Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1907-12-12
DUTY OF REPUBLICANS.


Ninth District are called upon to make
a contest at the polls for the election of
Congressman. That contest. which |
Is to be made next Tuesday, the 18th
inst, is peculiar and unfortunate. A
little over year ago our party candi-
date was elected for his third term as
our representative in the Congress of
the United States. About two months
ago Colonel Slemp was taken away sud
denly and Unexpectedly by death.
Hence the special election to be held
next Tuesday to choose his successor.
Immediately after Colonel Slemp's
death, sentiment among the Republicans
Of the district conferred on his son, C.
b. Slemp, as his successor. All the
party leaders and aspirants for Con-
gress, save one, acquiesced in this sub
stantially unanimous sentiment of the
party. That one exception is the Hon.
David F. Bailey, who has defed the will
of his party and is now trying to dis
rupt our organization by the most ill
advised course we have ever known any
politician to pursue. He announced
himself an Independent candidate for
the unexpired term of Colonel Slemp
before any election had been ordered by
the Governor, and declared his purpose
to disregard the wishes of his party as
1t might be expressed in a regular con-
vention- His first appeal for support
was made to Democrats, and he has
never looked seriously to any other
source for his possible election. From
the start he was cruelty severe in his
assaults upon the party organization
and ungrateful in his treatment of the
men who had given him sufficient prom
inence to even make him an aspirant for
Congress.
One would have thought that after
MIR. Bailey had heard the remonstrances
OF friends and witnessed the almost
solid Republican opposition to his indie
pendent candidacy that he would have
turned from his foolish course and
bowed to the will and wishes of his
people. But as the campaign has pro-
gressed his bitterness has been increas-
ing, and his assaults upon his party and
former political associates have become
more vicious. He has placed himself
beyond the pale of sympathy or even
liberation from his party and old political
comrades. And we are not amiss in de-
claring that his unmerited abuse of
Bascom Slemp and false criticisms of
the Gate City convention have brought
him into contempt with minded
Democrats.
We have previously stated that the
present contest for Congress is peculiar
and unfortunate. Heretofore the Re-
publicans of the Ninth District have
been fighting known political foe.
Now they are placed in the peculiar and
unfortunate attitude of having to meet
and crush an enemy who has for many
years been a trusted member of our DO
litical household.
The line of duty for sincere, loyal Re-
publicans is plainly outlined Mr.. Bal
ley has deserted his friends and the DO
litical army with which he has been en-
listed. He is no longer shooting at the
Democratic foe, though he pretends to
be using Republican gun and Republi-
can ammunition. His poisoned shafts
are being hurled without mercy at
those whom he was recently proud to
hail as brothers, and bis announced pur-
pose is "that he will go to Congress or
burst the Republican party
Let every Republican in the district
on next Tuesday see and do his duty;
and let Bailey be crushed and buried |
beneath an avalanche of Republican
ballots. His disloyaIty to his party and
in6deIity to his friends merit the Sc
verest punishment; and it will be given
him with full measure.
Be certain to go to the polls next