Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-05
ALL THREE CLAIM
CERTAIN VICTORY
Governorship Campaign Now
Drawing to End Is Admit
teddy Very Close.
PROHIBITION is MADE ISSUE
All Three Candidates Are Pledged
to Strict Enforcement of
Prohibition Law.
PROHIBITION is MADE ISSUE

With only a few hours remaining
for eleventh-hour canvasses by the
candidates. the State political situation
as viewed in Richmond last night is
exceedingly complex. Statements were
made at the headquarters OF each OF
the three gubernatorial candidates as
serting that each had committals
enough to assure his nomination on
Tuesday, when the voters OF Virginia
will go to the polls in tho Democratic
primary to nominate Governor. At
torney General, Secretary OF the Com7
monwealth and Superintendent of Pub
lie Instruction.
The candidates are as follows:
Governor-Westmor Davis, OF
Loudoun Couny; ]. Taylor Ellyson and
John Garland Pollard. Of Richmond.
Attorney-General-Jo r.. Saun-
ders. of Middlesex, and Hugh A
White of Rockbridge.
Secretary Of Commonwealth--B. O.
James, OF Richmond. the incumbent,
and Phil F. Brown. Of Botetourt.
Superintendent Of Public Instruc-
tion-R. c. Stearnes, OF Roanoke Coun-
ty. the incumbent and Harris Hart, OF
Roanoke City.
LITsCLH ATTENTION PAID
TO LESSER CONTESTS
Because OF tho great interest In tho
gubernatorial contest, little attention
Is being devoted to the other fights,
but all candidates have been working
intensively for weeks. Campaign
headquarters were opened by them In
Richmond sometime ago. and from
these Offices thousands Of letters have
been mailed during the past few days.
Reports from throughout tho State
give little or no indication as to how
these contests will result, with dis
cussion everywhere devoted to the
three-cornered race for the governor
ship.
Old-line politicians admitted the
closeness Of the race. the three can
didates apparently running neck and
neck with tho organization of each,
exertinE every effort to swing over as
many votes as possible. The campaign
for several weeks has not been with
out It's features. with the volume OF
correspondence pledging and with
drawing support from all OF the three
candidates SURPRISING all previous
campaigns AS it stood last night.
grave doubt as,, to the final outcome
Of the campaign on Tuesday, is az
pressed, and headquarters workers.
are not as confident as they were
two weeks ago.
PROHIBITION FIGURES
PROMINENTLY IN RACE
This holds true in at least two of
the Offices. although managers deny
any such condition. Prohibition has
figured prominently in the race. de-
spite the fact that efforts were made
to prevent it's introduction on the
ground that 1t was no longer an issue
in Virginia. ]. Taylor Ellyson. of
Richmond. for eight years Lieutenant
Governor, and leader in the Demo
cratic party in Virginia for more than
twenty-five years, is making a strong
fight in opposition to Westmoreland
Davis. Of Loudoun County. and John
Garland Pollard. OF Richmond. Mr..
Ellyson is the Organization" candi-
date. and is being supported by DR..
James Cannon. superintendent of the
Anti-Saloon League of Virginia.
Mr.. Davis is what might be termed
the farmers candidate because OF
the fact that he was president of the
State Farmers Institute for several
years. while Mr.. Pollard. at this time
d,
ming as an out and out prohibition
candidate. favoring the writing OF q
prohibition amendment into the State
Constitution.
ALL THREE CANDIDATES
PLEDGE LAW IMPROVEMENTS
Charges have been made that Mr.
Ellyson is personally wet, but po-
litically dry" and that Mr.. Davis is
the wet" candidate. Mr.. Pollard has
favored prohibition for many years
even at a timo when such views were
unpopular in the State. The state
ment is made that many Of Mr.. Ely
sons supporters were opposed to
Statewide prohibition in 1914 Both
Mr.. Ellyson and Mr.. Pollard are &C.
tive work.-s in Baptist churches. AL
three men are pledged to the strict en-
forcement OF the prohibition law and
are personal teetotalers.
Mr.. Davis has been conducting his cam
paign during the past few days with.
out antagonism from either Of the
other candidates. They are fighting
between themselves for the dry" vote
with the odds favoring Ellyson slight.
~ because of his support by the "or-
ganization." Mr.. Pollard, however, Is
strong, and that he will be nominated
for Governor is declared in certain
quarters. 1t is known that the Anti
Saloon League vote Is being split
with several of it's leaders supporting
Sr. Pollard. while he Is also being
backed by Governor Henry C. Stuart
and Congressman Carter Glass.
"sLATE" DISCOVERED
IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
What effect the discovery of evil
dence apparently showing the exist
enco of State slate In Southwest
Virginia, and OF an attempt to ad-
vance the cause Of certain candidates-
those supported by. the organization
through the channels Of the absent
voters law. will have in the final re-
suit Is impossible to foresee at this
time. This evidence was only made
public on Friday. when it was found
that letters and sample ballots on
CONTINUED on Second Page.) =
G. & o. Mountain Excursion. >
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