Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-26
flavor MR. ROOSEVELT
Virginia Democrats Would
Nominate Him.
WON THEIR He a R rs
SENTIMENT AND OTHER REASONS
FOR APPROVAL.
His Position on Railway Rate Legisla-
T, ton Meets Hearty APP
probation.
WON THEIR HEARTS
spee,al From n star Correspondent.

Special From a staT Correspondent.
= RICHMOND, Va, October 26.-There Is
mo doubt hat the democratic leaders of this
fetate are thoroughly in earnest when they
declare that they are inclined to nominate
President Roosevelt for the presidency and
to give him the electoral vote of the state
IL the republican convention should fail to
place him in nomination, and If he Is nomi-
mated by the republican party they will still
incline to name him as their candidate and
thus give him the unanimous vote of Vir-
ginia.
L was inclined TO look upon the enthusiast
tic reception given To Mr.. Roosevelt by the
people OF Richmond as an example Of
southern hospitality manifested toward
their President. But talks with, leading
democrats here have convinced me that
Whatever the result may be, there Is we'll
defined purpose among large class of the
people to have President Roosevelt In the
White House at least four years after his
present term expires. There are three cnler
reasons that have contributed toward work
ing up the people here to such high pitch
of enthusiasm over the Idea that MI. RooSe-
Welt shall remain in office for another term.
One Of these reasons is sentimental and two
are regarded S intensely practical by the
men with whom / have talked.
The sentimental reason relates to Mr..
Roosevelts blood relationship with a dis
tinguished southern family. and especially
with men who wore the gray and fought
for the confederacy. Everywhere the Presi-
dents visit is discussed you will hear men
who believed in and fought for the con-
federate cause speak of him with the a1Iec-
ton of a comrade. One would suppose that
the President himself fired the last two
shots from the Alabama instead of his
uncle Blood counts for more down here
than 1t does in many other places and Mr..
Roosevelts relationship with confederate
10 tod ~
having fought for the cause himself. What
ever some people may have known about
the Presidents relationship with men of
the confederacy his speeches telling OF That
relationship burst upon the south like a
4 revelation. And the fact that he had been
Oabused by many people south OF Mason
and DixOns line added to the enthusiasm
over him, because they wanted not only TO
give him a royal reception but TO make
sure that there was no lingering Ill feeling
over the old scores.
Somehow the south feels that it has
not had a fair show in the matter of presi-
dents since the war, because 1t has been
felt that southern connections would kill
a candidate rather than help him for the
nomination of even the democratic party
J said prominent democrat. But when we
came to realize that the President is of
us. our hearts warmed toward him. 1t
seemed if he was our first President
q since the war. We want some more of
him just for luck"
sentiment may wear Ou.
This sentimental reason may easily wear
Off but more substantial reasons are being
talked of for the retention of Mr.. Roose-
! Welt in the White House another four
l years after his present term expires.
I Either OF these reasons may disappear In
I the next two years but they are not the
! less real today The people who believe in
/ railroad rae legislation along the lines
| that have been advocated by Mr.. Roose-
welt and feel that he. and lie alone, can do
I their work. They have been wonderfully
/ impressed with his directness of purpose
/ and his fOrCibe manner of expressing what
! ever he has had 10 say. They believe that
( If they get back of him nothing can pre-
4 vent the contamination of his purposes In
i relation to railroad legislation The de-
i mand for such legislation is very strong
/ among many people of influence in this
I state, and from their talk would sup
pose that their only possible hope to real
lie their wishes is through Mr. Roosevelt
% Then too. among the democrats here
there Is a feeling that it will be impossible
for their party to bring TO the front by the
time the next party convention IS held any
man who will inspire the party with the
idea of doing their work as well as M
Roosevelt. The democrats who rebelled
against the election of Parker say that they
have not changed their minds toward him
and thoughts Of Mr. Parker seem to sug-
gest a refrigerating room at once. Mr..
Bryan still has a following here. but II Is
not among the pOllticlinS VINO could bring
about the casting of the vote OF the state
for him. Mr.. Bryan is apparently as I'M
popular with the people who formerly
fought him as ever. Mcclellan is now
spoken of with admiration and enthusiasm
by many of the leaders of the state. and
there Is no doubt that he is looming up in
proportions that may be OF presidential
size couple of years hence
But there are many men who que stiou the
81. ability of the democratic party to elect Mr.
Mcclellan, whereas they declars that Mr..
Roosevelt has been so thoroughly tried and
knows his business well that they can
g depend upon him to carry out the policies
= they have at heart.
4 But while there is much sincere talk
about the prospective support that the
south VIII give Mr. Roosevelt thoughtful
G men realize that couple of years in poll
tics Is long time to look ahead They
say that their support in Congress during
the coming winter Will be largely on the
side of policies that Mr. Roosevelt may
advocate for railroad legislation If rate
legislation To suit them is accomplished
then they say the demand for Mr. Roose-
welt for another term will be greatly les
sened But should there be tie-up in Con-
gress with the result that nothing is done
they say they will get in line to support the
President until he yy{u 10 Hoht