicans
of Virginia had usually pursued a policy
of selecting such districts seemed to pre-
sent fighting chances of success, where
nominations were made and the candidates
supported with vigor. 1t was In pursuance
Of this policy, he said, that the executive
committee had vested the several district
bodies with authority to nominate when
ever 1t seemed possible to secure an cleo
ton. He could not say exactly in how
many districts nominations will be made,
but he did state emphatically that wher-
ever such action is taken all the party ma
chinery will be placed in motion to effect
success at the November election.
But One Nomination So Far.
OF the ten districts in the state, Mr.. Ag-
new said, only one had made nomination
up to the present. He referred to the fifth
district, where Beverly A Davis is now
the candidate of the party In the sixth
district at the recent meeting of the con-
gressional committee it was decided not to
name a candidate at that time. but the
matter was left open in a measure, as a
subcommittee was appointed to indorse a
candidate later IL conditions seem to justify
1t. 1t now appears likely that Mr.. Angle
of Roanoke, prominent republican lead
er In that section, swill enter the field as
an Independent candidate. The congress
sional committee of the tenth district has
decided against making nomination. In
the second, third. eight and ninth, Mr.. Ag
new said, there was good reason to believe
that a fight will be made. He could make
no statement as to the prospects in the
first, fourth and seventh districts.
The names of Capt. c. HI. Causey of Suf-
folk and Mr.. Frederick Reed, the post
master at Newport News, are prominently
district In the eighth, the local district,
party leaders spoken of for the honor are
Joseph L. Crupper, city postmaster; w. X.
Skinker of Fauquier; ]. NJ. Thorne of
Fairfax and State Delegate NJ K Lowery
of Stafford. Mr.. Agnew stated, however,
that Mr.. Crupper would not permit his
name to go before the convention. BY
order of the district committee the nomi-
mating convention will convene in AleXan-
dria at noon September q. 1t will be call
ed to order by the district chairman H. b,
Dodge of Manassas. Messrs. George w.
Blankenship, Robert w. Blair, Campbell
Scott and A. p. Gillespie have been spoken
of for the nomation in the ninth district
Effect of New Registration.
In reply to a question as to what effect
the new registration ordered under suffrage
provision of the new constitution would
have upon the relative vote of the republi-
can and democratic parties in Virginia, Mr..
Agnew declared that in his opinion no man
is now in a position to make an intelligent
prediction. There are, he said, so many
conditions and contingencies to be taken
into account which only the future can de-
termine. He thought there was no deter
mining the respective percentages of white
and colored men, now voters, who VIII be
deprived of the right of franchise at the
next election. If the registrars are honest
in the discharge of their duty. said Mr..
Agnew, a great many white men will lose
their votes. Referring to the personnel OF
the registration boards he said he thought
that good men had been selected. He was
especially satisfied that the local board
would discharge its duty with fairness and
irnpartiality He thought that many peo-
pie, both white and colored, would neglect
to register. In these prosperous times, he
said many people being away from their
homes engaged in business enterprises the
chances are that considerable number will
allow the registration to go by default. The
instance of Nansmond was cited, which is
the first nace where the registration
books have been compiled. According to
press reports only IL per cent of the colored
adult population ard 20 per cent of the
whites entered their names on the books.
1t was the opinion Of Mr.. Agnew that this
would be the case in greater or less degree
all over the state. In some sections. he
thought. there would be very little interest
taken in the work of compiling the new