The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-18
Takes Fling at Pollard
as He Retires From
Contest.
MACHINE FIGHT
SHARPLY DRAWN
Allegheny Man Declares Anti
machine People Who Had
Promised to Support Him
Have Turned Now to Pol
lard-cumming Says
He'll Stick.


being closely drawn In the contest for
Attorney-Generai. Floyd w. King, of
Aieshnny County, yesterday with
Dire" from the rnce. clo.ed his hend-
quarters here, and left for his home
In Clifton Forge.
many antimachine men, he stated,
who had supported him In the ear,y
dnSH OF the cnntest, had openly with
drawn thnt support In favor OF John
Garland Pollard. OF Richmond. the
Gratis of the State.
As Judge Samuel W. Williams. the
incumbent, had come to be recognized
as the leader OF the machine forces.
Mr. King, who was his first opponent
TO enter the field, declared that his
candidacy had reached a point where
1t was embarrassing to many who fav-
ored the election of Mr.. Pollard. but
who would not go back on pledges
made before the Richmond man en-
tered the contest
Cumming to Split vote.
S. Gordon Cumming, of Newport
News. Is left to divide the organiza-
tion vote with Judge Williams Mr.
Cumming arrived in Richmond yester-
day, and had opened his headquarters
at Murphy's Hotel before the an
nouncement was made that Mr. King
had determined to retire. MIR. Pol
lard is planning a state wide campaign
along progressive lines With Mr..
King out OF the field. the issue be-
tween machine and antimachine is
even more closely drawn, and when
each candidate has had his say and
has had his record reviewed, the
Democrats OF the State in the prf-
mary of August will be called on
to decide that issue
Surpriscs other Candidates.
Mr.. Kings announcement came as
a complete surprise 10 the other can
didates and to the public generally.
lie was In the held long before either
Mr.. Cumming or Mr.. Pollard. and for
time IT had appeared that he and
Judge Williams were to fight 1t out.
Active canvassing had been begun. Ac-
tive workers among the politicians or
Richmond were distributing Mr.. Kings
cards and SECURING pledges OF sup
port at the polls late Monday
night. Marshall Booker. former clerk
of the State Senate. had opened his
headquarters and begun sending out
literature. His primary entrance fee
had been posted and his name listed
with the proper officials to be placed
on the ballot in the August primary.
While not so ardent machine man,
perhaps. as Judge Williams or MIR.
Cumming, MIR. King had been regarded
as regular" in his political aitilia-
ton. In his statement, however. he
makes 1t plain that as between those
three he would have had the support
of many antimachine leaders who have
now withdrawn that support and
given IL to Mr. Pollard as the anti
machine champion. He deplores the
fact that the contest must now be
waScd largely on factional grounds
and not entirely on the merit OF the
opponents.
Mr.. Kings statement.
His signed statement of withdrawal
follows in full:
"On the cath day of March, 1913,
announced my candidacy for the Office
OF Attorney General OF Virginia. after
conferences with and mt the suggestion
of number of the political leaders OF
the State Democracy. whose Affiliations
We're with both factions of the party.
In all these conferences, | stated
that | believed in independence of
thought in the ranks OF the party. and
that II | made the campaign 1 would
do so as Democrat and not as can
didate OF either faction; that l thought
the party was greater than any fac
ton in IL, and that l eagerly looked
forward TO the time when factionalsms
would be forgotten and all would unite
for the advancement of Democratic
principles in the interest OF Old Vir-
ginia.
linn edately after the announce.
ment OF my candidacy, some OF tho
leading newspapers of tho State. of both
factions complimented the people upon
having IA candidate OF independent
thought and ideas of progress. and 1t
was stated in the public press. to-wit,
The Times Dispatch of March 25, that
my announcement had met with deep
satisfaction on the part of those who
believed that the best and abIest men
should offer 'or public service
Hits al PolInrd.
II never dreamed at that time that
factional lines would be- drawn in tho
campaign, but felt that the Democrats
of Virginia would welcome an oppor-
tunity to centre upon a man whose
record had shown as much ndepen-
dence as had my own. and this idea WAS
daily strengthened by letters and as
surances of support from both fac
tons, and ! proceeded in a quiet way
with my campaign and complied with
the law as TO notice and the payment
OF the entrance lee.
1T came like q bolt from clear
sky, when Just few moments before
the closing of tho lists candidate
fled his application and permitted the
press TO state. without correction or
contradictions by him, that he was the
candidate of what Is known as the anti.
machine wing OF the Democratic party,
whose candidacy was announced as a y
res, j. OF a conference with cots,..
OF gentlemen In Washington OF un-e
stated names and nationalities, thus
'out-Heroding Herod in machine meth
DDS
withdraw Their Support.
"Slnce that announcement a number
OF so-called antimachine men whose
had been pledged to me- have
openly withdrawn their support In the
interest OF the eleventh hour candidate
basing their action upon purely fac.
tional grounds and not upon any ques-
ton of merit; some of the press HAYS
followed the same course. and while
Continued On Second page,)