Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-08-21

are quite indignant in being refused.
There is every indication that SEN
ator Walker and Delegate Lyell, of
the Northern Neck, will have no op-
position to reelection within the
party ranks. Northumberland is ex-
pected to claim the House nomina.
ton, as Westmorelaud has had il
several terms.
Walter b. Chowning, of Bushy,
Middlesex county, has announced
himself as candidate for the House
of Delegates from Middiesey and
Mathews counties. The present Rep.
resentative, Hon. W. III. Lawson, is
from the same neighborhcod.
The Democratic party of Virginia
has proven itself in it's nominations
of late, true to the charge so often
made, that is will not be bound by
its convention agreements. For years
there has been an effort to have the
party adopt uniform plan of nomi-
mating its candidates by primary
election. This was finally agreed to.
The result has been what? The
same old courthouse nominations
here and there throughout the State.
The Constitution has cleared the
electorate of its most ignorant and
vicious element. The Barksdale bill
providing against the use of money
IN elections, has become law Of the
State. It was the hope of many that
the time had arrived when the voter
would be compelled to appear what
he seemed-either man or mouse. A
viva voce primary throughout the
entire State could not do harm to
the candidate of high patriotism
and moral worth. Who reaps the
advantage of a refusal to adopt
this straightforward spd manly plan
OF making nominations p Potomac
Progress.
We called attention short time
back to the irregularity of the nomi-
nations as made by the Democrats of
Westmoreland county. We said then
that nominations made otherwise
than by primary, as directed by the
State Executive Committee, threw
open wide the gap for squabbling
and contests. Last week Chairman
Ellyson called the State Committee
together in Richmond. After DELHI
Grafton, that Committee decided that
all nominations must be made.by viva
voce primaries, and only registered
white Democrats should be allowed
to participate. This leaves it certain
that any contest referred to this
committee will be decided in favor
of the faction that dominates by
primary, whether it has a majority
or minority. 1t is equally certain
that it will give the fellow who kicks
over the traces and refuses to sup
port mass meeting nominees an equal
rating with convention nominees. 1t
is up to those counties that have
made court house nominations to saw
what they will do about it. They
have set the example of defiance Of
party discipline, and when the other
fellow ignores the conventions
mandates, they cannot shake the
finger at him and say, III am better
than thou. "-Poto0iac Progress.
The expected has already happened
as far as Gov. Montague is concerned.
Not two years of his term Of Office
has been served, and yet his political
star is set and his influence OH the
wane all over the State. tits a pecu-
liar thing, but the State of Virginia
has never yet honored the further
political aspirations of any governor
who used the patronage Of his office,
and the prestige of his position, for
distinctly personal political ends. 1t
has been tried by shrewder politicians
than Gov. Montague, but the COVER
nors who did never left the retire
ment to private life after it. The
introduction of politics into the
school system of the State is being
resented in many rural districts as
never before, and the closest of Gov.
Montague's political friends already
see the handwriting on the wall. The
casting about for candidate to con-
test with Senator Martin is already
begun; the confusion of tongues is
upon them, and repetition of the
futile May convention is sure to fol-
low in the wake of this vain striving.
Senator Martins work in congress
for Virginia speaks louder for him
than the hot-air spellbinders who
seek private occasions to make stump
speeches in. their own behalf. The
people know his capabilities and are
seemingly more than satisfied. Nev
port Neics Times Herald.
The Baltimore American publishes
letters from many parts of the
country, which it says show "yery
conclusively" that as matters now
stand the choice of the Democrats
next year for presidential candi-
date will lie between Mr.. German
aud Chief Judge Parker, of the
Court of Appeals of New York, while
Mayor Harrison, of Chicago, seems
to be "the fayorite" for the vice.
presidential nomination. The Ameri-
can remarks that no more significant
answer is made by anybody than by
James @. Dahiman, Democratic
national committeeman from Ne
braska, Bryan's home State. Mr..
Dahlman has for nearly four wears
been regarded aa personal represen-
tative of William jennings Bryan
on the governing body of the Demo-
cratic party, and he speaks as with
authority. Early in the year Mr.,
Dahlman expressed preference for
the nomination of Judge Parker, but
now declares his belief in the nomi-
nation of Mr.. German. At the same
time be says Mr.. Bryan and his
friends (of whom no 10 onaN Ill