Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-01-11
REINSTRICTIhG
CONFERENCE
Virginia Democratic Lead
ers Discuss Future OF
Ninth District
District As At Present Constitutso
Is Considered ''Topheavy by
Democrats

is SOllSlutiSo
Democrats
Washington, Jan. 11:-Proposalss
for changing the lines of the Nantn
Virginia Congressional District, now
topcheavy with population, and now
Secisively Republican in politics. were
laid before the Virginia delegation
in Congress yesterday by an unofhclal
committee of Virginia Democrats VINO
aro to advise the General Assembly
as to such action as should be taken.
Although the formal statement Is
sued by the conference indicated tnat
the committee felt it advisable to con-
suit such Virginia Congressman as
might be directly interested IN the
red,stricting, as matter OF TACT an
the Democratic members of the dele
cation including the two United
States Senators, were invited 10 tne
fee of Senator Swanson, except KEEP
resentative Drewry, who was absent
from the city.
The Fifth, Sixth and Tenth Dis
tricts represented by J. M. Hooker,
James P. Woods and the late Hal D..
Flood, respectively, will be most i'm
ncdiately concerned over changing
the line, inasmuch as these districts
are contiguous to the Ninth and any
realignment of counties will involve
an increase in the constituencies OF
one or more of the three Represen-
tatives and probably involve an in
crease in the Republican vote in those
districts.
Those Democratic leaders attend
ing the conference yesterday from the
Ninth District included former Gov
ernor Henry c. Stuart, c. ". Bondu-
rant. of st. Charles; Frank Wysor,
of Pulaski; Arch Williams, of Wythe-
vile, and Judge Fulton Kegly, of
Bland. Harry F. Byrd, of Winchester,
also was in the group. The members
of the delegation present were SEN
ators Swanson and Glass; Repre-
scntatives Bland, Deal, Montague,
Hooker, Woods, Harrison and Moore.
Members of the delegation con-
ccrned in the line changing told the
committee, according to those who
were willing to comment upon the
matter, that they were not disposed
to offer any suggestion as to the ac-
ton the Legislature should take, but
would leave the whole business to
the committees of that body and to
the Democratic leaders of the Ninth
District.
There seemed, however, to be
agreement on the part of all interests
upon the Importance of so rearrang-
ing the counties of the Ninth as to
give the democrats fairer chance
of redcenaing it, if by SO doing no
other district, already Democratic lis
put in the doubtful class.
From all that could be gathered,
the meeting today was adjourned to
Richmond, where the Ninth District
leaders will meet with the commit
tees of the General Assembly and
with Governor-Elect Trinkle, him
self a Ninth District Democrat, for
a further canvass of the situation.
What counties will be legislated out
of the Ninth was not indicated by any
of those present today and into
which Of the three contiguous dis
tricts such counties will go, also was
left for further consultation.
The following is the formal state
ment, which was issued Immediately
upon the adjournment of the confer
cncc:
The meeting was brought about by
the necessity of changing the boun-
Diary lines of the Ninth Congression-
al District, owing to the great excess
of population of this district, due to
the development which has been 60
ing on there for number of years.
Viewing the necessity for some re-
apporLonlnent to be brought about
by the Virginia. Legislature now
about to assemble, number of lead
ing Democrats, before presenting the
matter to the General Assembly, felt
they would like to extend the cour-
tesy Of a consultation to such men,
bers of the Virginia delegation in
Congress as would be affected by
any change that might be made in
the Ninth District.
| The committee was met very cour-
tcously by the gentlemen so affected,
who while expressing a friendly in
terest in undertakings Of the Demo
Gratis of the Ninth District, very
properly declined to have anything
to say IN the matter, feeling the
matter of rcapportionment was one
to be dealt with by the Virginia
Assembly without any form of sug-
gestlon or dictation by any of the
WHEN EVERY MOVE HURTS