Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-02
VIRGINIA POLITICS
REPUBLICANS OF THE WESTERN
DISTRICT STIRRED.
Special Correspondence of The Sunday Star.

Special Correspondence of The Sunday Star.
NORFOLK, Va, April 1, 1905.
Republican politics are just now the all
absorbing topic in this part of Virginia. The
recent visit to Norfolk of L. P. Summers Of
Abingdon, the successor of Park Agnew Of
Alexandria as the collector of internal reve-
nue. for the western district of Virginia, has
created a great furore among the republic
cans, and the circular letters from c. Bas-
com Slemp, the new republican state chair
man, calling upon the federal off1ceholders
hereabouts to contribute per cent Of their
salaries for the last year, coming so closely
upon the visit of Summers. has greatly
added to the political excitement of the
week.
Mr.. Summers, who received his appoint
ment through the influence CT Congressman
Campbell Slemp, the only republican rep
resentative in Congress from Virginia, came
to Norfolk as the personal representative Of
Chairman Bascom Slemp, who is the oldest
son of Representative Slemp. He met lead
ing republicans from all the counties going
to make up the second congressional dis
trict and talked very plainly to them for
over two hours behind closed doors. His
coming had been intimated to r. P.
Bunting, the republican district chairman.
and the latter had sent out secret notices
of the meeting.
Summers on Hand.
Floyd Hughes was called upon to preside
and H. F. Butt, jr., of Portsmouth. was
made secretary. This was all the local
people did. Mr.. Summers did all the rest
He told the second district people that they
had been enjoying public Office for good
long time without doing any great amount
of party work, so far as the people out in
the ninth district. where the republicans
are strongest, could see, and that the new
state chairman now expected them to be
up and doing. He said that the republicans
We're going to make desperate struggle to
carry the state in the gubernatorial election
next fall and that the party leaders in east
ern Virginia We're expected to aid materi-
ally in the work.
He said that what the leaders wanted to
do was TO see that the full registered re-
publican vote is gotten out for the pay
ment of poll taxes and that the party polls
its full strength when the election comes
around. He talked very plainly, and said
that If there were any now in control who
could not see their way clear to take off
their coats for hard work in an aggressive
campaign they had better resign at once
as their places would be Summarily filled
by others if they did not get out and make
way for those willing to work to defeat the
democrats, and not simply DESTROYS of main
tanning an organiZatio for the purpose of
enjoying federal Office when the time for
the distribution of patronage rolled around.
Summers On to Situation.
Mr.. Summers, who seemed to be quite
familiar with conditions in Norfolk county,
where the republican and democratic flu
sionists'' have been dividing offices, the re-
publicans taking few county offices and
giving the democrats the members of the
legislature, etc, addressing the Norfolk
county representatives at the meeting told
them that State Chairman Slemp expects
them to deliver at least one of the two men,
bers of the Virginia house of delegates to the
republicans at the fall election and that
this thing of giving everything to the demo-
Gratis for the sake of keeping a few IA
Vored republicans in good fat county offices
had to terminate
In this part of Virginia the republican
machinery is all in the hands of the old
wing of the party and
there are but few instances in which tire
new Slemp element even has representa-
uon on committees in the cities and coun-
ties. The visit of Mr.. Summers and his
plain talk was not reIished so much by the
but they are not saving
much
Following the visit of Mr. Summers. an
which had been waited for for
months of the new Norfolk CITY republican
committee was made At the last
city convention the naming of this com
mttee was left to special COMMITTEES of
fve, and after many efforts to pal,a IN
the committee in harmonious manner the
task was abandoned for the time being
Inc summers visit stirred up things, ana
the announcement followed. with the mama
oI not a single negro on the list
Negroes Totally Ignored.
Not since the civil war had the negro
neen totally ignored on the Norfolk repub-
hcan committee before, and the blow was
a bad one for the colored brother who is
mad and does not mind expressing his SEN
tlments The negroes all over the second
congressional district, one of the Virginia
'pfack-belt' districts, are up in arms at
the treatment they are receiving at the
hands of the lilly whites" and John l.
Mitchell of York, representing the colored
republicans has declared open war on the
white politicians
He says that the white men appeal to
them to bring out the votes, but that when
they appeal but for small recognition they
are turned down On every hand, and can
see nothing to hope for unless they start
a party of their own. Mitchell saws. how
ever, he is not yet deserving the state or
ganization. and that he intends to remain
IN as a thorn In the flesh of the whites
just as long as he can.
The receipt through the mail of the cir
cular letters from State Chairman Slemp
calling upon the federal of3ceholders here
to contribute per cent of their salaries to
the fall campaign fund is the sensa ton of the
day among the officeholders and others.
The new chairman writes very carefully
worded letter, but the meaning of the same
cannot be mistaken. The letter has been
received by the officeholders from the high
est presidential appointee here to the low
est under civil service appointment. Some
OF those protected by the civil service tore
up the letters which came to them. Others
are holding on to their communications and
awaiting to decide what will be done by
the big officeholders.
1t is generally believed that Judge L. L.
Lewis Of Richmond. the present United
states district attorney for eastern Vir-
ginia. will be given the republican nomi-
nation for governor, and it is with view
to electing the full republican state ticket
that Chairman Slemp has started out for
great republican campaign in Virginia.
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