The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-23
Gossip About Candidacy in
Washington.
MIR SWANSON'S CHANGES
Man Who Was for Montague In the Last
Fight Says Representative from the
Fifth District Is Much Stronger
and Will Win.
The Times Dispatch Bureau.
No. 14l7 G Street, N. W.,


No. 1417 G Street. N. W.,
Washington, d. c., May 22d.
The Washington Star prints the follow
Ing gossip about Wizards candidacy TO
the Governorship and the political situa
ton in Virginia.:
tina. considerable interest is felt through
out the northern portion of Virginia ovel
the candidacy of Lieutenant-Go Governor
Willard for tho Governorship of the State
They say that he is developing COCO
deal of strength In that portion of the
| OLD Dominion, and that his record as
presiding officer of the Virginia Senate
has been such as to assure him support
| in other sections OF the state. The cleo
tion of successor to Governor Montague
will take place In the fall of 1905. and the
| campaign for the Democratic nomination,
which precedes 1t, and which has already
| been quietly begun, promises to be one
| of the hottest ever waged In Virginia.
There are already a half dozen avowed
candidates. and no assurances that there
will not be more to como. Among those
considered IN the race are Lieutenant
Governor Willard, we'll known In this city,
where he has large property interests;
j Taylor Ellyson. chairman OF the Dem
ocratic state Committee; ex-Attorney
General Ayers, Representative Swanson,
State Senator Bnrksdale and the present
Acknowledgement Of the State, William A..
Anderson.
NORTHERN SECTIONS CLAIM.
The people OF the northern section of the
State, It is said, feel that they are enti-
tied to the Governorship this time, and
are going to try to unite on Mr. Willard
in the hope of landing It. In the last
campaign 1t is said, there was union
of forces between Montague and VIII
lard. 1t Is further stated that R. Walton
Moore, Of Fairfax, was the mutual friend
who arranged the compact Under that
compact all of Wizards friends became
Montague men, and all of Montague's
followers were for Willard. 1t Is UNDER
stood that similar compact will In all
likelihood exist between these men In
1865. Montague being an avowed candi-
date for the Senatorship to succeed Sem
ator Martin
There have been persistent rumors Of
rupture between the two, and some OF
those most Interested and best in po-
sition to know on 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 campaign in the Alexan.
dria Senatorial District Willard and his
friends are trying to secure the nomira-
ton of Machen, who Is an avowed Mon
tague 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 Alex.
andria Senatorial District. The battle for
the choice of the successor to Senator
Donohoe will, therefore. not only be inter-
esting in its bearing on the United States
but will likewise be inter-
esting as showing Wizards strength In
his own county and State Senatorial Dis
trict
Senator Martin Is In town, and it is
that he Is looking after his In
terests across the river. 1t Is said that be
proposes to sit up with the situation un.
til all danger Of any breaks in his ranks
is past. 1t Is said that Alexandria city Is
almost a unit for him. and that he has
good following In Prince William coun-
ty. He will doubtless leave no stone I'M
turned to have the Democrats OF the
district send man to the State Senate
to succeed Senator Donohoe, who is ia
Vorable to his reelection to the United
States Senate.
1t Is said by friends OF Senator Mar.
tin that Mr.. Montague has made a good
many enemies and very few friends dur
Ing his term as Governor of Virginia.
How true this Is Will only be shown by
the result OF the legislative canvass when
the legislators who will thoose the sue
cessor to Senator Martin vii be nomI-
mated
SWANSON's BOOM
Representative swanson's boom for Gov
ernor Is also an absorbing topic of dis
cussion among Virgnians. 1t was Swan
son who went down In the last fight be.
fore the Montague Willard combination.
Observing politicians from the Old Do.
minion say now. however, that he Is very
much Stronger in nearly every SECTION
of the State
Ono of these, a member of Congress,
VINO was a Montague man In the last
hight. said day or two ago that Swan.
son was certainly much stronger now
than he was then, and that he believed
lhat he stood good chance OF winning
N me next campaign. Mr.. Swanson was
IN Washington last week and seemed TO
be much pleased with his prospects.
no sum up the situation. the present
outlook is for one of the hardest strug.
sies FOR political supremacy In Virginia
mat she has ever witnessed The fight
VIII be between the Martin and the anti.
Martin factions, and 1t will almost be ne
bitter as ever n fight between opposing
political parties.
GET TOGETHER.
Senator Martin probably expressed
What Is the wisdom of all the best lead
re IN the Democratic party when he
aid In talking with The Times Dispatch
correspondent: u don't think II Is worth
While To worry ourselves so much about
Who our candidate shall be In 1904, hut
what ] think we ought to do Is TO get
ogether on platform upon which all
can consistently and con,
cienuously stand, Getting the right SORT
# platform Is what ought to engage our
ttention now, and that platform ought
0 be ono which. for Its broad-mindcd
should command the conf
ehce or the country. The proper man
or the nomination will come forward in
ue season. we should not triflo all
ur tlme away on who he shall be, but
- ,line when all Democrats ought to
e thinking about q PLATFORM"
AN OLD SUPERSTITION,
~ ~ astonishing to what an extent
ne OLD unlucky Friday, or hangman's
ay. superstition has a hold upon the
eople, Even those tender young buds
mo spurn parental authority and come