Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-15

Republicans Have Halt a
/ Dozen Candidates After
J. Democratic Seats.
Dssna,cb to The Star.

est attached to the report that the re-
publican national committee is to
make a determined effort to break
np the solid south in the election of
President this fall. The fact that
Representative c. Bascom Slemp has
been placed in charge of the commit
tee which will have special direction
and charge of the southern division
of the national campaign is also at
tracing attention. Since that report
began to receive circulation in Viz
ginia it is observed that three new
candidates for Congress have appear
ed-all of them republicans. The hfst
is Capt. B. II. Handy of Bristol. who
is to make the race for the seat now
held by Representative Slemp. and
which he is understood to be ready tC
felinquish when it may suit the IN
terests of the party to make a change.
Capt. Handy is an overseas man. is
lawyer, is a prominent and highly
esteemed man in every way.
The next case is that of DR.. B. Fl
Wheeler of Clifton Forge, in the tenth
district, which has been represented
by Representative H. d. Flood for 9
long time. DR.. Wheeler is consider
ing the matter with great care. and il
rs believed that he will make the race,
provided the republicans at their
forthcoming session at Buena Vista
make him their standard bearer.
S. l.. Landreth of Floyd county is
the man who is to make the race for
Congress in the fifth district, where
State Chairman Rorer A. James has
been elected for the unexpired term
and given the nomination for the full
term. Mr.. Landreth is a lawyer. has
always taken an active part in poll
ties, is man we'll known in every
part of the western end of the dis
trict and is said to be a speaker of
high order. and has the full con-
Hdence of those who know him.
An Unusual Condition.
Considering DIR. Wheeler as a can
didate pending the final decision of
the republicans of the tenth district
the republicans will have six or more
Misunderstanding the independ-
ents-up against the democrats. a con-
dition that has not before obtained in
this state for twenty years.
Does the candidacy of Capt. Handy
mean that it is the intention of Rep
resentative Slemp to step down and
out? 1t would seem. by his acceptance
of the craftsmanship of the southern
division of the national committee
campaign, that either he intends to
retire or else he has such confidence
~ Lie SoleTS Ol Tue QlStTlCC 10 return
hin. that he does not deem it neces-
sary for him to make a campaign for
the honor. Then, too. the enormous
amount of work that will devolve or
him in his effort to break the solid
south" means that he will not have
a vast amount of time to devote to
his own campaign.
Democrats Not Apprehensive.
Democrats do not regard the move
ment-the concerted movement-to
break the solid south with any great
amount of apprehension. There is,
they believe. slim chance of any of the
states OF the south being won away
from their old moorings, especially
since the very thing that the demo-
Gratis were afraid would not take
place has actually transpirtd. The
democrats of Virginia were appre-
hensive that the republicans at Chi
cago would say to the colored voters
that they were welcome as voters,
but that preferment because they
were colored voters would not be
given. The election of a colored man
from Georgia to the national commit
tee of the republicans has made the
campaign for the democrats easier,
they say. for the old lines are still
intact. and as long as that is the case
they have no reason to fear the break
ing up of the solid south.
There is delay on the part of Rep
resentative Flood and Senator G. Wal
ter Mapp to issue formal declaration
OF candidacy for governor. Friends
of the two men are positive that both
will not make the race. They are
equally positive that Mr.. Tucker will
have opposition.
Senator Mapp was here a day or
two ago, and when asked regarding
the replies received to the letters he
had sent out. declared that he had re-
ceived many hundreds of them and
that the percentage of dissents was
less than per cent, while that of
the women was less than 1 per cent.
He is much disposed to make the race
and is going over the situation with
the greatest care. Friends of Rep
resentative Flood are asking him to
enter the race, and 1t is known that
he is giving the matter a survey from
every angle.
The two candidates appear to be
watching the movements of each other
and waiting to see Just what will
happen. HORACE A HAWKINS.