Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-05
Mr.. SIMMONS STRONG FIGHT
He and His Lieutenants Have Been
Increasingly Active.
SAUNDERS AN ABLE SPEAKER
While the Republican Candidate Has
Chance, 1t is Expected That
the Lawyer Will Win.
Special Correspondence OF The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
DANvILLE Va, November 5. 1906.
While a great deal of attention has been
paid to the congressional fight in the ninth
Virginia district. comparatively little has
been paid to the contest which has been
waged in this. the fifth district. The fact
that the former is already represented by
a republican, whom the democrats are try
ing to GUST, has lent interest to the fight,
while this district has for years been DEM
ocratic, and Virginia democrats never ex-
pect to lose anything.
However, the fight in the fifth has been
a hard one for both parties. Democrats
in position to know conditions thoroughly
have known from the first that there was
chance to lose the district. and they
have had their coats off for several weeks
trying to roll up a majority for Judge E.
w. Saunders, the democratic candidate.
The republicans knew that with the re-
tirement of Representative Llaude A. Swan
son. who became governor of the state
the LIST of last February, the democratic
candidate would not be as strong as he
had been for the years Swanson was the
man. So they nominated J. w. Simmons
to make the fight and it must be admitted
that he has made good one.
So far the republicans are concerned
the fight has been a 'stil. hunt" Mr.
Simmons and his lieutenants have beer
increasingly active, in the quietest possible
way, and there can be no doubt that the
result will show the effectiveness of their
work. The republicans have made almost
a ouse-to-house canvass of the district
and the value of such work can hardly be
overestimated. Mr.. Simmons is a man OF
good character and considerable ability
but he has not tried to exercise his talents
as stumper He has preferred the other
n no ny md hn Al hIxv nj
wisely. Mr.. Bruce. in the ninth district.
has chosen to make this kind of fight
against Representative Semp, and 1t is a
foregone conclusion that he will greatly re-
duce the republican majority. even If he
Is not elected.
An Able Speaker.
Judge Saunders has conducted a speak
ing campaign. He is an able speaker and
he admits that he loves to address the peo-
pie from the hustings One of the best
lawyers in Virginia, he is also one of the
most thoughtful speakers, and while he
may not always entertain to the end OF
his speech. he always instructs, and i'm
presses his hearers with the fact that the
speaker knows just a little more about his
subject than anybody else knows. Judge
Saunders was member of the Virginia
legislature for years and was speaker OF
the house of delegates for one term.
Judge saunders will probably be elected.
But conservative democrats say the demo-
cratic majority will probably be reduced
considerably. Representative Swanson was
elected by majority Of about 41OC
In 1904, but this was a much larger ma
jority than usual. The republican candi-
date that year was "Brack'' Stovall VINO
could not poll the full republican strength
owing to certain factional differences in
the party. Conditions are different this
year. and the party Is said to be absolutely
harmonious. So far can be ascertaned
this claim Is correct
The republicans have always claimed that
the chances of electing a republican were
as good as the chances of electing demo
crat Democrats have not admitted this
but that they have realized that there was
danger of being defeated Is evidenced by
the fact that they brought into the district
several speakers to help out Judge Saun-
ders. Gov. Swanson made several speeches
In his old district, as has exerted his in
fuence in behalf of his longtime friend
Judge Saunders. Ex-Gov. Montague. who
is voter in the fifth district, spoke here
during the campaign. and there have been
other speakers from out of the district in
GLIDING Senator Daniel. who have lent q
helping hand to the democratic nominee
The republicans have not sought such
outside help. Secretary Shaw spoke at
Martinsvlle in Henry county and in this
city. With this exception and 1t was helm
make it more or less ineffective no other
speakers from out of the state. or even the
district. SO far as recalled, have helped out
the republican nominee
"Still Hunt" Policy.
The still hunt policy of the republicans
has been adhered to to the last. and they
claim it will prove successful. The repub-
licans do not hesitate to say they will
carry the district. In the old days. before
the disfranchisement of the negro, the dis
trict was sometimes republican. A demo-
cratic majority of 1,JOO, received by Mr.
Swanson few years ago, was regarded as
something of a landslide. Once or twice
the district was so close that the demo
Gratis right to his seat was contested in
the House of Representatives.
The republicans gained county officers In
several counties of the district in the state
elections last fall They claim they did not
try TO carry the counties for Judge Lewis
the gIlbernatortal candidate. knowing that
his defeat was assured. but centered theil
efforts upon the offices of county clerk and
county treasurer, hoping. through the infu.
ence of these officials, to capture the vote
of the counties in later elections. They
succeeded in defeating the democ ratio can
didates in several of the counties 1t re-
mains to be seen whether their hope OF re-
ducing the democratic majorities in those
counties or carrying them for the repub
lcans will be fulfilled
Mr.. Swanson has a very large persona
following in the district. This often gave
him a larger majority for Congress thar
any other man could have expected Judg,
Saunders cannot hope to poll so large
vote as was habitually polled by Gov
Swanson.
Judge Saunders. however, has good rea
son To expect the count to show he has
been elected by reduced majority. He
will, If elected, serve out the portion OF
Mr.. Swanson's term. which expires on the
9th Of March. in addition to serving the two
years ending March 4. 1909.