The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-08
Race Close for Superintendent
of Public instruction, With
Hart Probable Nominee
SAUNDERS PROBABLE
WINNER OVER WHITE
B. 0. James Is Nominated 10
Succeed Himself as Secre-
tary of the Commonwealth.
Pollard Vote Is Small

with more than half tn. counties to
be heard from and the vote from Rich.
mond. Roanoke and other centers in-
complete. returns early this morning
from yesterdays Democratic primary
showed Mr.. Westmoreland Davis. Of
Loudoun county. 1900 votes ahead OF
Hon J. Taylor Ellyson, and more than
5000 votes ahead of Mr.. John Garland
Pollard in Ire race for governor
Mr. Dawn read was conceded by the
Pollard forces early last night when
returns began to arrive from areas
considered strongly in favor of that
candidate. In several of these places.
the Davis candidacy had assumed UNI
explained strength and the Pollard
forces were manifestly disappointed.
AT Mr.. Ellysons headquarters. how
ever, hopeful views continued to be-
held up to the time of going to presa.
Returns from the Ninth and Tenth dis
tricts, regarded as strongly fayorable
to Mr.. Ellyson. had not yet near all
arrived; while the absence OF COM
plete figures from all of Richmond and
Roanoke. regarded as favorable to MI.
Davis. left the result in those centerx
unsettled
How the Figures stand,
The total vote reported at o'clock
this morning. not including figures
from either Richmond or Roanoke, was
35.445 for the Office of governor. Many
precincts had reported the vote for
governor without the figures on can
didates for other Offices, The votes
as~rsported at that tins were;
For Governor-Davis, 14.s:4, ELY.
SON. 11.7s0; Pollard. s.741.
For Attorney Saunders
i3,74Sj White, 11.66S.
wealth-James, Ie,134, Brown, $500.
For perintendent of Public InA
struction-Hart. 1910, stearnes. liz
SEQ.
Due to Divided Vote.
The result of the contest for the govs
ernorship bears out with great accuracy
the prediction made in The Virginian
several weeks ago as to the strength
of the Davis campaign The result.
II is shall ultimately turn out that
he has beer. nominated, will be due
to a division of the dry vote between
Mr.. Ellyson and Mr.. Pollard. while
the unreconciled wet vote went solidly
to Mr.. Davis. The combined votes of
Mr. Ellyson and Mr.. Pollard exceed
Mr.. Davis vote. on the early morn.
ing figures. by nearly SO per cent; this
proportion being almost exactly that
between the wet and dry votes In the
statewide campaign in 1914.
Influences affecting the result were
the efforts to raise a factional issue
between the so-called machine and
"anti-ma chine" elements OF the Dem.
ocratic party. The persistent claim
up to the close Of the campaign
by the Pollard forces that moro than
thirty thousand votes had been
pledged to his support-an estimate
which an enthusiastic afternnooD
paper in Richmond raised to 10000 on
the eve OF the ANAL decision. and tho
very thorough and plausible campaign
conducted by Mr.. Davis who posed ~
the farmers candidate" The claims
of promises made to MFR. Pollard
helped to deceive many dry voters who
would not in any event have agreed to
vote for a wet candidate. but who put
faith in the statement that Pollard
was sure to win and really believed
he had chance, Notwithstanding the
ample warnings given through Tho
Virginia.. and otherwise.
Their failure to understand and act
upon the facts presented resulted In ~
division Of the dry vote which Eav9
Mr. Davis a substantial lead on laAk
night figures and may result in hia
nomination. n
Saunders, James and Hart s%
The contest between John r. SAuns
ders and Hugh A. White. for attoR.
ney- general. was spirited and the re.N
turns last night showed Mr.. SaundeF6j
in the lead by more than 2.o0o votes
He declared that he was entirely A.
sured of nomination.
Secretary of tn ecomm onwealth. B. q
James. is>certainly renominated, hAv.
ing received on last nights returno
nearly double the vote given to hia
competitor. Major Philip v. Brown at
many of the polling places Mr.. Hart
was more than 1900 votes In the lead
last night. but friends of Mr.. Stearnen
refused to accept the view that their
candidate had been defeated. Duf~
ing the campaign. the whole subject
OK the administration Of the Departs
ment Of education was threshed out II
detail charges. denials and countaee4
charges coming in rapid suecssstan
from both sides.
The vote for governor by congress
| sional districts. rs reported. indtcatA3
that Mr.. Ellyson would lead II -
Fifth. Ninth and Tenth districts. vAi1N
49, a.. \