Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-02-16
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1905.
VIRGINIA POLITICS THIS YEAR.

ernor and other State officers, but county
clerks are to be elected in each of the one
hundred counties of the State. with few
exceptions That election is to be pre-
coded by a Democratic primary which will
be held some time during the Summer to
select the Democratic candidate for Gov
ernor, for Lieutenant Governor, Attorney
General, Superintendent of Public In
struction and United States Senator
This primary will be as exciting as the
general election is likely to be. That
there will be an abundance of candidates
for each of the positions above named is
certain. Already three men have an.
nounced their candidacy for the Demo
cratic nomination for Governor, as many
for Lieutenant Governor, two or more for
Attorney General, and as many for Super
intendent Of Public Instruction. There
are only two announced candidates for
Unit d States Senator, Messrs. Martin and
Montague.
Tie contest for the Democratic nomina-
tion for Governor has already assumed a
lively form. This il particularly so as be-
tween the two young and eager candidates,
Swanson and Willard. They have. given
TO the public their views on what they
consider questicns of paramount interest
to the people, such as good roads and the
public schools. And each of them is
asserting his great interest in the wei
fare Of the workingmen, but each is as
eagerly trying to show that bis adversary
is not such friend. They have discussed
their respective records in connection with
what is known IS the employers liability
Ian, and the discussion has developed the
fact that neither Of these gentlemen, ac-
cording TO the record, was very friendly
TO that measure at the time of Its enact
menl. The controversy, however, has
rot done much to establish warm relations
between the two abitious gentlemen who
have been parties to it, Mr. Swanson has de-
clared his earnest desire TO make ageneral
canvass of the State and have Mr.. Willard
meet him on the stump. 1t remains to
Re seen whether Mr. Willard will accept
the challenge. If he does, lively times
are to be expected, and political fur Will
he scattered all over the State.
Judge Mann, the other candidate for
tie Democratic nomination, is not saying
much, hut Others are talking for him. He
il tie champion of the anti-saloon people,
and, const quently, is bitterly opposed by
all who favor the sale of liquor in the
State. As nearly all the counties in Vir-
gina are now controlled by the drys or
prohibitiouists, the anti-saloon people are
very hopefl, almost confident of nomi-
mating Judge Mann at the approaching
primary.
The contest for United States Senator,
while not triangular in form, will ulti-
mately become as warm and exciting as
that for Governor. Martin is a sErewd
politician and Montague is sly, as his title
of cred fox" indicates Neither of them
is now saying much, but their silent work
is constantly going on. There is no love
existing between these gentlemen.
Montague won the nomination tor Gov
ernor by appealing TO the people against
the machine of which he claimed Mr..
. Martin was the master. He then proceed
ed to build a machine of his own by which
he hoped to continue his hold upon his
party in the State. But now that 1t is
recognized as fight between the Martin
machine and Montague machine, the lat
ter cannot do bis work so effectively by
a,.,ool;co, 80 tba YDooY,lo f0 holm him Ovar-
throw "the officeholder's trust" The
Martin Montague fight may not be as
noisy as that between Swanson and Will
lard, but it will be no less tinged with Bit
terness..
The final outcome of the Democratic
primal will not strengthen the party or
its candidates. Besides the party will be
weakened by the course its leaders and
newspaper organs pursued toward MIR.
Roosevelt in 1904. The people will con-
trast that course with the attitude now
held by the leaders in Virginia and the
Democratic press toward the President
and the Republican party. The campaign
of Misrepresentation made by the Virginia
Democracy will react to its detriment in
1905. Then, it will have to meet the Re-
publican assaults upon the new constitu-
ton and especially the suffrage law. 1t is
The purpose of the Republicans to make
thcse assaults as fast and furious all over
the State as they were made in The Ninth
Cor Or. ssional District las' year. The poll
anite 80 ~ ~, not grow in