The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-18
AYERS MAY PROVE
KEY TO SITUATION
Suggested He Can Save Revenue
Collectorship to Ninth
District.

Party leaders in Richmond are be-
ginning to wonder II it woubi not be
best to have former Attorney General
Rufus A Ayers. OF Big Stone Cap. ap-
pointed collector OF internal revenue
for the Western District OF Virginia
The suggestion was made during the
visit OF the Ninth District man TO
Richmond TO attend the reunion of the
Association of Survivors of the Con-
stitutional Conventions and the idea
has caught. General Ayers has not
been candidate. but 1t is thought
he might accept If the appointment can
come to him without a fight
The situation Is that the Ninth Dis
trict. which wants the Office badly, Is
on the verge OF losing 1t because 1t
cannot agree on a man who is accep
table to men who will have something
TO say about Federal appointments,
Former Senator Peyton +. St Clair, of
Giles. is candidate, and has many in
dorsements from party associates, but
IL has been given out from above that
something more than these will be re-
quired The same kibosh has been put
OF Bristol. now State assessor of min
ccal lands, and II may be safely said
that neither of these men can possibly
land the appointment. David 4. Pres
ton. of Abingdon another candidate,
has not been vetoed, nor has he been
o. K.'d The same is true of other men
who have been mentioned-Hcnry S.
Kane, OF Scott: Thomas L. Tate. of Pu-
laski: Howard 9. Miller. of Wise, and
w !. Dennis, OF Buchanan.
Ia Political Position.
The collectorship OF Internal reve-
nuc in ,he Western District is the most
important Federal office in Virginia,
from the standpoint OF patronage at
thu disposal OF the incumbent--an ad-
vantage which has been used for de-
cadr strictly in behalf OF the Slemp-
Summers machine. with the collection
OF reV.nuc as mere incident II was
not pretended 10 exist for any other
reason The Democrats OF the Ninth
feel that they want the office kept
there, because Of the hard fighting
they nave 10 do. and they can get II
II they Will but agree on man who
is acceptable in Washington. This
they have not done The district COM
mittce met tc decide tho momentous
question. but adjourn9i without taking
action. 1t seems probable that the dis
trict will lose It,
General Ayers, il is believed, will I'll
the requirements His stand for clean
or politics in tho district last year,
when he was the Democratic nominee
for Congress, is likely 10 commend him
TO the administra ton Besides. he is
regarded as the party's representative
there, just as he would have been IL
clcc,ed 1t is presumed he would not
wage "a campaign. and this means that
he probably would not accept unless
the candidates should withdraw. 1t
seems they must do this if the district
is TO have the Office.
He was electeds Attorney General
when Fitzhugh Lee was made Cover
nor. after the hottest campaign in Vir-
Einia since the War Between the
States. During his service he spent
several days in jail by order ot the
Federal Court on a contempt charge
arising out of the debt settlement, and
this won him lasting fame. Since the
expiration of his term, twenty three
years ago. he has been practicing law
at Big Stone Gap.
Charter Issued.
Falls City Construction Company. a Ken