The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-20

X am, conservative on tho question Of
liquor flcgislntlon.t L have repcat cdly de-
clarcd that am not In favor Of State
prohibitdry law (although an unfriendly
newspaper correspondent has recently
sought to make n contrary lmpression),
and thut.1 do not bell eve that any tenn
perancc Legislation should BIO enacted
unless It Is backed by a strong public
sentiment which Will see to Its enforce
mont. 1 did not press the passage Of
the Mann law until the forces ! have
mentioned above got behind It and de-
manded It's passage. Only twenty-five
out of one hundred and forty members
Of a legislature almost solidly Demo-
cratic voted against the bill, and u
Democratic governor y signed it.45
"a strenuous effort has been made to
create the Impression that Il will BIO
defeated If nominated, This IS but a
cry raised to frlghten people who 40
y not think.@There la a. normal Democratic
najorlty In Virginia about 4o,ooo.tl 40
not Sbclleve any oneI who is well inform
cd on the political situation has any
fear Of the defet,t OF, the Democratic
nominee. b. The Republicans themselves
do not expect to win. II they did, noini-
nations for high Office would have been
In active demand, and would not have
gone to any man without opposition. /
honestly believe that i can secure more
votes as the candidate, Of the Democratic
marty than either OF my competitors. be-
cause the Temperance people OF oil par
ties would vote. for me. ,35
There Is no danger whatever that = nc
liquor people will leave the $ Democratic
party They cannot afford to. But tnehs
is nothing to fear&lf they do. Thou y az ;
OF Republicans In the dry counties or
the Southwest will vote with us on TINS
moral question Hundreds Of Repubii.
cans have assured me that they VIII
vote for me IT. I am nominated BESIDES
there are only 200 saloon keepers In the
state as against Il about 100000 church
members I my election would drive the
liuuor people out8of the party. they
would have left when the Mann law
was passed. / have not heard Of the DE-
parture from the party Of a single one.
s' There is one other matter that 1 wish
+ to touch upon. While charges against me
/ Of a personal nature have been circulated
throughout the State and have been p 1llt
5lished In the newspapers, some OFT them
as paid alvertlsem ents, and 81 many OF
them Intensely disagreeable and utterly
untrue, L have not at any time, nor has
anyone connected3with my campaign, nor
has any friend OF mine with my knoWI-
edge or consent. published or circulated
or caused 10 De- puui'sieu " -
nny charge OF any kind whatever reflact-
Ing upon either Mr. Swanson or Mr..
Willard. III strongly disapprove5 OF any
such method Of campaigning. There mas
not even been&a letter out Of my ONCE
which, would hesitate to show to either
OF my competitors. l have endeav'ocred N
tho conduct OF my campaign not TO DC
part from the strctestg ethics OF a pol!ti-
cal contest between friends. do not wish
to succeed because of the dement's Of
my opponents II they nave any, nu.
because Of nv own merits, and because
( Of the merit Of tho principle for which I
am contending.
II have been all over the state during
this campaign, and have visited nearly
every city and county, and want to say
that am prouder than ever was before
that I am Vlrglnlnn. nave ave %n DC
treated with great kindness and consid-
Grafton wherever / have gone, and every
where i have found the people well In
formed, contented and happy a ana every
thing indicating a high standard OF moral
ity and intelligence ,.5l .f.