Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-15
CT. LASSITER
is STRONGLY
FOR SWANSON
The Petersburg Lawyer Recalls Pub
lice Service of Senator swanson
and HIS Friendly Acts Tor
the Fourth District


To the Democratic Voters of Virginia.
IL Is familiar saying tnat the peo-
pie o. a republic nave short memories
IN regard 20 the services Oh thelr
great men. 10 those VI US VINO recaA
pohucal conditions IN Virginia under
republican administration, at even 50
laLe d period as the oUs, IN compare
son with the constant upward trend
OF the old Commonwealth during the
last 80 years Of democratic control
1t Is difficult Tor US to believe IN the
truth Of that old saying.
Looking backward over the years,
we realize tEat the nnal defeat OF
carpet bag rule, the redemption OIL the
state from all the evil eHectS Wnicn
followed Tor the ~ years ensuing
Lees surrender, was colncldent with
The entrance INTO the political arena
OF a number OF young men, VINO were
native, and ITO the manor born not
mercy but also had been educated III
the schools and colleges OF the state
TO very hlgh degre OF emclency.
The most disastrous result to the
South OF the War Between the States
had been, not the direct destruction or
lie and property, nor yet the aboll-
ton Of slavery and the consequent re-
volutlon of our social system, but 1t
was the fact that the consequent pow
erty OF our people had deprived
whole generation Of the best blood Oh
the state from receiving the advan-
tageS OF education.
IN the late eighties and with added
momentum IN the early ninetles, the
political life of the state was revlvl-
lied by the development OF such men
as I nomas Staples of Albermarle,
Hal flood Of AppomattoX, Ned Saun-
derS Of Franklin, Frank Lasslter OF
Petersburg, Sydney Epes and Walter
Watson OF Nottoway, andrew Jack
son Montague and Claude a. Swanson
of Danville and OF Chatham, and a
number of others.
Probably none of the others so thor
oughly typified the advent Of the edu-
Gated young man into the politics OF
the state as Claude A. Swanson. Born
and reared on a farm, struggling Tor
an education through local schools,
beginning work as teacher at SIN
teen IN order to enter the Virginia
Polytechnic institute at Blacksburg,
working i'll z grocery store, studying
three years at Randolph Macon and
one year at the University, earning
money while at college by editing
newspapers, constantly speaking and
working, even while an undergrad
uate for the success of the democratic
party, Swanson acquired knowledge
of and a sympathy for the ideals OF
his people which few Of his genera
ton have exceeded.
He was one of the youngest men,
berS of the house of representatives IN
1893, but, so well did he discharge his
duties there, that the democrats of the
Fifth Virginia district renominated
him six times without opposition and
elected him by ever-increasing maj
critics.
In 1906 he resigned as a member of
congress to be inaugrated governor
of Virginia.
Shortly after his retirement from
the executive mansion in 1910 he was
appointed by Governor Mann to fill
| the vacancy in the senate OF the IN
tied States, made vacant by the death
of the amented John Warwick Daniel.
In 1911 he was elected for the
regular term and was reelected IN
1916.
During the earlier years Of Swan
sons service in the house of repre-
sentatives, the Fourth District of Nlr-
ginia was represented by republi-
can, and the writer recollects with
gratitude that the democratic people
of the Fourth district then had a
staunch friend in Claude A. Swanson
of the Fifth district.
His administration as governor was
notable for many measures 81 great
public interest which were then inaug-
urater. The creation of the state
highway department and of the con-
Wet road force; the creation Of the
health department, of the Catawba
sanatorium and of the epileptlc colo
ny; the geological survey, the dairy
and food commission, the mineral eX-
hibit, the state experimental station,
! the board of charities and correction,
the passage of laws for the protection
of women and children, the tremen-
dous advances made by the schools
and colleges of the state, and partlc-
ularly the increase in the facilities
for the education of women.
In the senate he became, with Sena-
tor Martin, tower of strength for
the policies of the Wilson admins
tration.
As chairman of the naval affairs
committee he contributed largely to
the preparedness Of our navy and to
our success in the great war As
member of the foreign relations COM
mittee he reported the eighteen peace
traties negotiated in 1914 by Presi-
dent Wilson. He has been actively
interested in tobacco, peanuts and the
securing of nitrates as fertilizers. lie
ting by the way side, when they heard
that Jesus passed by, cried out, say
ing, Have mercy on us, o Lord, thou
son of David.
81 And the multitude rebuked them,