The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-03-28
use Mint JULEP $50 $50
TO get CONVENTION
RIG ND. vA.-special.-

Norfolk is setting all her triggers
10 iand the State Democratic Conven-
tlon, and unless Richmond gets pretty
BUSY within the next few hours she
may hnd herself deprived OF the
pleasure of playing host to this busy
band of political enthusiasts
AND right here il may be said that
the convention is a great body, not
only on account OF the principles il
represents, but because of its numeri-
cal strength.
No matter what basis OF apportion-
ment Is adopted for the selection of
delegates, its membership will be con-
siderably over 1000. Indeed. a fIll
attendance of alternates would prob
figure.
The basis of representation will be
one delegate for every 100 votes and
dental election or in the last Kuber-
Material election. The probabilities
are that the presidential election will
be accepted as the basis on which to
figure.
In the presidential contest of 1908
the Democratic vote cast was S2,946,
while in the gubernatorial contest OF
1909 the vote was only 7O.760.
Adopting the presidential election
as the basis OF apportionment, there
would be at least $50 delegates, while
the gubernatorial figures would allow
for only $50 or thereabouts But no
matter which total is accepted in this
matter. the alternates on hand will
push the attendance up to at least a
thousand.
Now to return to Norfolk's fight
for the convention. She Is sending out
most alluring batch of literature.
wen calculated to make politicians
look wistfully in her direction. The
circular. which has reached Rich
mond. among other things, says:
The birds Of the air, the fishes OF
the sea and the products OF the earth
are at all times available in Norfolk.
Last but not least, IL should be borne
in mind that there is no place that
has yet been discovered where the re-
freshing. fragrant, delicious and de-
ceptive herbaceous connection known
the world over as the mint julep Is
dispensed with such a degree Of per-
lection as IN Norfolk"
Now If that doesn't win many to
Norfolk nothing can.
Other cities after the convention are
Newport News and Staunton. Roa-
noke also would like to play host to
the Democrats. but is not putting her
self prominently in the front, as the
last convention of the party sat there.
Virginia, as has been frequently ex-
planned Of late. will be entitled to
twentyfour delegates in the national
conVention-two for each congress
sional district and four for the State
at large. SO far as the delegates at
large are concerned, Ii has long been
the custom to choose for these honors
the two United States senator's. the
Governor and some other prominent
Democrat of Statewide popularity.
This plan, OF course, will be followed
at the State convention of 1912.
Before the body goes regularly into
its work the delegations from the re-
Spective districts will each name their
two delegates to the national conven-
ton. The delegates at large, however.
VIII be chosen by the State convention
sitting as a whole.
The time and place OF the next State
Democratic convention will be fixed at
the meeting of the State Committee to
be held here Tuesday night. Therefore
IL can readily be seen that what Rich
mond does In the way OF landing the
convention must be done pretty quick |
~ unless her forces already have been !
quietly at work.
UP to the present writing no one. |
however expert as a political prognosti-
Gator, seems to have the slightest idea /
now the state stands in the matter OF /
a nominee for the presidency. In Rich |
mond probably the Wilson people have |
even they do not pretend to know what |
the exact situation is.
speaker r. f. Byrd, who is leading
the fight to land Virginia's delegation |
TOT the New Jersey Governor. today ex-
pressed the opinion that his man was |
doing we'll In the Old Dominion. He |
based his assertion entirely upon the |
letters he Is receiving. Mr.. Byrd said \
he wrote TO 500 prominent citizens of |
Norfolk and received $50 favorab,e re- |
delegation, but does not pretend to be |
cScksure.