The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-18
DID REPUBLICANS
VOTE IN PRIMARY?
Senator Strobe Thinks Many of
That Party Supported His
Opponent.
WILL ENTER NO CONTEST
Asks Friends to Support Massie,
but Advocates Strin-
gent Laws.
WILL ENTER NO CONTEST

While stating that he has no inten-
tion Of contesting the results OF the
recent primary, Senator Aubrey e.
Strobe, OF Amherst, who was defeated
for denomination by Bland Massie
states in u public address that he has
reasons for believing that Republicans
contributed a large part, IL not ALL
of the majority returned against him.
Senator Strobe makes this charge in
an open statement to the Democrats
of his district, composed of the coun-
ties OF Amherst and Nelson.
After stating that he will support
the nominee of the party. Mr.. Massie.
and asking his friends to do the same,
Senator Strobe proceeds in part as fol-
lows:
THE Democratic State Committee
this year declined to define the quail
fications OF voters in the primary be-
yond saying that only white Demo-
Gratis should participate. Thus the de-
termination of what constitutes a
Democrat was largely left to the cleo
ton judges. making It of the utmost
Importance that the judges OF the pri-
mary should be so fairly chosen as
not to exercise this Judgment upon
factional partisan grounds; but to these
Judges was given no authority what
e''er. under any conditions or circum-
stances. to admit to the primary any
others than white Democrats.
Judges Opposed Him.
I'm Nelson county the determination
OF this question was put by the county
committee. composed of supporters of
my opponent, into the hands of cleo
ton judges. a majority of whom-and
at some precincts all of whom-at pre-
cincts In that county having a large
white Republican vote, were opposed
to my candidacy.
Very shortly before the primary I
heard that white Republicans in Mas
sizes Mills and Greenfield ,(Rockfsh)
Districts favorable to my opponent eX-
pected to go into the primary and vote
against me. At that late day my only
recourse was to warn my friends, and
have them protest, which they vainly
did at several precincts in those dis
tricts, where I am advised that every
voter favorable to my opponent who
offered was allowed to vote, whether
he was a Republican or a Democrat.
THE returns show that in Amherst
county. where 1 have no information
that any Republican was allowed to
vote, I received n majority Of 172
while in Nelson county, where I am
Informed that at several precincts,
| over protests and challenges by my
iTlenus, every republican OHerlnS 10
| vote was allowed to do so; and at one
I, precinct at least u majority of the
| judges favorable to my opponent, even
refused to pledge Republicans who
were allowed to vote. to support the
nominees, a majority OF 345 was re-
turned against me, giving my oppo-
nent majority of 173 in the sena-
: torial district.
| IAN examination of the returns
shows that IN Massie's Mills and Green
/ field Districts. with possibly one or two
exceptions. the largest major!ties given
f, against me were returned from pre-
! cincts having the largest Republican
| vote: while at two OF these precincts,
returning an aggregate majority OF "a
! against me. the majority against me
] returned at one was more than twice
/ as many as the entire Democratic
vote cast there at the last presidential
! election. though at that precinct I re-
/ ceived more than half as many votes
as the Democratic candidate for the
presidency: while at tho other-which
| also returned a majority against me
| at least twice as large-I received
more than one-fourth as many as the
| candidate for the presidency
But let the figures at these and
! other precincts speak for themselves:
10OS