The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-21
Former Attorney Gem
eral Will Make Race
for Congress.
HIS SELECTION
is UNANIMOUS
Convention Wild With Enthu-
siasm When Widely Known
Party Man Accepts Call to
Bear colors in Fight.
Against Continuance Of
c. B. Slemp in Office.

BRISTOL Nn.. March .0.--J;enerni
Rufus \. Ayers, Of Bt,: stone Gap,
former Acknowledgement of Virginia,
nnd member of the Inst constitutional /.
convention, was the unnninuus choice
OF the Democratic convention of the
virginia Ninth District held here to-
ia! {" nominate ~ candidate TOR Con-
Ercss Following cnucitscS held in the
hotel lObbics during. the rurcnuun ~
WINS announced that GcncrnI AYERS, te (
nominated, Wnuid accept. This ,vir-
tuuliy settled the matter, for NIL 9th
ers who hnd expressed n Willingness
to lie the party stnndnrd-hcnrcr with
drew, nnd when, In an eloquent speech,
General Ayers WIS placed In nuuttnn-
ton by Hon. II. Tate Irvine of big
stone GIMP, the Delegates went wild +
with enthusiasm. Hats and hnudcr-
chictS were tossed In the mir md tho
applause was almost drnfcnInI. The
scene was repeated when Gcucrut
ASrcs. after he hnd received the
unanimous vote Of the convention,
cnmc forward and accepted the uomi-
nation.
In placing General Ayers in nomi-
nation, Mr.. Irvine referred eloqucntly
to his political career and to his busi-
mess struggles In Bristol, Gate City
and Big stone Gap. lie told OF how
III his earlier years General Ayers had
supported a widowed mother with tho
loyalty and devotion due from u true
son, and declared that his example in
that regard was hut typical OF the
manner in which he had met every
duty, whether to his party, his church
or to his fellowmen. lie referred to
his splendid record as Attorney Cen :.
eral of the State and to his telling
services later In the Constitutional
Convention, and in emphasis OF how
General Ayers has always stood by his
convictions of what was right, be
recalled the time when. In connection
with the state debt case, he would not
yield his honest convictions to spare
hirnsclf n prison sentence at the hands
OF Il Federal judge. but went to prison
and fought his way out upon honor
able grounds. having been indicated
by the Supreme Court. Mr.. Irvine de-
clared that. if nominated, General
Ayers would stand by what he be-
lieved to be right and honorable, even
IL by doing so he should know it
meant defeat at the polls.
sounds keynote.
In his speech of acceptance General
Ayers sounded the keynote Of the cam
paiEn when. after assuring the con
vcntion that he appreciated the honor
conferred, and would do his utmost to
carry the party TO victory, he said:
Il ask Your support, ask that you
hold M my hands; that YOU solicit
votes for me upon principle and not
for dollars. would rather go down
in defeat than accept /, bought certiii-
cate. want to see the time CONC
when an honorable young man, wheth-
or he be IL man of means or not can
aspire to office and be elected upon
principle. and when the use of money
To dehasc elections will be a relic OF
the past. By your help and by tho
active support OF the district commit
tee. hope to be able TO lift our party
above the mire of dishonest and dis
graceful practice In politics, and in
this 1 feel sure that I will have tho
hearty cooperation of the masses"
Relative to his own party LOYALTY
General Ayers said: II have for forty
two years helped to light the battles
OF Democracy, and have never faltcrcd
Some have said that at times did not
vote for the nominee. but l want To
assure this convention that not once
in fortytwo years, from the time
was old enough 10 cast my first vote,
have l ever failed TO support Il Demo
cratic nominee"
General Aycrs's remarks were
heartily applauded. and when the con-
vcntion adjourned it. was with a feel
ing that no better days work could
possibly have been done.
The convention was perhaps larger
stuart two years ago 1t was held in
the same place as the Stuart conYcn- K
tion--thc fIarmclinS Theatre-and
practically every seat in the paruuet
and balcony was occupied and many
persons were standing in the aislcs.
Every county was represented by Il
large delegation. and The personnel or
the men typihcd tho highest intelli-
Gence, indicating that the coming fight
OF the Democracy in the Ninth District
has the hearty sympathy OF the best
men in the party In every county. Tho
of tho convention nj noon
was marked by the playing of thrill
ing national airs by thu Marion Band.
which had come 10 Bristol purposoly
to mako music for the convention. By
tho noon hour the theatre was WELL
nigh nlled 10 its capacity. and when tho
train bearing the bulk OF the dele
gates from Dickinson. Wise, Lee and
scott arrived there We're few if any
seats IN the theatre vacant
ChnlI<Icy Was In Lend. "
During the carly hours OF the day.
it looked very much as IL John w.
Of the House Of Delegates,
Wise and Dickinson Joint
~. might be made the nominee. His
name, and the names ~ Bert T. Wilson, a
of Russcll Haynes l.. Morgan. OF 3
Wythe. and r.. Lee Triaitlc, OF Wythc,
were among those freely discussed 4
among the groups lor delegates, 1t 3
WAS understood that any one OF these
men probably would accept. Hon. n.
irvine. Of wise county had been prom
nucutly mentioned fpr several weeks,
but n .t,,,rr1.,.ll ne fore the ranycn- 81