Evening star., 1907-11-10
IN THE OLD DOMINION
CHAIRMAN SLEMP PLEASED
OVER ELECTION RESULTS.

RICHMOND, Va, November 8, 1907.
c. Basconlb Slenlp, the republican state
chairman, expresses himself as delighted
with the result of the election in this
state Tuesday. Mr.. Slemp says he is
more than gratified at the success which
attended his party at the polls. In this
respect he Is entitled to pride. for there
were not candidates Of his party In more
than third of the state-that is for the
general assembly-and in that quota he
managed to pull the party through by
adding two more mebers to the general
assembly. Both OF these were captured
in districts which had democrats already
in office. That is a feather in his cap,
and it opens up the question of the voters
Of the state breaking away from party
lines.
In this city, for instance. the sole re-
publican candidate for the general assem-
bly,. with the Endorsement of the party
behind him. polled some $50 more votes
than an independent candidate for the
senate. This does not represent the negro
vote, for other than federal employees
they did not vote. There can be no ques-
ton that former democrats voted for
the republican candidate for the house.
and there is no question that had the re-
publicans put up a full ticket for the gen.
eral assembly In this city tlat taey
would have polled more votes than were
cast for Mr. Drew
The absolute lack of interes, in tn
election, the Indifference of the democrats
and the unusually small vote has served
to alarm the leaders of the dominant
party in this state. When 1t is consld-
cred that the state IS On the border OF
what promises to be almost a temperance
fight with the voters displaying no in
terest in contests there is good reason
Fnr tiToc tl,Gf
state viii go II these conditions continue.
The complete returns show that the
democrats will have four-fifths more vot IS
in the general assembly than the repub-
iicans, and at the same time it discloses
that the republicans are making steady
jnroads on the democrats, the opposition
increasing with each succeeding year
since the new constitution became op-
erative.
Poor Pay for Preachers.
The 125th annual session OF the Vir-
vinia Methodist conference Is to be held
in the city of Petersburg. beginning
Wednesday of next week, There are %
ministers in the conference. and it is un-
derstood that this is to be the year for
the transfer of many from on cha g.
to another Bishop Charles r. Galloway
of Mississippi is to preside. The church
organs are discussing tn pay given to
the ministers in the conference. Tn4
average paid in Virginia the past var
was S017.45, or bit more than S75 a
month The papers are co1tendlng that
the poor pay for preachers Is having a
very disastrous effect, and that it is
keeping many OF the brightest men in
the denomination from going into the
ministry, especially WHEN there are so
many attractive fields bidding for young
men. This average, however, 1T is con-
tended, is by no means fair. The minis
ters in the city churches receive far more
than the ministers in tn country dis
tricts, and while the country charg' con-
stitute more than two-thirds of the pas
torates in Virginia the fact is that the
city pastors receive considerably mora
rN"n one-half of the total for all minis
ters.
Inc general assembly will be asked to
take up the question of selling cocaine.
an industry which has assumed consider
able proportions in all sections of the
state. especially the cities. The matter
is being discussed by the police author-
ties at this time, and a united effort is
to be made to have enacted a law which
will provide a penalty that will deter
people from violating the laws.
The fines of 800 and a term in jjai
does not have the effect desired, and there
is now suggestion that the persons con-
victed of selling the drug shall serve
from one to five years on the highways,
working on the convict road force There
is no doubt in the minds of the police
that the bulk of the thafts and other
crimes committed in Virginia are directly
traceable to the use of the poison. It's
alarming extent, and they hesitate at no
deed when they want to get the drug
Alleged Malpractice.
The arrest of DR.. A. Monteiro of this
city on a charge, Of alleged malpractice