The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-11
DEMOCRATS ARE NOT CAST
DOWN BY RESULT IN NINTH
II. Tate Irvine Attributes Defeat to
Conditions Brought About
by War.
VERY LARGE VOTE WAS poLLED
Confidently Expects to See District
Swing Into Democratic Column in
i016-Floating Vote All Went to
Republicans.


Democrats OF the Ninth Congress
sional District arc III no way cast
down by the result of the recent cleo
ticn. X. Tate Irvine, OF Zig stone Gap.
who contested with Congressman G..
Pascom Slemp tho honor of represent.
ing the district in the next Congress.
was I'm Richmond yesterday. and ar
Sued some coal land cases before the
United States Circuit Court Of Appeals
lie WAS asked what effect tho loss of
the election would have on the Democ-
racy Of the lighting ninth.
while We hoped for victory" re-
plied Mr.. irvine, defeat has not dig
hoartencd the party and viii not les.
sen Its lighting spirit for the future.
We poiled nearly 1850 votes, which
was the biggest Democratic vote cast
In any congressional district in the
Southern states this year, md almost
the biggest cast In any district I'm tho
union. Perhaps not more than half 3.
dozen districts in tho nation east as
many. II was the biggest Democratic
vote cast for Congress- in any district
IL: Virginia under the new constitu-
ton, with tho exception of the vote
cast for Henry &. Stuart In 1910. The
Democratic vote that year was over
$4,000. our vote two years ago for
General Rufus q. Ayers in Il presiden-
tial year was 1880. Mr.. Slemp car
ried the district that year by 1000 ma
tority. but the Progressive candidate
got a thousand votes. This year all
hut 200 went back TO he Republicans
and Mr.. slemps maJoriy was only a
little over 1000 over me. Considering
the fact that this was an off year.
which has always been adverse to the
party in power. we think to have poilcd
$500 votes were tnc work."
ATTRIBUTES DEFEAT
TO WAR CONDITIONS
When asked about tho causes OF his
defeat. Mr.. Irvine said:
The Ninth District has nearly al
ways gone with the national tide, the
same causes that this year lost us SO
many seats in the Lower House or
Congress. and came so near losing our
control of that body. operated In our
district. We have more manufacturing
and mining than almost amy other dis
trtct in tho South, and there was "A
great deal OF unemployment OF labor
brought about by the European war
Of course. Mr.. Slemp and his campaign
ers preached through the district that
TINS was caused by Democratic poll
cics, and tho Underwood tariff in par
ticular. and the district was Hooded
with Republican literature setting UP
TINS claim. Our party was thoroughly
organized and the spirit OF the lighting
forces was fine. But the tightness Of
money and the unemployment of labor
in many quarters were factors that
were hard to overcome President VIII
son and his peace policies were popu-
lar with the Democrats. but the same
reasons that operated In SO many other
districts lin the nation made the Re-
Eublicans unusually hostile to the adj
minfstration and active in fighting IT,
The spirit also reunited the two wings
Of that party into one solid party"
FLOATING VOTE IS
SOLIDLY REPUBLICAN
Asked about the purchasablc vote OF
the District. Mr.. Irving said
Unfortunately there Is still a big
floating vote In tho District, which
went solidly to the Republicans. Then.
too. the negro vote OF the District is
about 1900. carried "a majority Of
the white vote OF the District and II
large majority of the unpurchasablc
vote Conditions in these rescpcts are
improving from year to year. and we
intend TO Keep up the fight all along
the line. and We have everything to
encourage us to believe that we can
by 1916 make the District Democratic
on firm basis.
Our campaign was late i'm start
ing, and intercS, was harder to arouse
than usual owing TO the State Wide
election in September, but for the last
three weeks of the campaign We had
more men on the stump and more ac-
tive campaigning was done. perhaps,
than eve: before in the history of
the district. Governor stuart did yco-
man service, as did Senator Swanson
Congressman Glass. Richard l.. Byrd
and John Garland Pollard from out
side tho District. Nearly every Demo-
cratic speaker In the district was on
the stump. Barbecues and big rallies
were held all over the district.
Tho enthusiasm of our men ran
high for they believed that we would
win. VIC have met defeat without dis
may so often, however, that this one
viii be no exception, and next year the
Democrats will be up In arms fresh
for every light again.
Mr.. Irvine left last night for Wash
when he participates to-day In
the argument Of the Virginia coal rate
cases before the Interstate Commerce