The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-24
Capitol Halls Lose Charms
for Present Lawmakers.
HENRlCo POT is
BOILING RAPIDLY,
LlveIIest Times Ahead In this Hotbed Of
Politicians - Candidates Have Al
ready Taken the Saddle for
House to House Canvass
of County Situation
In Richmond.

The general election in Virginia this fal
will be one of peculiar and unprecedented
interest and Importance, marking the In
auguration Of several innovations and
reforms and comprising n variety Of Is
sues. IN
Tho election Of the ono hundred mem
Sbers OF the House OF Delegates and Of
about twenty-five OF the forty members
of the State Senate will be held on Tues
day after the first Mondayin November,
The nomination of Democratic candidates
for the one hundred and twenty odd posI-
tions will be made throughout the stata n
In September and for the first time un-
der the new party plan Of primaries, pro-
mulgated by the State Central COMMITTEES
last year. What Is of even greater In
terest in this connection, the elections Of
this fall will be held for the first tina
under the pure elections law. recently
enacted by the General Assembly. The
bill provides stringent penalties against
the uae of money in elections and re-
Quires sworn statements by candidates
on this point. Furthermore, this is the
first election of members Of the General
Assembly since the new Constitution was
promulgated by the convention. and like
wise the first general State election ,lll-3
der the operation of the new franchise
Law limiting the electorate.
The fact that the General Assembly to
be elected this fall will choose a success
sor to Senator Daniel-or rather re-elect
that Senator, as now seems certain-and
the further fact that at least twenty OF
the Senators to be chosen In November
Will have a voice in the election OF Sena-
tor Thomas s. Martins successor will
tend to make the sena torship an issue in
the selecton not only Of the Senator's
but of the members OF the House. Un-
less opposition to Senator Daniels re-
election develops between now and the
election, the State Central Committee
will merely declare him the nominee for
the Senate and the Legislators elected
will be pledged to vote for him. It
would seem also that Senator Martins
candidacy and the opposition to him will
necessarily be issues in the campaignt
since half the Senators to be Nchosen In
November will have a voice in naming
his successor. This issue will not be d
rectly made, however, in this falls prl.l,
maries. In the 1905 election the success.
sorship to Senator Martin will be q d.
reot ISSUE and this will be really this
first United States senatorial primary
ever held In this State.
What Is perhaps OF more nearly uni,
versal interest in the rural sections Is tha
fact that for the first time all the coun-
ty ers-CommonWealth's IS attorneys,
sheriffs. treasurers, commissioners of tha
revenue and supervlsors--are to be chosen
at tho November elections instead OF on
the fourth Thursday In May. as hereto>8
fore. Their election will be simultaneous
With the selection OF members of the Gem
eral Assembly. and this fact alone will
tend to secure more general participation
In the selection OF the legislators than
ever before, bringing out a full vote,
The various county organizations or the
Democracy Will decide whether the nomi
ination of county officers Is to be made
by primaries or by county mass-meetlngs.
of the legislators, 1t is likely that all
will be chosen in county and district
primaries. This election may therefore
be characterized as once a national, state
and local election, q combination that
should arouse more interest than ever
before manifested In any ono or these
singly.
A number of the members or both Sen.
ate and House are Commonwealth's at
torneys. and the greater number or these
will give up their legislative positions for
the Commonwealth. The sessions OF the
General Assembly hereafter are limited
by law to sixty days, with per diem Of
81, thus making a legislative seat pay
the holder but $40 every two years and
his mileage or hardly $3.50 per annum.
still, some who have ambitions for pub
lic life and who aspire higher. prefer to
remain In the General Assembly. and
soma who patrlotically desire to serve
the state, even at sacrifice OF personal
interests, will stand for ra-electlon res
gardless of the reduced emolument,
IT is yet too early to state positively
which members of the House will ask
denomination, and wb3 will retire without
again standing for + e nomination. Many
have not decided. s are awaiting some
expressions from cir constituents 1t
may be stated out fear of contra
diction that MAJ sho desire to return
to the House 7 '1ylte will be disap-.
pointed in thS tionsl The Gen-a
eral Assembly ade n record for
hard and fait I'M, and while there
are Individual ms TO the rule OF
Industry and d, TO duty, the MEM
hers who desir( so will In many
cases be returna s85Sa other cases there
will be opposition only for the NOM
ination, hut for jn after nominations.
There are In thy Ant Senate three Re-
publicans--Mss/ nwiadie, Reyercomb
and Harmarl-, sS&s ld-O overs except MI, =