The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-31
ELECTORAL BOARD
ISBEING "PACKED''
Because Cousin of Henry c. Stu.
art Was Appointed Long Be-
fore Latter Even Thought of
Going to Congress, slemp
Followers Are Raising
Hue and Cry.
ny ALEXANDER FORWARD,
Special Correspondent of The Times

Special Correspondent of The Times
Dispatch.
Abingdon. Va. March 3o,--1t be-
comes my sad duty to-day TO report
horrible instance OF Democratic
crookedness discovered and comment
"a upon by Republicans. who nave. OF
course, ever stood for ,urity In cleo
tions and against the use of campaign
funds. so characteristic OF the Slemp
regime Republicans papers are print
ing II through the district, and i un-
derstand that the party leaders want
the case IN point fully known, and TO
that end am printing II in the only
place where every citizen of the State
VIII see IT, In the columns OF The
'Times-D Dispatch.
II seems that Alexander Stuart. Of
Abingdon. q former member of the
House OF Delegates from Washington
county. and cousin of Henry C.
Stuart. the Democratic nominee for
Congress. is a member OF the wash
.ngton county electoral board. A Re-
publican paper expresses It's regret
that Henry Stuart is not in the dis
trict, because it he were he would not
nountenance this.
at will be remembered" continues
this article. that we called attention
to the fact that he had been informed
nat recently, IN fact since the nomt-
nation of Hon. Henry G. Stuart for
Congress. some changes were being
rrade In some of the electoral boards
Of some OF the counties In this con-
gressional district For some reason,
( os valch @e hsve no knowledge, 3 ".
Cray. member OF the electoral
board of Washington county. retired,
and the Judge OF the Circuit Court ap-
pointed Alexander Stuart. of Asing-
don. In Mr.. Gray's place
The Inference. OF course. is thar
Alexander Stuart, because of his refn :
tiouship with the nominee. would do
work that would not be done perhaps
by another Democrat.
Fncts In the Case.
Intense Indignation Is being eS-
pressed by tho friends, which Includes
nearly everybody in the county. OF
Judge Frank =. Hutton, than whom
2. purer man never wore the Virginia
ermine.
Now for the facts in the case.
1t is true that Mr. Gray resigned.
/ is presumed that he did not desire
TO continue In the position. Whatever
HIS reasons may have been he did II
long before any one had the slightest
idea of the nomination of Henry C.
Stuart Everybody familiar with the
election laws of the State knows that
st is the duty of the Judge of the Cir
cult Court to appoint in February OF
each year one member Of the electoral
hoard to serve three years. Judge
Hutton. In February, 1910. reappoint-
ed j. w. Bubrman. and. finding that
Mr.. Gray had resigned. appointed
Alexander Stuart for the unexpired
term This fact is shown on the re-
cords of the Washington County Cir
cult Court, whose clerk, Peter j. Dav-
export. is the chairman of the Ninth
District Republican Committee. and
should have known It. AT the time
of this appointment neither Alexander
Stuart nor the court nor any one else
knew that Henry c. Stuart would be
the nominee. nor did any one have
even suspicion that such would be
the outcome.
AS to whether or not Mr.. Stuart will
resign is a matter for his own con-
slderation. My Information is that
Judge Hutton. of his own motion and
without solicitation or recommendation
from anybody rendered the position tc
Mr. Stuart, and that the latter very
reluctantly accepted It. If he resigns
II will be against the advice of his
friends.
No Republican will say in this coun.
ty that he believes Mr.. Stuart would
make a wrongful use of the position.
Not in Politics.
While on the subject Of Republicans
7 have heen struck yesterday and to-
day with the number Of members o.
that party who are not in politics thl!
year. Some of them are in Bristol ant
some in Abingdon. A lifelong Repub
Sican told me this morning that hi
would not so to the polls in November
Another who is one of Bristol'
most prominent men, says that Will
he heartily approves of encouragin:
infant industries he has one or two il
his home which he would like to b
able to feed without yielding all h
earns to the trusts
Another told me that he firmly be
lieves this Democratic year and tha
the party majority in the next Hous
OF Representatives will be from rs tt
125. Whom asked If he thought MI
stuart would be one of that majority
he smiled and went on working for
living.
A former Republican member of TIL
lIes4sAhtufe Has laTsS Interests WHO
will engage his attention and whic
will. 1t Is understood, preclude his Civ
ing any active support to the Slem
campaign.
Distribution OF patronage in the of
fee OF Internal Revenue Collecto
L. p. Summers Is causing quite a larg
amount of Republican dissatisfaction
"A resume of the political situation Il
washington comfy. the largest an
wealthiestin the district, would be bu
"a repetition Of what has been said o
- -TCl0nfinueIT- ,;, Second 'pare-I - :