The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-05
len SUMMERS nAI J
TRY TO COME BACK
FORMER FEDENAL uFFICEHef.n-
ER MAY NE CANDIDATE
ron SENATE.
LINCOLN MENTIONED
OF ANTI-sALOoN
LEAGUE AND FORMER sENA-
TOR MAY MAKE Sec
OND TRY.

BRISTOL, VA. July "A hot
fight for the senatorship In the dis
trict composed of Bristol City, Wash
ington and Smyth county, is about to
begin. A successor will be elected TO
the late Judge David C. Cummings,
Democrat, who was elected two years
over ex-senator A. Lincoln. Repub-
lican. by a majority OF 1900.
Senatory Lincoln, who had been
one Of the Republican leaders of the
Virginia senate and who up to that
time had successfully withstood the
Democratic attempts to displace him,
was generally picked as a winner. but
Judge Cummings. who was not we'll
known over the district, had runa-
way race. This was. despite the fact
that the enabling act was the chief
issue ana that Senator Lincoln was
not only vice-president OF the State
Anti-Saloon league. a temperance
leader In the legislature and one OF
the foremost advocates OF Statewide
prohibition. Senator Cummings went
on record in favor of the enabling
act, but as he was not so rampant
prohibtionist as his opponent the
wet" element Of both parties united
and supported him. His temperance
platform was sufficient to hold all OF
the temperance Democrats and the re-
Enabling Act the Issue.
The enabling act IL again the chief
issue. The Democrats are casting
about for a man. Hon. Fl. g. Peters.
Henry G. Lavinder. Judge John w.
Price and Floyd H. Roberts are
among che Democrats from Bristol
who are possibilities, while the Hon.
Preston W. Campbell and d. A. Pres
ton. Of Abingdon. are being spoken
OF for the nomination.
1t Is believed by some that ex-Sen-
ator Lincoln will attempt TO come
back" politically. However. the Hon.
Lewis Preston Summers. one of the
most picturesque Republican poiiti-
clans Of the Ninth district. will. In
all probability, be the choice. of his
party for the nomination For years
he was the chief manipulation OF fed
erai pie for the 6iemp machine ana
many give credit to Summers polit-
icai astuteness for Slemps success
and his election over Henry {. stuart
Did the Magnanimous.
Summers has been out OF politics
since the events of last year. When
President Taft was using the federal
patronage to force his nomination.
Slemp had a convention held In Bris-
toll and forced Summers election as
A delegate to Chicago Summers was
then a federal ofiiceholder and his
election was over the protest OF
large element Of his party. In the
convention he bitterly denounced
Roosevelt
After the election OF Summers and
A. Penn Crockett. the latter Slemp's
private secretary. to the Chicago con-
yention Roosevelt began calling at
tention to the way Taft was using
federal patronage to elect delegates
and throttle the will of the rank and
file of the party. Sentiment against
federal officehoiders being delegates
to Chicago got so strong over the ma
ton and I'm the Ninth district that a
serious situation was presented. IL
began to look as though Roosevelt
would be big factor. Sfemp had to
be reelected.
After a conference at the White
House Summers resigned as collector
Of internal revenue. saying that he
did SO because he wanted to go to
the Chicago convention untrammeled
in his support OF Taft by being fed
eral officeholder. Insthe same con-
ference it was agreed that after his re-
election Taft would reward the Hon.
Lewis Preston Summers for his mag
nanimity in resigning by federal
district attorneyship or feoerai
Was Taft Advocate.
Summers was wide open for Tart
when he started into the campaign,
but Slemp had to be elected, so he
asked Summers to put on the soft
pedal out In respect to the Roosevelt
sentiment Of the Ninth district. Then
Summers got the congressional bee in
his bonnet. but Slemp was nominated
with the nominal support OF Summers.
heT latter said he was for Slemp for
the nomination II Slemp wanted 1t,
but he was terribly opposed TO
forcing" II on him.
Taft was defeated and Summers has
since been out of politics. BY alien
ating the Roosevelt Republicans he
lost his strong grip on the party in
the Ninth. He no longer welded the
patronage whip and he. stepped down
politically. Now he wants to come
back" by the State senatorial race.
He Is for Statewide prohibition.
Rev. e. c. Buck and John Roberts.
both Democrats, who represented Rria-
toll and Washington county in the, low
er house at the last session OF the
are candidates for re-
election.