The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-01
KO|NER HITS BACK
AT GOVERNOR MANN
State Executive Sharply Assailed
by Commissioner of
Agriculture.
AMBITION TO RULE OR RUIN
Candidate Rescnts Governors
Defense of United Agri-
cultural Board.

In an Interview sharply calling
Governor Mann to task for alleged
activity In the approaching state cleo
lions George w koiner, candidate for
reelection as State Commissioner OF
Agriculture and Immigration, yestcr-
day replied to a statement from the
Governor printed in The Times Dis
patch relative to the United Agricul-
tural Board. Tho commissioner credits
Governor Mann with the desire to
rule or ruin in all matters pertain
Ing to the Department OF Agriculture"
and declares that the United Arricul-
tural Board was created when the
Governor could re. use the present
Commissioner or Agriculture to crafty
selfish demands"
several weeks ago an afternoon
newspaper published an article ridicul-
ing the United Agricultural Board and
Governor Manns connection with that
institution. THIS article was embodied
III circular sent out by Mr.. koincr
with his campaign literature. and
aroused the resentment of the Cover
nor The interview with the Governor
which called for tho reply printed he
low, was not so much an attack on
Mr. Koiners candidacy for recollection
as n defense of the United Agricultural
Board and n statement OF what II has
accomplished in farm demonstration
work.
Mr.. Koiner's Response
Mr. koiner gave out the following
statement In reply to tho Governor:
Never In the history of Virginia
has the Governor of the State under
taken to use tho power and prestige
of his office to defeat a state officer for
reelection simply as a punishment for
his refusal 10 sacrifice the usefulness
OF the Department of Agriculture and
the best interest OF the farmers OF the
state to crafty an ambition to rule or
ruin in NIL matters pertaining to the
Department of Agriculture. His sole
object from the very beginning Of his
administration has been to destroy
the State Department of Agriculture
and to turn its funds over to his United
Agricultural Board composed in part
OF nonresidents of the STATED to be
used and spent according to his dicta-
ton regardless OF the views Of the
Commissioner OF Agriculture or of the
State Board OF Agriculture. 1t has been
made plain that he could not use the
present Commissioner of Agriculture
TO crafty these selfish demands and
therefore is now seeking to secure
my defeat.
My course in regard to the United
NSTlcuituraI Board, as Well as my dis
charge of all the duties imposed upon
me as Commissioner of Agriculture, mas
had in every particular the unanim Gus
approval of the State Board of Agri-
culture of Virginia, and l defy the
Governor or anybody else to show one
instance where ! have failed to CO.
operate in any movement for the uplft
and betterment of the agricultural in
terests OF this Commonwealth 1t is
the veriest hypocrisy for anybody TO
say, as Governor Mann does in his in
terview in The Times Dispatch, that
the Legislature of 1912 reorganized
the board. dropping tho agricultural
college head and Mr.. Koiner as use
less timber The fact is that the
Governors agricultural trust board was
practically abolished. except as TO de-
monstration work, as unnecessary, ex-
pensive and tending TO destroy har-
mony.
Il cannot believe that the Democrats
of Virginia will he influenced by this
bclated attack on me by the Governor
OF this State, which has been most
unfairly held back until the closing
days of the campaign, when it Is too
late for me to get my reply in the
country newspapers"