Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-07-17
Every County in seventf
District Has a Can.
didate
T. w. HARRISON LEADS
Valley Section of District. Unreprc-
sented for Twenty Years, VIII De-
mand Candidate

| Washington, July 17-With the an
nouncement that Representative
James Hay will retire from Congress
within a month to accept berth or
the United States Court of Claims
the Seventh Virginia district, which
has not had Congressional fight
worthy of mention for 20 years, viii
be the scene of a sharp and short
contest for the Democratic nomlna-
ton to succeed Mr.. Hay in the House
according to messages received from
different points in the Valley.
Information is that sentiment is
crystalizing for a convention, not a
primary, to nominate the Democratic
candidate. 1t is stated that under the
State Primary law a primary could
not be held, as the time for making
arrangements for a primary has eX-
pired and there is no special provi-
sion to meet such case as has ari-
sen in the Seventh district. Therefore
il is declared, the indications are
that district convention will be call
ed by the Democratic Congressional
| Committee.
Two candidates for Congress will
have to be named-one for the uneX-
pired term of Mr.. Hay and the ether
for the long term. According to in
formation the impression prevails that
the candidate nominated for the long
term also will be named for the short
session of Congress. IF this is done.
Governor Stuart will be asked to
call special Congressional election
some time in October to elect Mr..
Hays successor for the short term
and the candidate for the long term
will be elected in the regular cleo
ton in November. Such a plan. it IS
stated, will avoid any confuson OF a
candidates name appearing twice on
the ticket.
IF q convention is called there is
every indication that every county III
the district will put forward its favo-
rite son. The Seventh Virginia is fill
ed with Congressional timber. This
district is composed of the counties
of Albcmarle, Madison, Greene and
Rappahannock in the Piedmont sec
ton and Rockingham, Shenandoah,
Frederick Page, Clarke and Warren
in the Valley. These counties are
among the richest in Virginia.
Friends of Judge Thomas w. Har-
rison. of Winchester. say that the
Winchester jurist will not be a can
didate for the nomination nor will
ba resign from the bench to make the
feht. but if he were nominated he
would accept. These friends of Judge
Harrison declared that they intend to
make strong canvass for his nomina-
ton.
It was stated that Judge Harrison
IN convention, would have the sup
mort of the delegates from five coun-
ties on the second or third ballot.
His judicial circuit is composed OF
Frederick, Clarke, Warren and Shenan
doah. He is very popular in these
counties and also is expected to have
the support of Page county after the
first ballot. With this strength. Judge
Harrison's friends declared his no
mination would follow after a few
more ballots.
Some of these counties, however
will more than likely present favcrlte
SONS. Clarke county may present the
name of former State Senator Black
hurn Smith; Warren county, State
| Senator H. H. Downing and Page
county, Colonel Weaver. Rockingham
county, it is said, is divided between
state Senator Conrad and Former
State Senator George B. Keezell
The Piedmont section also will have
two candidates in Judge R. T. W.
Duke, of Charlottesville, and State
Senator N. B. Early, of Greene. This
section likely will be behind one mar
before many ballots, are taken.
The old issue of the Valley against
Piedmont is already being raised ir
the preliminary skirmishing. The