Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-08-18
FRIDAY EVENING. AUG. IS, 1906.

FORMER JEug6 H. L. hO"i9, "i"iN
recently a United States District At
torney, and now the candidate of the re-
publican party for Governor of Virginia,
has returned to his home in Richmond
filled with optimism, although not over
burdened with modesty. The papers say:
lie is enthusiastic in his praise of the
convention and feels that this time the
republicans have an excellent chance to
win.
Praise is not unexpected from the
Judge, Tor it is only natural to "praise
the bridge that carries you over" but
in face of the poor showing made by his
party in past years, just why "that this
time the republicans have an excellent
chance to win" can be accounted for by
no better reason than the one Judge
Lewis works out to his own satisfaction,
but does not desire to immodestly en-
Ibasize-namely, the gentleman who will
head the republican ticket is the Moses.
The judge also says:
What we want in Virginia is change.
Aside from any partisan feelings, a
change in the States government Is
what is needed now. am not prophet
nor a politician, but we are going to
give them a mighty hard fight.
The judge wants change in Virginia.
Why certainly for it is known that the
Judge was one of the chief beneficiaries
of the readjuster republican coalition
so ably managed by William the First,
of Southampton, and which changed
every Judge in the State from the most
Insignificant county court to that OF
Judge of the Court of Appeals, the last
a prize drawn by Judge Lewis himself
in that unholy alliance. The judge
says he is "nOt a prophet nor a politi-
clan" Now this is clearly a cate of
"methDks the lady doth protest too
much" Not a politician ! Well if
one is to estimate by results the judge is
a past master in politics. He secured
a position as judge at the dictation of
the most arrogant of political bosses that
ever ruled party or a State,
from legislature whose acts were so
outrageous and had become so dis
gushing that at last some Of the
more respectable Of its members rebelled.
Not a politician Holding the position
of United States District Attorney, be.
slowed upon him presumably for the
reason that he is a good republican, he
resigns that Office to become a candidate
for Governor, and yet nothing OF
politician. The Judge makes one state
ment with which we agree when, speak
ing of the Roanoke convention:
As showing the practical elimination
of the negro as a voter, Judge Lewis
called attention to the fact that there
were only two negroes in the State con-
vention, whereas in former years they
have almost controlled its deliberations.
And he might have added that those
same negroes whom he now speaks of in
so flippant a manner cast for years the
majority vote for the republican candi-
dates and radical policies. OF course
this reference to the elimination Of the
negro as a voter is known as a sop to
catch some weak kneed democrat. Even
here Judge Lewis upsets to some extent
his declaration that he is "not poll
tician," for he plays politics, knowing
as he does that if negroes were like
white people-more susceptible to the
influences that affect white people-in
other words amenable to reason, few Of
them might be induced to vote for a
democrat, in which case the Judge would
have been more cautious in his utter
ances. But, politician as he is, he
knows that the negro will be told to vote
for the republican candidates, and lost
to all pride the negro will continue to be
satisfied with his political bondage, even
t. political placement aud to self-degra-
dation.