Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-15
FIRST DISTRICT RACE
CENTER OF 'aIEREsT
Four-COrnercd Fight for Congress
Is Attracting Wido
Attention.
EACH HAS STRONG FOLLOWING
Former Governor Stuart Replies TO
Letter Giving Legislative Record
of State Senator Goulrick in Road
and Tax Matters.

Interest in the outcome of the race
, for Congress in the First District the
center OF public attention I'm the nri
inaries OF August c. grows as the cam
paign ncars It's end Tho friends of
all candidates for the long torn
Representative s. otis Bland. OF New
port News. senator Charles DCouor
Go"lrick. of Fredericksburg: Madison
Hall. OF ESSEX. and Senator O. Walter
Mapp. of Accomtc--cXprcss confidence
that their men viii win. and upon one
proposition all are agreed. and that
is that the vote viii be the largest
cast in the district in many years. and
is likely to exceed 1000.
The candidates are expected to at
tend the opening OF Circuit Court
at Mathews Courthouse to-day. and TO
address the citizens there. Mathews is
conceded to be Bland territory. but his
opponents have some strength there.
The district has been nearly covered
in y o campo ln. ana the voters have
In an cpp"itrnitv to grasp the hands;
Of the aSp,rants and respond TO in
quirics 10 the health Of their FAINT
lies ana the CondItion OF their crops
Ever: body is making his own figures
and the claims naturally differ widely.
The nome section OF each candidate is
naturally strongly for him, and in
tho:c cases organizations arc heinz
perfected to insure the polling OF n
heavy vote. Large votes are. there
fore. expected in Accomac for Senator
MapD: in Spotsylvania and Frcdericks-
burg for Senator Goodrich. and in Now
port News for Representative Bla nd
Il is also agreed that Mapp will carry
Northampton. that Bland will carry
Warwick. Gloucester and Mathews. and
that Goolrick will carry Caroline
northumberland and Wcstmoreland
and possibly Essex.
EACH CANDIDATE HAS
\ n
Real fighting grounds are Elizabeth
City. MiddlcscN, Lancaster and King
and Queen. When all this is accounted
for. there still remains 4 large amount
OF speculation as to the minority votes
that will be cast in units conceded 10
ne faIortte son. for iapp because Of
his active record for prohibition. for
Goolrick because OF his activity for
good roads and workmcns compensa-
ton. and for Bland because nc is in
Congress for tn" short term.
beginning to-day. there will be cir
cuiatcd throughout the district n let
ter written by former Governor Henry
G. Stuart concerning tho public record
OF Senator Goolr.Ck II s IN reply 10
an inquiry mad" by Robert beverley.
OF ESSEX. as TO the former Governor
opinion OF the public services o: tn"
Frederick sburg candidate. and is in
part, as follows:
IF ! may he permitted 10 answer
your inquiries as to tho legislative
record OF Senator Goolrick OF Fred
cricksburr. without putting myself in
the attitude Of having souT.ht 10 In
tcct my influence. whatever IL may tie,
Into the congrcssi onal campaign In mo
First District. | viii say that was
intimately associated with Senator
HoolTick from the beginning OF my
term as governor to it's close II ! may
say II without diSDara cement to others.
J have found him solid and dependable
IN every relation. To these qualities
lie has added ability, force and couraE.
ing and securing the passage OF tho
new tax laws. which. while rcduc!n.
the rate on practically all classes al
property by an average OF at least one
haf. bring into the treasury more than
Si.copu"o increased revenue. | recall
also that he participated actively in AMI
vas probably tho author Of the bill!
which led TO tho appointment OF a
w"rkmens compensation commission
which drafted much necdcd law
which was passed by the legislature
Of 1918. and has settled this question
seemingly TO the satisfaction OF al.
parties concerned. lie WAS also active
IN road legislation. the particulars of
which are doubtless known TO the peo-
pie of tho state generally. Wi;hou,
wishing to do more than bare justice
to Senator Goolv!ck in answering al.
inquiry such as yours WIN saw in
short that his legislative record in
the particulars mentioned is admirable
ana, so far as | recall, hts record. I,
was in general way tina, t Il strong
earnest and fearless man"