Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-04-17
POLITICAL.

POLITICAL.
There are already about enough
Bryan Delegates" chosen to give him
the two-thirds vote necessary to nom-
mate at Denver.
Former City Attorney Richardson
defeated Mayor Mccarthy Tuesday in
the Democratic primary in Richmond
for the mayoralty. The fight was close
and hot, Mr. Richardson getting 374
majority out of more than FIVE thou.
sand votes.
Hon. w. A. Jones will be declared the
Democratic nominee again to succeed
himself in Congress. Short notice. a
tax of three or four hundred dollars to
enter, and Mr.. Jones' controlling his
district committee, doubtless deter as
pirants from entering the one-sided
contest.
The dissatisfied Republicans of the
State. those against the officeholders,
and negro members of the party are
getting together and are issuing a call
Tor district conventions for May 18th
in Richmond to name delegates to the
Chicago convention and to name candi-
dates for Congress.
Harry st. George Tucker, late Pres
ident of the jamestown Exposition
Company, fired the opening gun in the
gubernatorial campaign Monday when
he made the first speech of the cam
paign, formally announcing his candi-
dacy for the highest position within the
gift of the Virginia people.
Oh, no. The primary is not obiec-
tional because it speaks the language
of the tribe. The language of the tribe
is Democratic, and is the same, wheth-
or in convention or at the polls. The
primary is objectionable on the ground
that it is costly, cumbersome and dis
eriminatory in its operation. In the
latter respect it does not speak the
language of the tribe. Index Appeal.
For the first time in the history of
the Republican party in Virginia a
convention, held in Lynchburg last
week, was composed almost altogether
of whites. Only fifteen blacks were
present. One of these, from the First
District, tried to get recognition from
the chair, State Senator Noel presiding,
but he was simply stared at while cries
of "sit down" were heard all over
the hall. Senator Noel declared that
this. was a white mans Republican
convention, and any statement to the
contrary was lie.
Senator Noel, as chairman of the
Republican convention, had good
time telling them about all he did
down at Richmond. but it is a safe
wager that he failed to explain why
ne made speech crediting the Black
stone proceedings to the Swanson
Blackstone difficulty and then lodged
the vote on removal. He was mighty
glad to vote against Judge Rhea be-
cause it involved gallery play, but
the Senator from Lee could see no
political gain in voting against Judge
Blackstone, so he simply lodged. =
Free Lance.
Democrats before they elect dele
gates to the National Convention can
not afford to disregard political expe-
diency in considering the nomination of
any candidate. This, of course. only
applies to those Democrats who desire
to win; for to those who are so infatu-
ated with any candidate as to desire
his nomination though it is certain he
cannot secure a majority of the cleo
toraI college, it is useless to urge the
future welfare of the Democratic
party. But those who desire the enact
ment of Democratic policies more than
the temporary advantage of the nomi-
nation of their favorite candidate are.
OF course, patriotic enough to confer
with their brother Democrats from the
doubtful States that must be carried
to achieve success. 1t is fortunate
that the two-thirds rule in Democratic
conventions is necessary to nominate
candidate, for this check on hasty
action prevents the nomination of a
candidate that may have all the neces-
sary popularity in the South and West
and yet be entirely unable to carry
such doubtful States as New York,
New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and
Kentucky, which are absolutely neces-
SarV to win Washinoton Iotto.