The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-06
WICKHAM TALKS
TO GOOD PEOPLE
Candidate for Congress Speaks His
Views Right Out in Plain
English.
JUDGE WlCKHAM FOR CONGRESS
Concise and al Same Time Pretty Full
PPIIalfefm-Demeeraey the
Groundwork.
July ?, 1910

July 2, 1917.
To the Democratic Voters of the Third
Congressional District:
am candidate for Congress from
the Third Congressional District sub
ject to the Democratic primary to be
held August 8. 1910, and respeotf ully
ask for your vote and influence In my
behalf.
/ am Democrat and bound by the
Democratic platform. Its chief plank.
as 1t seems to me, In the present CON
dition OF public affairs, and the most
important for the correction of pres-
ent public evils, Is the reduction OF the
tariff. The enormously high cost Of
living, the extravaganza of public
expenditures and the menacing power
OF the great corporations In the en-
actment of national legislation. large
ly the evil consequences OF high
tariff, have reached point at which
the opportunity of the average man
to make an independent living and
the very life Of QNr representative
form OF government are alike threat
ened with destruction. The overbur
dened people felt this, and the Repub-
lean leaders in the last presidential
election promised relief But The
interests were too strong, the prom
Use was broken, the worst tariff law
the country has ever known was pass
ed and the Republican party proved
once more that it cannot be trusted
TO legisiate for the welfare of the av-
eraEe man.
1t is not to be thought. however.
that the people will continue to en-
dur this wrong. To think SO would
be to despair OF the republic. Recent
congressional elections in New York
NJ -, &c
were elected in rock ribbed Republi-
can districts, and the grave doubts of
the reelection of Congressman Dalzell
in the Pittsburg District. show that
the people are awake to the over
whelming Importance of the tariff is
sue. There is much ground for hope
that the next Congress will he Demo-
cratic. 1t Is vitality important there
fore that in Democratic districts no
man should be returned whose record
on this issue is doubtful.
In the next Congress the danger to
tariff reform will come, not from the
open. but from the concealed protec-
ZIONIST. from him who is q Democrat
for other districts and a Republican
for his own.
If | am honored with a seat In Con-
gress from this district | shall hold
myself bound by every consideration
of self-interest and of moral obliga-
ton to use my best efforts to perform
| these duties which ! classify, as ]
conceive, in the order of their relative
Importance, First, to secure the pas
sage of such laws as shall promote
the happiness and welfare of the hun
bred millions OF people living In this
country and It's dependencies; second
10 secure such appropriations for this
district as its needs require. consistent
with wise and economical expendi-
ture of the peoples money; and. third
TO assist with energy and without ia
vorittsm. every constituent who has
| business before the departments and
In the administrative branches of the
government at Washington, Irealize
in a great commercial and manufaC-
turing community such as ours much
OF this quasi public work must and
| ought 10 be done by the peoples rep
resentative in Congress. And. finally
in all matters of political duty / shall
feel myself bound by the Democratic
platform
When the time shall come that my
conscientious convictions Will not suf-
| fer me to stand on that platform |
shall resign and return my commission
to the party that gave IT,
Very respectfully.
T. ASHBY WICKHAM.