Evening star., 1920-03-21
REPUBLICANS HOPE
FOR VIRGINIA VOTE
Place Presidential Ambitions
in That State to Influence
of Women.

RICHMOND, Va, March 20 Especially.
viii the republican party make the
! showing in the presidential election
| in Virginia next fall that is indicated
| by the recent convention at Roanoke?
That is one question that the repub-
licans are answering in the affirma-
tive. and they are hoping on carrying
the state. 1t may be possible under
the changed conditions-the tearing
of Virginia away from the solid south.
The changed conditions indicate the
trend of the woman voters. and is
! based on the assumption that they
may be factors in the contest this
year If they are given the vote they
| Will go largely to the republican
militant, they are alert. Women at
[ tended and took part in the repub-
| lican convention at Roanoke-an in
| novation in this tate. They were
there as duly. accredited delegates.
and one of them. Mrs. NJ. NJ. Caldwell
of Roanoke. a daughter of the late
Gen. James A. Walker-has been
named as an alternate at large to the
Chicago convention.
| There is another thing: With the
! severance of guardianship and con-
| troll of the colored voters on the part
| Of the lily-white republicans of this
state. the women are scheduled to be-
| come an even more important factor
han the negro men We're in the at
| fairs of the party. The personnel of
! the convention was in striking con-
trast to gatherings of twenty years
| ago. The men. for a very large part,
We're young, clear cut, courteous, and
were not given to much speaking un-
! less they had something to say. 1t
was a business body, representing all
| classes and callings.
bitterness Is Missing.
The bitterness which has marked
expression in conventions in the past
was missing. The speeches were
clean and they were strong, devoid of
rancor, legitimate criticism of pub
| lie men and their management of pub
| lie affairs. That was especially true
of the speech of National Chairman
Hays.
One feature of the platform was sig
nif1cant. That was in reference to
the government control and owner
| ship of the railroads. Col. Henry w.
Anderson of Richmond. who presented
the platform. also referred to it in
| his speech. The delegates sat in alb
solute silence-there was no approval
or disapproval of that plank. The fact
that there were many delegates in
the convention from the city OF
Roanoke, the headquarters of the op-
| erations of the great Norfolk and
Western railroad system, would, it
was believed. have brought forth some
reflection of the sentiment in favor
! of that issue. It was not forthcoming.
There was absolutely no reputation
of the platform as presented in this
regard, whatever the railroad en-
ployes affiliated with the movement
may have thought.
Virginia is backing the suggestion
and sentiment that the time has come
for the recognition of the south by
having the candidate for Vice Presi-
dent taken from this part of the
country. What is more. the dele
gates were unanimous for the sug-
Norfolk when he offered a resolution
embodying this idea and mentioning
the name of Col Henry w. Anderson
of Richmond as the choice of vir-
ginia for that honor. Col. Anderson
is a lawyer, a man of considerable
lilies of the state, an attractive speak
er. identified with the social and pro-
fessional life Of the state, in full
sympathy with its traditions, and en-
joys a reputation second to no man
in the state.
Created Little Surprise.
instructions for the delegates for
Gov. Frank o. Lowden of Illinois
created little surprise. But the in
structions were not carried without
a fight Of more than two hours, in
which delegates opposing the in
in which to, voice their objections.
On the other hand, the delegates sup
porting had full opportunity for their
presentation of views. It was a reso-
luton Of Representative Slemp to in
offered the nomination for Congress,
started the opposition. Right out
into the open he came, regardless Of
the fact that National Committeeman
Slemp was fathering the proposition
The debate grew warm, and at every
stage of the proceedings Represents
tive Slemp kept cool, knew his own
strength and was certain that his
ideas would be accepted by the con-
vention. It was a fair fight, and when
1T was finished the delegates proceed
ed to give him unanimous indorse-
ment for retention as national COM
mitteeman from Virginia.
That the republicans are to make
an effort to perfect their organization
in Virginia, to become. a virile force,
of changing the basis Of representa-
tion. Each county is allowed one
delegate in the convention, regardless
of the vote. There are counties
which cast less than twenty votes for
the local candidates.
publicans are preparing to put
man up for Congress in every dis
trict in Virginia this fall. and they
are to make fight to elect them.
This year the state convention was
contrasted with the convention of
former years. Three colored dele
gates appeared at the last hour-one
from Hampton and two from Harri-
sonburg. HORACE A. HAWKINS.