The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-15
go From Home to Hear the
News

The Washington correspondent OF the
Boston Transcript tells the readers of his
paper that zone OF the most interesting
lilly white experiments ever made with
the Republican party Is soon to be UNDER
taken III Virginia." He says that the
Democrats Of that State have adopted a
constitution which has deprived nine
tenths of the colored men Of the right
to vote" and that the Republicans will
now see what they can do to wrest SUI
premacy from the dominant Democracy.
TIe says further that 1t is asserted by
Virginians who are familiar with the
situation that under these new conditions
had Virginia been organized as thor
oughly as West Virginia In the recent
national campaign, Roosevelt would have
carried its electoral vote. and. by way
Of substantiating that claim, he points
to tho Republican victory in the Ninth
Congressional District.
If this correspondent had confined him
self to theorizing and to conjecture as to
what might have been. he would have
DcGll vi Sdlc b Oullup lOl tiC1S - ~ way
Of proving that conjcctures are false.
Blunt unfortunately for him, he leaves the
realm of speculation and addresses him
self to the consideration Of the present
situation.
1.-THE Republican vote has not been
brought out In Virginia for years" says
he, except In spots like the Ninth Dis
trict. This year, because Of tho bitter
contest within the Democratic party be-
tween Martin and Swanson, who are can
didatcs respectively for the Senate and
tho governorship on one side, and Mon
tague and Willard, candidates for the
same offices on the other there Is some
prospect tina he Republicans will be sue
ccssful, united as they are In the prob
able candidacy Of Judge l.. l.. Lewis
Proceeding to discuss this ''bltter con-
test he says that the popularity of tho
Democratic fight, as 1t now appears, Is
that large number OF tho adherents
of Swanson say that they will vote for
Lewis IL Willard should be successful,
whilo tho Willard followers in an equal
number Of instances, profess their prefer
cnce for Lewis over Swanson, and that
unless this breach Is healed 1t will mean
considerable weakening of the Demo-
craft party at the polls. And then, by
way Of putting q cracker on tho state
ment, no declares that Seldom has n
fractional controversy gone farther"
1t will be interesting news to the
voters OF Virginia that there is bitter
contest between Willard and Swanson.
and that If either one of them Ia nomi-
mated many Democrats will desert and go
over to the Republicans. Judge Mann
will doubtless take great comfort In this
announcement, md circulate it through.
out the State In the interest OF his own
candidacy, Notwithstanding the fact that
the correspondent leaves the Judge en-
tircly out Of his calculations.
This letter Is amusing, but 1t is also
interesting as showing how easy It Is
for Northerners to get twisted view
OF political conditions In the South, But
there is hint In IT, erroneous MS 1t is,
that Democrats may take to heart Com
ditions have changed Tho negro ques-
ton has been eliminated White voters
are more independent than ever There
| fore, in order TO insure the election of
the Democratic ticket, the candidates must
be fairly nominated. Debauch the pri-
mary and the Republicans will indeed
| have q chance to win.