The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-09
DIVISION OF THE DRY VOTE
GIVES WET MAN NOMINATION.

Later hut incomplete returns tndt-
cate the nomination Of Mr.. West
moreland Davis for Governor by
plurality OF 5000 or more. The re-
turns also indicate that the combined
vote of Messrs Ellyson and Pollard.
the "dry" candidates. is largely in
excess of the vote Of Mr.. Davis, the
.ueto candidate. That is TO say, there
seems TO be no possible question but
that had the dry" vote been concen-
trated upon one candidate the rrohi-
bition state Of Virginia would not be
called upon to bear the humiliation OF
having nominated wet man for
Governor of the Commonwealth
some lessons are taught by the re-
suits of the Primary. First. the rri-
mary Law should be amended SO that
no candidate should be considered the
nominee Of the Party who had not re-
ceived clear majority Of the Demo-
cratic votes cast We win not enter
into detail just now, or indicate which
form Of preferential Primary law
should be adopted but certainty the
law should be SO amended that there
could not be such a result as that in
.he present Primary.
Second The position Of The Nir-
h gilman in the campaign JUS, closed has
/ been fully indicated From the Goth
! Of June. the date on which Mr. West
noreland Davis. sent his reply 10 tho
questions of the Headquarters Com
mittee Of the Ant{-Saloon League,
there has not been the slightest doubt
but that Mr. Davis was bidding for
The wet" vote Of the state. His dodg
NJ ing Of the questions of the League
N Showed that he was trying to shape
his answers SO that they would not
pffend the wet voters. and SO that
1t the same time they would not alarm
The dry" farmer vote for which he
had been working so assiduously for
II years past
The Nirginian had recognized the
81 81 ssrtl .~f1i.h confranted tbs ~ ahlbi1!on
cause for several months past. but
when Mr. Davis answers were pub
/ Mshed. his candidacy became a very
real menace. for it showed that he
was angling for both the wet and
she dry" vote.
The management Of The NIreinian,
owing to MIR. Pollards attitude to-
ward the paper, had never felt that
u could do anything. TO advance his
candidacy. but it had RETAINED from
D. any attack upon Mr. Pollard, or from
lny discussion IF Mr. rollard's atti-
Ace of the menace IF one wet" candi-
sss late against two dry" candidates, The
Dponsihility, which il was obliged to
meet, regardless of the eject that its
action might have on the fortunes OF
sither dry candidate It was the
b 1uty of The Nirginian to do all il
possibly could to defeat the wet
candidate for the nomination, and to
help one Of the dry" candidates 10
pecure. it. For fully six weeks before
he election, the management of The
b virginian was investigating conditions
y the State very carefully, and at the
ime Of the meeting Of the Anti Saloon
Il league Convention il became evident
hat the race would he between Mr.
Davis and Mr. Ellyson, with the prob
ability that the continuance OF Mr.
Pollard in the nefd would result in
ne nomination Of Mr. Davis Hold.
ng the views which it holds. The Viz
lnian could not loek with eauanin,i,y
4pon the prospect OF the nomination
N . wet" man for Governor. TIL.
experience of Tennessee with Cover
apr Patterson, and of Alabama with
3evernor O'Neai. are still fresh in the
ainds OF all prohibition workers. Gov
acnor Patterson practically rendered
30 law OF Tennessee nullity and
Overncr O'Neal criticised and de
oonced the prohibition law Of Ala
Mana, although sworn TO enforce tbs
3me. and the consequence was wide
5pon cities in both States, and tn.
k4msful murder of Senator CarnacL
III Tennessee will ever stand as an in
Snous blot upon the record Of
kY~ State. made possible by the ad
Narration of wet Governor.