Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-03
REDISTRICT VIRGINIA
WILL BE A DIFFICULT JOB FOR
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.


Special Dispatch to The Star
- RICHMOND, Va. December 2.-The mat
ter of redistricting the state will be
difficult Job when the general assembly
meets. The state is to be given a general
shake-up. and there are signs that Rep
resentative Slemp will have to deal with
a much larger democratic vote the coming
fall than he mas ever had to face Either
that will be done he will have an I'M
questionably larger republican vote, the
idea being to cut off the counties now
''hopeIessly republican" to make certain
the districts that will be contiguous to
the present ninth district. Representative
Swanson's old district (the fifth Is to come
in for part of the shake-up, and the coun-
ty of Halifax may be stricken from the
sixth and returned to the fifth, as 1t was
many years ago. The first and second dis
tricts will feet the effects of the redls-
tricting as much as any other parts of the
state, and the redistricting will serve to In
troduce new aspirants for the nomination
In Mr.. Jones district. The attitude of
Judge E. w. Saunders of Franklin In the
selecting of a successor to Representative
Swanson is defined in letter received in
this city a few days ago. He said that
until Mr. Swanson had quilted the halls
of Congress he would make no statement
in the premises, concluding his letter with
this statement: For some reason 1 would
like to go to Congress; for other reasons
l prefer to remain where I am.
Former Senator Barksdale of Halifax,
who was in the city yesterday, in discussing
the matter with a correspondent Of The
Star, said: IF the county of Halifax is
put back in the fifth district for the pur-
pose of making the district Enthusiastically
democratic. then / shall enter the contest
for the ton, regardless of who is
or who is not candidate. And. without
any desire to do any boasting, l will tell
nny,la nT hat ofrfot hat mil cyo
to the primary with a pretty solid vote
from my home county. Halifax has about
$500 democratic votes. and that may be
something of factor II / get into the
race 1 am certain that 1 could poll at
least $500 of the total vote
After slemp's Scalp.
The democrats OF the state are to make
an effort to take the political scalp OF
Representative Campbell Slemp OF the
ninth district. In the presidential election
the district went republican by some six
thousand majority, while in the last cleo
tion-with the democrats badly disorgan-
lied and many remaining away from the
polls-the majority for the republican ticket
was cut down to about two thousand. 1t
will be remembered that Col. Slemp made
repeated boasts OF what the republicans
would do in the state, and the fact that
the most strenuous campaign the republic
cans have waged In twenty years was con-
Quoted with net loss to the republicans
of members in the general assembly has
discrediated the republican leader in his
own district Some of the republicans
claim that he has lost whatever prestige
he may have had, and the democrats are
making the most Of the changed condition
and are preparing to organize that district
In a compact and solid manner and to have
representative In Congress who is more
In accord with the sentiments of the peo-
pie of the state.
Gov. Swanson Much Sought.
Governor-elect Swanson is to make the
memorial address to the Ellks In this city
tomorrow. He is q member Of the order.
holding his membership In the lodge at
Danville. He was requested to make the
address at many places, but this city had