The Washington times., 1922-05-07
EX-GOVERNOR
HOPES To JOIN
BL0C|N SENATE
Declares Agriculture Is Basic
and Essential to National
Prosperity.
By LOUIS A. MCMAHON.

III
Davis would be "a statesman OF
courage" if elected to the United
States Senate to succeed Senator
Claude A. Swanson next fall.
Candidate Davis says so him
self in a public letter which is
now being circulated in the pr.
mary campaign between himself
and Senator Swanson and which
is the standing political strug-
gle among the many in Virginia
today.
Lines Sharply Drawn.
while due interest centers In the
several forthcoming congressional
and municipal primaries and cleo
tions. the contest between these two
distinguished aspirants eor the
United States Senate Is overshadow
ing all the others because the ma
chine" and "anti-machine" lines aie
so sharply drawn. Senator Swan,
son is frankly the "organizationts
candidate. while Davis is recognized
as the "anti-machine" candidate and
has thown his capacity to oeard
the lion in his own den"
Supporters OF Davis claim that
his invasion Of Senator Swanson q
home section, southwestern Nir'
ginia, and his announcement that ne
would affiliate with the "agricul'
tural bloc" in the United States Sen
ate IL elected. have both done him
a world OF good. They claim he is
particularly strong with the farmers
and that the agricultural vote wal
spell victory or defeat in the Demo
cratic primary this summer.
Recently Andrew ID. Christian, mn
official Of the Virginia Railway and
Power Company. one OF the largest
corporations in the South, owned by
the Gould interests in New York,
wrote a letter in which he asked
Candidate Davis II II were true that
he would ally himself with the farm
bloc" II elected.
Replying in the affirmative. Can
didate Davis said in part:
my espousal Of the cause OF the
farmers bloc was based upon the
fact that have been for many years
deeply impressed with the fact tha'
agriculture is basic, and that when
IL prospers so tho nation in all It's
classes fares.
THE low prices OF the farmers
products which followed upon rapid
deflation were In nowise reflected
by a lowered price to the consumer
and the adjustment Of the rights OF
all Interested is the opportunity for
a statesman Of courage.
That Virginia farmers regard the
Senatorial primary Of particular in
ha
fact that the final day for paying
poll taxs as a prerequisite TO voting
in the August primary found more
agricultyrists "paid up than Tor
many years previously. Reports
from all over the State brought the
information that farmers in every
section took time off from their
spring farm work TO qualify them
selves to participate In the primary
Ninth District Contest.
Second only to the interest in the
Senatorial try out. which promises
to be nip and tuck, is that mani.
tested in the fight which the Demo
Gratis are waging to wrest the Ninth
district from Republican control.
For a quarter of a century this
district has been represented by a
Republican, c. Bascom Slemp being
the present Congressman. Although
the G. o. P. district convention will
not meet for several weeks, II Is
foregone conclusion that Slenp
will be the nominee Of his party.
since George Campbell Peery was
named as the Democratic candidate
TO oppose Slemp. he has made a
vigorous campaign and the whole
party machinery in this district and
throughout the State is strongly
backing him.
Peery is the party chairman in
the Ninth district and is well-known
to practically all the voters, both
Democratic and Republican. in his
section.
He was born at Cedar Bluff, in
Tazewell county. Va, October %.
and Mary l.. Peery. His father
rick's Battalion, in the Confederate
service.
Mr.. Peery attended the public
schools of Tazewell county and en-.
tered Emory and Henry College at
the age of sixteen wears. He gradu.
ated from that college in 1894. He
was then elected principal OF Ta2e.
we'll High School and taught school
for two years. In the fall of 1896
be entered the law school OF Wash.
ington and Lee University and took
his law degree in one year. He 10.
Gated at Tazewell, Va, in 1897. for
the practice Of law. forming a part.
nership with A. S. Higginbotham,
under the firm name Of Peery &
Higginbotham. In 1899 he engaged
in land title work and litigation in.
cident thereto, in Wise. Dickenson,
and Buchanan counties, Virginia
and In eastern Kentucky. In 1901
he located at Wise, Va, for the prac.
0TA E0R SALE