The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1907-09-20
The Girl in the
Gallery


Copyright by DAILY story Pub. Coz
There were two factions IN the Re
publican party In the Seventh Con
ercssiouai district Ono faction. called
the SILK Stockings. contained the men
of wealth and influence The other.
called the Barefoot Brigade, was
made mp of disappointed Office seek.
ers. mon of unsettled occupation and
those Of marohistic and sociahstic
tendencies.
For many years the SIN Stocking
element had been in control The Re
publican party had a large majority
IN the district and all nominations
were equivalent 90 elections. The
Silk Stockings dictated the nomina.
tions and filed the Offices with their
own men They had built up q ma.
chine harmonious in an its details
and working perfectly In advancing
tho ambitions OF its masters.
The Barefoot Brigade was Of wavor-
ing and uncertain size. They wore
without organization and the attempts
Of any Of them to assume leadership
We're promptly put down by the jeal-
ousies of their friends Occasionally
they caused the SILK Stockings annoy
anco by their meetings IA which they
loudly denounced machine politics
and the power OF wealth. but few
kegs of beer or some minor Offices
pacihed them and their actual opposi-
tion was slight
The congressional district was com
posed OF five counties Every two
years each of these countries held an
election. voted for the man they de-
sired as n candidate for the congress
man and selected delegates TO the
congressional convention. the popula,
ton Of county determined nun.
ber of fits delegates. These delegates
were instructed 20 vote IN the con
yention for the candidate chosen by
their county and 20 use an honorable
means 20 secure his nomination
The conventions had heretofore
been only formalities The SILK stock
ines agreed upon candidate for con
gressman and the counties nominated
him
but conditions had been slowly
changing Young men of ability
were growing mp and in me old. con-
sorEativo faction there was mo- place
for them They gradually formed
an organization Of their own. drew
into 1t the Barefoot brigade and those
who had been drifting between the
two factions. and worked out Sc
ries of plans by which they could
eventually gain some recognition and
power In the party
For the first time the Barefoot
brigade had candidate Hiram
Stevens. wealthy lumber dealer OF
sherman county announced his de-
sire for the nomination for congress
man lie was o man Of excellent
standing. and had never affiliated with
either faction. This was his first po-
hncal experience.
The silk Stockings chose Randolph
Hardin Of Allen county as their can
didate
The strength OF the new group was
not suspected. and election day
brought o stunning surprise The
barefoot Brigade had carried three
counties for Stevens and the silk
Stockings two for Hardin. The ro-
turns showed. Allen. q for Hardin;
Blaine. 10 for Stevens, Morton. l6 for
Hardin. Sherman. q for Stevens,
York. 70 for Stevens Total Hard
In. 81; Stevens 40.
The convention was to bc held in
Allondale. the county seat OF Allen
county. and the home Of Hardin The
evening before the convention a dis
couaged. disheartcncd group Of SILK
stockings sat In Hardin's library dis
cussing their defeat There were bat
two ways by which they could yet
nominate their man, by porsuading
the other candidate 10 withdraw or
by buying hts delegates. So far an
their efforts 10 persuade OF TO buy
had been unsuccessful
1T looks as If we were completely
done for" said one of the men from
Morton county
You'd better withdraw. Hardin
rive-6tevens your delegates. aud make
me nomination unanimous, advised
one OF the leaders
"Not yet" said Jones Hardins p0
ntical manager and the chairman OF
the Allen county delegation. The con
vention does not meet until noon TO-
morrow. Something may turn up be-
fore then"
1T isn't possible" said one of the
/ mon. These fellows are after our
acalps. and they'll get them. stevens
has no antagonism toward u.s. but he
wants 20 go to congress. We cant
change his mind for him and We can't
get his delegates
81 never saw such stubborn crowd
as those Stevens delegates" grumbled
a prominent SILK Stocking They
don't know what money looks IKE
and they don't care 10 know. We
can't do anything with them"
Sherman county. stevens home
VIII stay with him. of course said
Jones. and the chairman Of the
! Blaine county DE- egation is HIS broth
er. so We can't 40 anything with them
York county IS onr only hope. If we
could. by any possible chance, get