The Washington times., 1921-06-26
VA. SENATORSH|P
IS REAL GOAL IN
AUGUST PRIMARY
Tnnk!e- Tucker Skirmish Only
Preliminary to skirmisk Be-
tween Swanson and Davis.

signfhcsnt political campaigns in its
history. There is to be Democratic
primary. August 2. to nominate
| candidates for governor and other
State offices The candidates for gov
enov are Harry st. George Tucker.
and State Senator Lee Trinklc. They
| are both good men and the State will
lose nothing, Whatever OF the out
come.
But there Is more at stake than the
nominating of man who will be the
next governor OF Virginia. To the
outsider the gubernatortai contest lis
t-believed To be The only office at stake
but to those on tho inside sof Virginia
politics. It Is, known. that the ques-l
ton OF who Will be the next United
states SenatDy4 to- succeed Senator
Claude A. Swanson. also will be; set
tied on August 2. ssSt4.b
The voters OF Virgins; wi1I not be
called upon to cast their ballot for
their choice for Senator, but the re-
sult OF the primary Will practically
decide the Hr'sater contest that will
come up In 1922 ~
swAKsON's NOTICEABLE ABSENCES.
will seek reeloction 70 the Senate. but
there Is considerable doubt IL he win
enter the contest. He has not vet
| made any pubic announcement that
he would be a candidats. TO uscceed
himself. He IS too good a politician
to make an announcements that may
| have to be- Withdrawn later on. SO
he has said nothing. OF course, he
will be candidate. II conditions turn
out like he and his supporters hope
they will.
Senator Swanson has not enjoyed
very, good health lately. For that
reason some OF his friends do not
believe II would be wise for him to
engage In such a campaign as he will
have to engage in. He has not taken
Isrt in any OF several big clebra-
tions held Ia Virginia during the
past few months. His friends say
his health would not pemit him to.
make speeches at these important
Senator Swanson did not attend
the celebration of the 25oth anniver-
sary of Fredericksburg. Va. al
though many notable persons gath
cred I'm the historic city to help
make the day memorable. Nor did
he attend the centennial celebration
of the University Of Virginia held
this month. at which the French
AMBASSADOR. the governor of Vir-
ginia, and other disting uished per-
sons were present and delivered ad-
dresses. The absence of Senator
Swanson was noticeable because he
was invited and his friends looked
for him. tGt
When the Virginia Naval Reserves
went to Washington on board Eagle
boat No. 8, the civilian sailors an
ticipated a visit from Senator Swan
son. but he failed to appear. Secre-
tary of the Navy DENLY and other
distinguished officials went on board
and gave the Virginia boys a warm
welcome. -..--~s
Governor Davis gave the naval re-
| serves a warm welcome to Virginia
He came to Newport News to see the
! Eagle boat and he spoke words OF
encouragement to the youthful sail
ors. They appreciated the governors
visit.
A FORMIDABLE CANDIDATE.
Governor Davis has announced that
he win be a candidate for the United
States Senate to succeed Senator
Swanson. and IL Is predicted he VIII
prove the most formidable opponent
any candidate in Virginia ever faced.
He Is a tighter from the word 60.
and he has never been defeated. He
won the governorship of Virginia
against the strongest odds that
candidate ever faced. He went into
| a three-cornsred race with the Demo
cratic organisation of the State and
the Anti-Saloon forces lined up
against him. He Is, one of the few
| candidates for governor who ever
broke through the strong fortifica-
tions of the Democatic machine,
captured the ramparts and came
through a victor.
Davis won votes by his fearless
ness, his frankness with the voters
Il - o.. IT, A. ~
of any faction or interest. He was
the peoples candidate. when he first
entered the contest he was looked
upon by a good many people as ~
joke. He was In the political arena
only a short time before he made a
| joke of the other candidates.
When the votes were counted In the
last gubernatorial primary IL was
shown Davis had won a big victory
and smashed the Virginia machine so
badly that II was almost beyond re-
pair. The late Senator Thomas s.
Martin, was at the helm of the DEM
ocratic machine in those days He had
brought the ship through many a
stormy voyage but Davis was too
mucn for him. When the battle was
over, some of Martins former lieu
tenants were in the Davis camp.
The machine is still in bad shape.
/ II has no leader. Since the death of
Senator Martin nobody has shown
up who Is big enough TO do the things
he did Senator Swanson is not
looked upon as leader. He was only
one of the cogs In the big political
wheel. Senator Martin was the hub
and Congressman Hal Flood was the
rim. The latter still cuts quite
nsure in politics in Virginia and he
may be called into the arena to. stop
Davis.
II Flood steps in, Swanson viii step
out and that is the secret OF the ap-
preaching gubernatorial primary.
SWANSON SUPPORTS TRJNKLE
Senator Swanson and some OF his
friends are supporting senator Trinkle
| for governor because IL he wins, II
will strengthen the Senator's chances
Of being reelected. Some of Swan
sons friends would rather see Tucker
elected governor because they know
him better than they do the Senator
and are wavering In the saddle.
40