Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-08-11

Winning a victory that has never
been oqnalled in Il local political
contest, Judge r. j. l'arham, of the
Corporation Court, was yesterday
nominated to succeed himself by the
Democrats of the city. With -four
candidates in the field-and all four
lof them well known. popular attor-
lneys with strong personal fohowings
Judge Barham received Il clean ma
Iority of 131 votes. or about 55h per
cent of the 500 ballots east in the
primary.
Half an hour after the polls closed
last night, ut o'clock. the result, was
known. Before 10 o'clock the city
Democratic committee had held Il
injecting. received the returns from
the four wards and declared Judge
Barham the nominee. The plan re-
quired that second Primary be held
next Saturday. August II, in event no
Ncandidatc received rs much as 40 per
cent of the vote. but the overwhelm-
ing victory of the winner settled the
question and there will be no second
primary.
Judge Barham hoped ana expected
to receive more than the required 40
lper cent, hut probably he and his
most ardent supporters were sur
prlsed by the result. He not only re-
c.. ID 1871 votes more than his three
opptn- ents combined, but his vote
was considerably more than double
that of MIR. Semmes, the second can
didatc. and more than six times that
OF Mr.. Robinson. who ran fourth.
Voto Unexpectedly Large.
The primary passed OFF quietly, but
the vote polled was unexpectedly
large. Only about / $50 ballots were
%ast in the recent Legislative pri-
Iipary, and il was generally believed
hat he total yesterday would Iall
ft.r below this figure. Rain fell near
y all afternoon and few hours be-
fibre the polls were closed ii was
feared that not over $50 ballots would
ba cast.
The four candidates and few
friends of each were ut work around
the polls nearly all day and their ef-
forts brought ont many voters who
otherwise might have been kept away
by tho rain.
The polls opened at $50 o'clock in
the morning and closed at o'clock
at night, and during the entire day
there was hardly an incident worthy
of mention. In the Fourth ward the
ballots were counted in about fifteen
minutes and the work was done in
the other three in about the same
time.
A Clean Campaign.
Tho primary closed most extra
ordinary campaign. Only one of the
four candidates spoke in public and
the contest was entirely free from
mudslinging and other disagreeable
features. Judge lsarham's present
term of Office does NOT expire for
more than a year. but his successor
is to be named by the next Legis-
laturo for an eight year term. Inc
Democratic candidates for the Senate
and House of Delegates, selected in
the recent primary, will abide by the
will of the party as expressed yester-
daj.
Mr.. b. II. Semmcs. who ran second
In the primary. was greatly disap-
pointed over the result. Late yes
terday afternoon he believed that he
was going to receive 40 per cent of
the entire vote. Mcssrs. A. G. Gar
rett and c. w. Robinson did not seem
TO be very much disappointed. they
were surprised at the small vote they
pollcd.
As shown in the accompanying ia
BILE. Judge Barham carried every
ward in the city, and received ma
jorlty in all except the Second. In