The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-17
CURRENT COMMENT
The Third District.

Having no special interest in the affair, We
are moved to some speculation. retrospection,
meditation and phiosophic reflection by the re-
suit OF the Democratic primary election yestef-
day in the Third Virginia congress district--the
Richmond district The district includes the
city of Richmond. which has 10000 inhaoi-
tants and votes any kind OF majority the
Democratic party may need or the popular m
terest may suggest: the county Of Henrlco, with
G26 Democratic and 217 Republican votes AT
, the last presidential election; the county "l
Chesterfield, with sos Democratic and 151 Re
publican votes: the counties OF Charles City,
Hanover, Goochland. James city King William
and New Kent and the venerable city OF VIII
liamsbuTg. casting among them l,5oo Demo
cratic notes.-the counties all told having less
than half the votes OF the city OF Richmond
Captain John Lamb elected to the house
of representatives from this district in 1886 he
/ Of the original "Progresstves.' lie
went in the Bryan wave. being original
BRYAN and free silver man The business ele-
ment Of Richmond opposed him bitterly but
he the Bryan sentiment. defeating
very strong and popular conservative, VINO thel
/ held the seat. Since then he has defeated
other strong men. time after time. He is end
ing his ninth term and has become enc
OF the most popular and influential members Of.
/ the house. He Is reputed to have more real
! influence than any Nirginan in the house,
everybody both sides being anxious to do
him a favor because Of his honorable record
a Confederate soldier. his unblennished char
acter. kindly manners and disposition and clear
common sense. He was among the few Con
federate veterans left In the house and rep
resented the district which included the CAPT
tai and soul. center and heart OF the Con-
federacY. Yet he Is defeated for fe-nonlna-
ton. The dispatches say the vote at the Con-
federate Soldiers Home, on the outskirts OF
| Richmond, was almost solidly against the Tor
mer comrade. The business people of Rich
/ mond, who had become reconciled TO Captain
Lamb seem to have deserted him. So here
we have man who seemed to have strong
/ claims the "Prosressives' on the business
, element and the old soldier vote deserted by
all. Captain Lamb Is seventy two years old.
{ There is not spot his political record from
the Progressive" and Democratic party stand
point. and certainly not his personal or
official record There may he a suggestion of
somewhat bitter sarcasm in his terse
ment-"vox populL Hox Dei"-"the voice of the
people is the voice Of God"
I It may be that Captain Lamb the Vic
tim of fool friends Some effort Was made
to arouse prejudice against his opponent, for
! lner Governor Andrew jackson Montague. be-
cause MI Montague. governor. called out
troops to suppress riotous demonstrations de-
veloping from street car strikes in Richmond,
This was one OF the most creditable acts OF
Mr.. Monta&ues administration and justly
for him the regard of the thinking and voting
people of the community. 1t is not unlikely
that the suggestion that he be punished for
| having done his duty promptly and courageously
caused a revulsion in his favor
Surely the ways of the voter and the mo-
tfVes, recollections and impulses which
troll him are past finding out Here is
tive city by a new Progressive" a Confederate
veteran defeated at the of the C,onfed
eracy, man who antagonized union labor
elected where union labor is a strong force,
professional "anti-machine' chosen by a
community which has voted consistently for
the machine. The Virginia suffragst surely
is prone TO vote his sentiments. opinions
and reellngs OF the time regardless or former
affi EAtions and alliances, preindices and i'm
pressions. Roanoke Times