Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-21
His Candidacy for Virginia's
Next Governor.
OTHER CANDIDA TIES
NORTHERN SECTION CLAIMS THE
RIGHT TO NAME.
Compact With Montague's Friends
Likely to Continue-Senator Mar
tin Looking After His Interests.


northern portion of Virginia over the candi-
dacy of Lieut. Gov. Willard for the govl
ernorship of the state. They say that he
is developing good deal of strength in
that portion of the old dominion, and that
his record as presiding officer of the Vir7
ginia senate has been such as to, assure
him support in other sections of the state!
The election of a successor to Gov. MontaI
que will take place in the fall of 1900, ana
the campaign for the democratic nominal
ton, which precedes it, and which has. air
ready been quietly begun, promises to be
one of the hottest ever waged In Virginia.
There are already a half dozen avowed cam
didates, and no assurances that there will
not be more to come. Among those considL
cred in the race are Lieut.. Gov. Willard,
well known in this city, where he has large
property interests; ]. Taylor Ellyson, chair.
man of the democratic state committee; eX7
Attorney General Ayers, Representative
Swanson State Senator Barksdale and the
present attorney general of the state, VIII
liam A. Anderson. y
Northern Sections Claim.
The people of the northern section of the
state, it is said, feel that they are entitled
to the governorship this time. and are go
ing to try to unite on Mr.. Willard in the
it is said, there was a union of forces be-
tween Montague and Willard 1t is further
stated that R. Walton Moore of Fairfax was
the mutual friend who arranged the com
pact. Under that compact all OF willard
friends became Montague men. and all OF
Montague's followers were for Willard. 1t
is understood that similar compact will IN
all likelihood exist between these men in
1905, Montague being an avowed candidate
for the senatorship to succeed Senator
Martin.
There have been persistent rumors of
rupture between the two, and some of those
most interested and best in a position to
know, the other side. have said that
they didn't believe Mr.. Willard would do
much for Montague in the coming race, yet
in the opening fight of the senatorial cam
paign in the Alexandria senatorial district
Willard and his friends are trying to- secure
the nomination of Machen. who is an
avowed Montague man. to succeed Senator
Donohoe who will retire from the senate
rather than be placed under the necessity
of having to choose between Martin and
Montague.
The Alexandria District.
Mr.. Wizards legal residence is in Fair
fax county, which is part of the 'Alexan
dria senatorial district The battle for the
choice of a successor to Senator Donohoe
will. therefore. not only be interesting in its
bearing the United States senatorship,
Wizards strength in his own county and
state senatorial district.
Senator Martin is in town and 1t is ru-
mored that he is looking after his interests
across the river. 1t is said that he pro-
poses to sit up with the situation until all
danger of any. breaks in his ranks is past
1t is said that Alexandria city is almost q
unit for him, and that he has a good fol-
lowing in Prince William county He will
doubtless leave no stone unturned to have
the democrats of the district send man to
the state senate to succeed Senator Donor
hoe. who is favorable to his reelection to
the United States Senate: -'; t'nres
1t is said by friends of Senator Martin
that Mr.. Montague has made good many
enemies and very few friends during his
term as governor of Virginia. How true
the legislative canvass when the Legislators
who will choose the successor to Senator
Martin will be nominated.
Representative Swanson's Boom.
Representative Swanson's boom for gov
ernor is also absorbing topic Of. discus
sion among Virginians. 1t was Swanson
who went down in the last fight before the
Montague Willard combination. Observing
politicians from the old dominion say now,
however, that he is very much stronger In
nearly every section of the state.
One of these. a member of Congress who
was a Montague man In the last fight, said
day or two ago that Swanson was GER
tainly much stronger now than he was
then and that he believed that he stood a
good chance of winning in the next cam
paign. Mr.. Swanson was in Washington
last week and seemed to be much pleased
with his prospects.
To sum up the situation the present out
look is for one of the hardest struggles for
political supremacy in Virginia that she
has ever witnessed. The fight will be be-
tween the Martin and anti Martin factions,
and yxrt1 hn oil yrno tfor
fight between opposing political parties.