Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-03-16
THURSDAY, MARCH Is, 1905.
DEMOCRATIC APPREHENSION.


There can be no denial of the fact
that thoughtful Democrats in Virginia
are becoming very apprehensive as to
how the approaching election in this
State will result. Commenting on the
probable acceptance by Judge l.. l..
Lewis of the Republican nomination for
Governor, the Richmond News Leader
does not hesitate to say that the Demo
Gratis will need every vote they can pos
sibly get to insure the election of their
candidates. Our contemporary says:
cit is announced that Judge l.. L.
Lewis is willing to accept the Republi-
can nomination for Governor of Vir-
ginia. If he does accept he will be a
formidable candidate. The Republican
masses in the big white counties are
eager for victory and will be solid and
aggressive if they see the least hope
for it. Many of the Democrats in those
sections are yet sore over some of the
provisions of the new constitution and
over the action of the convention in de-
claring the constitution in force instead
of submitting it to popular vote.
Judge Lewis's personal popularity
will win for him the good will if not the
actual support of many Democrats OF
good position scattered through the
State"
With these conditions confronting the
Virginia Democracy, our Richmond con-
temporary urges the party to nominate
a strong man, one who can unite the
party and poll its solid vote. This sug-
gestion is an admission that there are
no Democratic candidates who are
stronger than their party. They were
all connected with and made part of
the record that party has established IN
connection with the making of the new
constitution. The masses, who are
sore, are not going to be fooled again
by the men that assisted in heaping the
outrage upon them and the candidates
who will be compelled to uphold the
wrong.
Our esteemed contemporary will find
that the people are not only sore but
righteously indignant at the treachery
of the Virginia Democracy. 1t is pass
ing strange that the Democratic leaders
in Virginia can ask for or expect to
hold the confidence of the honest masses
so soon after these leaders have deliber-
ately and flagrantly violated the conf
dence that had been reposed in them.
The News Leader cannot fail to re-
member that the State convention held
by the Democratic party at Norfolk in
1900 gave solemn pledge that, if a
convention was called and new consti- |
tuition made that constitution should be
submitted to the people for ratification
or rejection. When the people were
called upon to pass upon the question OF
whether a constitutional convention
should be held the same assurances of
submission were given. The Repu bill |
cans warned the people that the pledge
of submission would be violated. 1t
was then that such prominent leaders
as Senator Daniel and Attorney General
Montague went upon the stump declar-
ing that the Republicans were liars and
that the constitution would be submit
ted. Both of these gentlemen had pre-
yious to the Norfolk convention declared
that they would never give their con-
sent to the making of constitution
that was not submitted to the popular
vote.
By deception large vote was OBJ
tanned in the white counties for calling
the convention, and the votes were ma
nipulated in the negro counties. In
that way the convention was ordered.
Democratic duplicity was enlarged by
the act of the General Assembly which
required that when the constitution was
framed it should be submitted to the
people. The delegates were elected,
and as soon as the convention assembled
it was made clear that all pledges the
Democracy had made the people were to
be ignored. The machine which con-
trolled the convention arrogated to it
self the sovereign power that is only !
lodged in the people. 1t was ordered
LndL Tile IueHiUSlo VI WV NNAA'
shoule take no oath to serve the people
honestly and faithfully. Claiming that
the people had transferred their SOW 4
ereignty to the convention, the constitu- t
ton was proclaimed and Democratic
perfdy was made complete. When
Governor Montague spoke at Tazewell
last Fall he was called upon to explain
why he had given his consent to pro- h
claiming the constitution though he had C
declared he would never give his con- G
sent. He could offer no other explana-
zion +han that the convention in its wis !.