Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-09-05
THURSDAY. AUGUST %, 1912.
THE CONVENTION AND The CANDIDATE.

of the great southwest lay down their
daily tasks to travel to distant city to
select 8 man to represent them in the
halls of the Congress of the United
States-when the farmer leaves the
furrow, The manufacturer his men, the
merchant his store and the professional
man his usual pursuits?
1t means that the freedom noun
taineers Of the old Ninth are determined
not to surrender the fruits of the great
fights that they have made in the past
and that they propose to do all in their
power to keep the cohorts of the Vir-
GINA machine from again securing a
foothold in the southwest, and further.
that the yeomanry of this section pro-
pose to keep the district the bright spot
on the floor of Congress from the south
by having it represented by a republi-
can.
Determination to do the right thing
to preserve the integrity of the party of
protection was firmly written on every
face and harmony was the keynote of
the convention.
1t was the opinion of all attending
the Bristol convention that the vote for
a republican candidate for President
was merely complimentary so far as
Virginia is concerned, but that, with a
united front, victory was sure in the
congressional race.
Then came the question: Who shall
the candidate be? Investigation soon
showed that the almost unanimous opin-
ion WAS that the Hon. c. b. Slemp, the
gallant young leader who has so often
brought disaster and defeat to the DEM
ocratic h0rdes of the Ninth. was again
the logical candidate. Several counties
had ''favorite sons, A." it is true, to whom
they were favorably inclined, but after
the matter had been thoroughly dis
cussed 1t was the almost unanimous con-
clusion of the convention to put it up
to Bescom," the delegates feeling con-
fident, although it was well known that
for personal and business reasons he
was 10th to make the race, that he could
not refuse practically unanimous re-
quest to again head the firing line.
That the denomination of MIR. Slemp
was best is reflected in a remark made
by one of Tazewell's most prominent
democrats, who involuntarily exclaimed
on hearing of it: "'You have named the
man we most fear"
Since the convention the democratic
press has been trying to make it appear
that the bull moosers are dissatisfied
with the nomination. This is is in keep
ing with their usual tactics of misrep-
resentation, and a gratuitous insult to
the intelligent republican membership
OF the convention. The bull moose del
egates represented fully seventy per
cent of the entire membership of the
convention. and had absolute control of
its proceedings at all times, and to say
that they were "bamboozled" by a few
men is too absurd for discussion. In
TACT, 1T was a matter of comment. that
the usual leaders could not lead, but
that the hickory shirt" boys from the
sour WOOD country had full control of
the convention, knew what they want
ed, and never rested until they got it.
OF the candidate, Hon. C. b. Slemp.
there need but little be said. He a
native son, of whom we are all proud.
His conduct in all his transactions has
been above reproach. His reputation is
not bounded by district or state lines,
but is national in scope. His record in
Congress is one of which the Ninth dis
trict is proud. and means to preserve by |
rejecting him.
Southwest Virginia is an agricultural
and mining section, and as such, needs |
4 thoroughgoing protectionist, on whose
record there has never been a shadow
and never q doubt as to where he will
Itand, to represent it when the ques-
ion of protective tariff comes up in
he next Congress.
Again, Southwest Virginia has just
inferred a period of succassful develop-