Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-07-06
WHY NOT REPUBLICAN SUCCESS ?

sibility of Republican success in Viz
ginia at the coming State election.
Some of them treat the matter in
serious and others in facetious man.
ner. The Richmond Journal, the new,
bright evening paper of that city, says:
1.-THE Republican party in Virginia is
really the administration party, and,
therefore, subject to all the manifold
whims of a rather whimsical admins
tration. The President may at any
time change his mind, and then where
will the Republicans be with their
promising programme?
''Not until the Republicans in Vir-
ginia declare their independence and
cease to be essentially the administra-
ton party will they ever seriously men
ace Democratic supremacy in the
State. They have got to take root in
the soil, otherwise, they are a mere
exotic growth drawing their inspiration
solely from Washington.
Our Richmond contemporary thus
treats the matter of the Republican
outlook in Virginia in a serious way.
However, it is measurably mistaken
both in its premises and conclusions.
The Republican party in Virginia en-
dorses most earnestly the administra-
ton of President Roosevelt, and that
certainly will not prove source of
weakness. With the Richmond Times
Dispatch and other Democratic newspa-
pers speaking of him as "Our Demo
cratic President" even if the RepubE-
can-party here "is essentially the ad-
ministration party" that fact ought to
win rather than rempel heretofore Dem
ocratic voters. But our contemporary
is mistaken in the conclusion that the
Republican party in Virginia is "a mere
exotic growth drawing its inspiration
solely from Washington. 1t has taken
deep root in the soil of the Old Domin-
ion, and its greatest growth has been
in the white districts where Democracy
was once all-powerful. Besides, the
Virginia Republicans will make their
fight in this campaign almost exclusive
ly on State issues. They pursued that
course in 1904, and are not afraid to
make the contest on the same lines
again. The vicious new suffrage laws
and the corruption and ineapacity OF
the Virginia Democracy in the manage
ment of the different departments OF
the State Government will be presented
to the people by the Republicans with
such force and earnestness as to put the
Democrats on the defensive from start
to finish. And if the masses are not
more thoroughly welded to the much
worn and abused name Democracy"
than they be to the fundamental princi-
Piles of right and good government,
Democratic supremacy will not only be
menaced but will be overthrow.
The Roanoke Times is disposed to
treat the hopes and efforts of the Vir-
ginia Republicans in facetiOus manner.
In its issue of the 10Th ult., it said:
Chairman Bascomb Slemp of the
Republican State Committee is reported
to be in a decidedly hopeful frame of
mind concerning the approaching cleo
ton in this State. $50 In the confidence
and exuberance of youth, Chairman
Slemp may see the present situation
from an abnormally sanguine standpoint.
-" 4" Who indeed can do aught else
but admire such an one when beholding
him, full of ginger, breathing brave
defiance, and from spurred heel to
plumed crest, just naturally "a spiling'
for fight. e this is about the only
opportunity that he will have for boast
ing and feeling good. Let him get all
the pleasure out of it that is possible.
When the Virginia Democracy, headed
by that prince of political fighters J.
Taylor ElIyson, once gets through with
Mr.. Bascomb, he will be like leader
without host-a shattered factor in
Virgjnia's political life-and with his
eaglet's feathers all awry, he will be
asking Of whom he meets, where were
you when the cyclone struck us?'"
With these humorous but fiippant
sentences our Roanoke contemporary
exposes the apprehensions and discloses
the secret hopes of the Virginia Demo
crazy. Not by might, not Dy rlgnt,
not by honest merit, but by shrewd
and constituencies management of the
campaign can the Democratic leaders
hope to win. j. Taylor Ellyson has won
former victories though stuffed ballot
boxes and manipulated returns. With
such frequent and earnest expressions
from 50 many Democrats for honest
elections, can Mr.. Ellyson employ the
same agencies again to secure a dishon-
orabie victory for his party7
OUR DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT.
In a forecast of the proceedings Of