Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-04-15
NEWPORT NEWS
GETS CONVENTION
Republican Hosts Will Gather in The
City by The Sea on July 28th to
Name Their State Ticket.


tees, held in the parlors of Hotel Car
roll In the city of Lynchburg on last
Saturday evening at $50 O'Clock, New
port News, Va, was selected as the
place and July 2Sth as the time for
holding the State convention of the Re-
publican party.
O1t of sixty members of the two
committees, there were fifty-four pres
ent in person or by proxy. The meet
ing attracted large number of promi-
nent Republicans from throughout the
State, there being present probably one
hundred, in addition to the committee
membership.
State Chairman c. B. Slemp presided
over the meeting, with Mr.. D. c..
Thomas, of Abingdon, as secretary.
Mr.. Slemp stated that the meeting had
been called for the purpose of deciding
on place and date for the State con-
vention of the Republican party to nom
mate candidates for the various State
offices and to declare a platform of
principles for the party in Virginia. In
the course of his remarks the chairman
also stated that the future was very
bright for the Republican party in Vir-
ginia, and referred particularly to the
fact that five Democratic Congressman
from Virginia had voted few DAYS ago
against putting lumber on the free list.
1t was decided to call the roll by dis
trlcts and have each district present a
city for the meeting of the convention
if it so desired
When the first district was called.
Mr.. w. S. Copeland, president of the
Chamber of Commerce of Newport
News, and editor of the Press of that
city and Democrat, came forward and
extended an invitation on behalf of his
city. He said humorously that in the
language of Senator Martin his presence
had no political significance and that
this was the first time in his life that he
had ever appeared before q Republican
gathering seeking something. He then
proceeded in an able and convincing
manner to present the claims of New
port News, and called attention to the
many attractions afforded by the city by
the sea.
Mr.. George d. Wise, who was the
Republican candidate for Congress in
che First district, followed Mr.. Cope
land and also presented the claims of
Newport News in an able manner.
When tho ThfrI
Postmaster Royal E. Caben, of Rich
mond, came forward and made a bril-
liant and vigorous speech in favor of
the capital city. His speech would
probably have won the fight but for the
fact that the Newport News delegation
had reached the city the day before,
and by systematic work had seen and
talked with each member of the COM
mittee as he arrived in the city.
Seconding speeches in favor of Rich
mond were made by M. K. Lowry, col
lector of internal revenue for the East
ern district, and VIM. c. Pendleton, of
Tazewell. Mr.. j. W. McGavock, of
Wythe, made seconding speech in be-
When the Sixth district was called.
Postmaster Funkhouser, of Roanoke.
said that his city thought at one time of
inviting the convention, but had decided
not to do so, and that Roanoke would
support Richmond. No other district
presented any claims for the conven-
tion, and the ballot was then taken by
calling the roll, with Messrs. Cabell, of
Richmond, and Wise, of Newport News.
as tellers. Before the ballot was an
nounced, however, Mr.. Cabell arose and
moved that the selection of Newport
News be made unanimous, which was
done with will. 1t is understood that
the vote was 35 for Newport News and
10 for Richmond.
Mr.. Alvah H. Martin, of Norfolk,
then moved that the date Of the con-
vention be fixed for July 18th. Mr..
Carrico, OF Grayson, offered a substi-
tute that August 11th be named. Mr..
A. P. Crockett, of the Ninth district,
moved that August 18th be selected,
and Mr.. Carrico's substitute was with
drawn. Senator r. Walter Dickenson,
Of Russell, moved that the naming of
the date be left to the Executive Com
mittee to be called after the Democratic
primary had been held in order that the
Republicans might profit by any mis-
takes made by the Democrats. He said
that General Grant had said on one oc-
casion that the Democrats could always
be counted on to do the wrong thing at
the right time. This proposition, how
ever, met with but scant support; and
when the vote was taken as between
July 18th and August 18th, the earlier
date was selected by a vote of two to
one.
Mr.. Alvah Fl. Martin then feelingly
referred to the fact that Colonel Will
lam Lamb, a distinguished citizen of
Virginia, and the presiding officer at the
last State Republican Convention, held