Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-08-02
POLITICAL.

feated for State Senate by C. l..
Fletcher.
Secretary Taft captured the Ohio
State Committee from Foraker by 10 |
TO 6. They endorsed Taft for President.
u. S. Senator Pettus, aged Sc, of |
Alabama, died last week, and ex-Gov- |
ernor Joseph +. Johnston was APP
pointed by Governor Conner to succeed !
him.
1t is stated that Delegate Richard E.
Byrd, of Winchester, will be elected
speaker of the next Virginia House.
Out of at least lightweight Democratic
members over fifty are now said to be
pledged to Mr.. Byrd.
The President has appointed ex-Gov-
ernor Terrell, of Georgia, u. S. attorney
for the Northern District of his State.
This is believed to be shrewd bid
for favor when the right time comes,
as the Ex-Governor is Democrat.
1t is probable that the time may soon
come when State Senator George B.
Keezell, the giant legislator, of Rock
ingham, will be reckoned among the
gubernatorial possibilities, if not can
didates, of the future. Senator
Keezell himself is saying little, if any
thing, about the matter, but in political
circles he is being seriously discussed
in this connection.
A good story is told of the strenuous
President, when very lately delega-
ton called to see him at his summer
home. He was just going to the barn
to get in his hay crop, and was too busy
to talk but if the gentlemen would go
with him to the barn he would talk
while pitching hay into. the loft. The
gentlemen accordingly adjourned to the
hay-loft, or rather to the floor below,
when it was seen to be empty. "John,
where is the hay?" called out the
strenuous one. Haven't had time to
pitch it down yet-you pitched it all uI
yesterday" was Johns answer, anC
somehow there was chill in the air.
Perhaps the most interesting peice Of
information in Virginia politics is the
announcement that Judge William
Hodges Mann, State Senator from Not
toway, former and prospective candi
date for Governor and authorof the Mann
anti liquor measure, has resigned the
!, position of local attorney for the Nor
folk and Western Railway. 1t causes
no surprise to those who are close t.
the Judge. Indeed, il is said that h
!, has had the matter under advisemen
: for long time, and that year ago h
made up his mind to retire as soon a
the cases in which he was then coun
sci should work their way through tn
. courts. Judge Mann is candidate 70
reelection to the Senate from tn
Twenty-eighth District, and has alread
7 announced that he will run for Governo
again in 1909, but it is said that hi
: political aspirations have nothing to
: with his determination to retire fror
his position as a railroad attorney.
is supposed that Judge Mann simpl
. prefers other lines of practice. He
;, a lawyer of ability and is Democrat
|
caucus chairman of the Virginia Legis
lature.
r When the State Democratic Conver
$. ton meets next year there will certain
ly be fight made for the restoratio
of the convention plan for nominatin
Ia the major officers of the state in pre-
D. ference to the primary. There is nc
m only growing sentiment throughou
y the state against the primary bu
Id specific cases are giving food for cor
If siderable reflection. Among the case
er which are receiving great deal of az
verse criticism are the primaries
Of Newport News and Norfolk which a,
ne to nominate the corporation judges fl
ed these cities. 1t is not only bell
in ting for candidate togo button holm
ne and hob-nobbing from crossroads
w crossroads. but the main issues
ce Democratic primaries are person
o. ones. These personal issues should |
tie threshed out in a Democratic conve
ed vention and not made public propert
no and especially not given to the opposir
d parties for campaign thunder in Il
ad manner they are paraded when Dem
er cratic primary is on. Why not retul
as to the convention? The primary HI
re been tried and has accomplishe
n. so far as we can see, its pu
DIS pose. In no particular has it mar
d. tested itself to be superior to the CO
IS, vention. On the other hand it h
lie. proven a great expense, has provid
or campaign thunder for Republican
has been abused by Republicans beil
n allowed to vote, and has never fail
DIS to work up the community to a hil
It, pitch of personal bitterness and und
he Observation-Disclosures Monitor.
~ The blunders of the indiscreet enthu
" lasts in charge of Mr.. Bryan's poll
- ical fortunes must make his judicio
- friends grieve. Within few days tn
q. have, in the North, scored two signi
90 cant defeats, which, as time wears O
~ will do more than anything that has y
y happened to emphasize the fact tn
= Northern politicians are seriously CO
:. sidering the growing evidence that
III the South the old confidence that M
MS Bryan's availability is waning, on a
mt count of public ownership of railroa
a and Initiative and Referendum. r
| Gently the PENNSYLVANIA Danoocrai