The sun., 1909-11-27

Cheering Republican News ef ChaArman
sleniD and the Outlsek.

siemD and the Outlsek.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: I
have Just seen q clipping credited to your
paper entitled Did Taft Fail in virginia. .
This article seems more in the nature of q
criticism OF State Chairman Slemp than an
attempt TO explain to the readers OF your
newspaper conditions in Virginia. and
the incorrectness Of, the references to MIR.
Slemp Is 80 EiarinR that can hardly i'm
asine other than one of two things: that
the article was written by a partisan op-
ponent or by some one entirely unfamiliar
with conditions in Virginia, and therefore
relying upon misinformation.
State Chairman Slemp needs no COM
mendation in Virginia from friends. his
achievements and standing as a man of
| great political and business ability are too
well known here; but feeling that you could
have no desire to do him or our party here
an injustice. desire to give you some in
| formation:
As to Mr.. Slemp, personally and politi-
cally: A graduate of the Virginia Military
Institute. the West Point OF the South. with
the highest honors OF all the students at
that institution for sixty years. he studied
law and was admitted to practise Shortly
thereafter he became interested in coal
lands in Kentucky and there made fortune.
His father. Colonel Campbell Slemp. being
drafted to take up the forlorn cause OF
leading the Republicans Of the Ninth dis
trict to victory where others had failed, the
son jumped into the saddle and rode from
county to county and precinct to precinct
In that mountain country. getting together
| local organizations where none existed
and encouraging and heartening the or
| ganizations where they did exist. After
the most thoroughly organized campaign
run in the State since the civil war. by the
efforts OF young Slemp success crowned the
I han tn. hs,a fnh hxy
methods then in vogue on the part Of Demo-
cratic opponents. by tamperine with the
returns. Not to be outdone the Sfemps
employed the best legal talent TO be had
required the vote TO be counted as cast. and
the certificate OF election was awarded to
Slemp held the district by increased maiori-
ties until his death. when with one voice
the Republicans Of the district. In recosni-
ton Of the great work OF the son. unani-
mously called &. b. Slemp to represent
AS State Chairman Mr.. ,sIemp has given
freely Of his time and means TO I he party
In 1905 the Fifth Virginia pdistrict was al
most captured, the. Democratic nominee
Knowing the 1905 election would surely
spell defeat. the Democratic State Legisla-
therefrom the strongest Republican n county,
usually counted on Tor. 800 or 600 Republican
%nar State csasn .m ss *st EsSt Sn
turns the DenoersiAa candidate had about
contested. and we feel there is every reason
to expect the Republican. q candid ate 4. claim
70 be 50 strongly shown as TO cause him to
| In Virginia we have many conditions
to meet In the first place we have had
from father to son over reconstrncfion.
with which we had nothing 10 do. II is a
The negro QUESTION en' mss eSeT Snd psesscs
nntlI the Constitutlon OF 1901 disfranchised
them; and the Democratic machine. 70
make up for the fear OF inability TO win
upon prejudice and other methods adopt ed
an election law probably without parallel
auirements OF partisan registrars he must
have three years poll tax personally paid
he offers 10 Vote. The ballot Which III TnGn y. ia
handed when in the booth is one he in ex-
pressly forbidden by law TO have seen prior
not correctly mark same, even though a
business man and unless regist cred prior
! to 1904 or suffering from physical infrmity
ne can have no assistance in marking the
ballot.
With the exception Of few Of the noun
| tain counties every officer is a Democrat
| from supervisor OF roads to Circuit Judge
| This army OF our opponents Is ever alert
the Judge OF the s Court The % law q reaSires snes
q those s who have paid poll tax after me
qualify. and that is the only means by which
we can learn whsthsr or not our people
quite naturally see that their own people
pay up in time.
A TO the election officers, each OF the
three members OF each electoral board is a
democrat unless. as has occurred once or
twice because of some factional troubles 10
the Democratic party, Republican NAV be
apDointed and serve one termD, and there
fore we have no saw A. TO the election iud ges
or clerks. UsnRlly there are two judaes
and TWO clerks az each precinct who are
Democrats. and frequently the other Judge
though credited 10 the Republicans, is a man
who Ia out with his party.
All these conditions. disheartening as
know tss sse fse peoSe S 81 8TsSa are Ms
becoming weary Of old conditions: that
they are year after year coming to believe
IN RePnnnssn I n prinGiples: The R*publican
who understand and are thoroughly In touch
with conditions and who are no' Federal
of'ceholders. The organization is elected
by the par'y voters with a view to leading
the part5' to victory and not because OF in-
fuence at the Die counter" or ability 10
shake the plum tree, We have Just opened
quarters. Whereas We now have not one
Republican daily Dewspaper of Statewide
circulation. and but three small dailies OF
limited circulation. with eight or ten wee xiv
papers, efforts are being made 20 establish
"A good strong Independent State daily,
and viewing the great stay at home Demo-
cratic vote In the recent election We believe
the future holds out much announcement
and we now begin the fight with hope
Meeting the onslaught of twenty-nye Dem
ocratlc daily newspapers aud Q hundred
weekly Democratic newspapers must and
will be done.
Allow me 10 say that have sometimes
ern Republican newspapers do Ilot--Elsh
Southern States to become Republican be-
cause "a solid Democratic South" means "A
solid Republican North" However I am
= GEORGE l.. HART,
State Secretary
Va