Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-25
IN THE OLD DOMINION
TWO LEADERS OF Divergent
VIEWS ON LIQUOR QUESTION.

RICH MOND. Va, August "a 1907.
The senate at its next session will have
two men who will represent distinctly OPP
posing interests. sentiments and policies.
John A. Lesner Of Norfolk county, who has
been nominated for the senate from that
district. is president of the Virginia Liquor
Dealers Association. and as such is much
interested in the enactment of legislation
that will give the men engaged in that traf
tic all the latitude possible under proper
control. Judge Mann, the great apostle OF
temperance. will lead the force in opposi-
ton to the wishes and ideas of the Norfolk
county senator. He Is old man at the
helm and has succeeded in bringing about
much of the restrictive legislation that now
finds place the statutes of the state.
He is good speaker. clear headed and fond
of fight. Judge Mann is known far and
wide as the foe of the fake clubs with
which the state was al one time infested
and which have been driven out of bust
ness to a great extent by measures which
he championed in the senate.
Mr.. Lesner is reputed to be a good busI-
ness man. not given to much talking, and is
said to be able to present his views on mat
tiers in a plain and straightforward way.
He + a man of affairs and Is interested in
many enterprises in his section.
Northumberland Struggle.
The contest for the senatorial nomination
in the Hanover. Caroline and King William
district between Senator Henry T. Wick
ham and DR.. Charles U. Gravatt is the one
which at this time engages the attention of
the politicians Senator Wickham is chief
counsel for the Chesapeake and Ohio Com
paLy. has been in the senate for nearly
twenty years and Is one of the best-known
public men of the state. He is regarded as
the most astute tinancier in either branch,
having been chairman Of the senate finance
committee for many terms. The opposition
to him is due wholly to his connection with
the railroad interests. and while the people
of the district have all confidence and re-
spect for him. they do not hesitate to say
that they would prefer that he were not
identified with the transportation company
DIR. Gravatt is retired naval officer lives
in Caroline and is gentleman who stands
well with the people. He has been making
a still hunt for votes. has been on the
stump and has debated the issues. He Is
not inimcal to the railroads. but takes the
ground that a representative of the people
should not be so surrounded that he might
be influenced in his voting on matters which
affect the people. The question has been
raised as to whether he is eligible for the
place. the state constitution providing that
no man who holds any position of trust or
emolument under the federal government
can hold office in Virginia. If he should
win the nomination there is good reason to
believe that the right to sit as a member of
the senate will be raised and would have
to be adjudicated by the courts. Politicians
express the belief that Senator wickham
will be returned to the senate. and he has
scores of friends who are actively at work
In his behalf.
Ran Tucker for the Senate.
Judge J. Ran Tucker. jr.. will be mem
Der of the next senate. He comes from the
district composed of the counties of Bed
ford and Rockbridge, having defeated Col.
Robert Catlett, assistant to the attorney
general, by the narrow margin of twenty
nine The election was held a week ago to-
day, but not until the arrival of Col Cat
lett In this city yesterday were the actual
figures known. Judge Tucker is a son of
John Randolph Tucker, for years a member
of Congress from the tenth district. He is
very much like his father in general ap-
pearance and has inherited much of the
brillancy and force of his distinguished
ancestor. Col. Catlett was sick for three
weeks during the campaign and did not
get to his home county till two days before
the primary. The vote in the district was
very light.
A night or two ago some of the foremost
men in the republican party held a con-
ference here. 1t was strictly lilly white
affair from beginning to end. Not COL
ored man was in attendance. The bulk of
the men were those filling federal positions
internal revenue men, court officials, let
ter carriers and clerks in the post office.
There were about twenty five in attendance,
and some good talks were made. C. Ridge
way Moore presided. The ostensible pur-
pose of the meeting was to take steps to
put up republican candidates for the gen.
eral assembly in this city and to do what
was possible to have republicans nominated
in other sections of the state. In fact
complete reorganization of the party was
the object desired. together with the pur-
pose of aligning the republicans for the con-
vention to be held next year to send dele
gates to the national republican convention.
If this side of the matter was brought out
In the meeting 1t has not been made pub
lie, but there is good reason for the belief
that the republicans of the Subsequently,
the lily whltes-are standing for the men
and policies of President Roosevelt He