Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-26
THREE BIG POLITICAL
FIGHTS NEAR CLOSE
President Wilson Seeks to Have
Henry Ford Elected to United
States Senate.
MAKES RUN AS a DEMOCRAT
Jitney Manufacturer Taking No Ac-
tive Part In Michigan Campaign.
Two Republican Opponents Busy.
Hot Contest in South Carolina.
Especial to The Times-Dispatch.I

Especial to The Times-DispatchJ
WASHINGTON, August 25.-Three OF
the most intensely interesting political
contests Of the war are drawing to
close. On Tuesday Michigan will
render her verdict upon the candidacy
of Henry Ford for the United States
Senate. On the same day South Caro-
lima will decide whether or not Cole
Blease is to occupy the seat in the
same august body vacated by the death
of Senator Tiliman. On September IL
Georgia will determine whether or not
Thomas w. HardwIcK Is to have a
further lease upon public life.
The fact that President Wilson has
INTERVIEWED in each OF these contests
places them upon national plane; Mr..
Senate seat only because he was
considerable volume Of tho opposition
President has pilloried him as an
enemy OF the things that the present
national administration stands for. and
Hardwick's course as a member Of the
Senate has been publicly denounced by
the same high official.
particularly unique situation has
oeen created by the candidacy OF Ford
out in Michigan. He is a Republican,.
cratic ticket Likewise he is asking
for, the Republican domination. He
party for the obvious reason r,e that he
has no opposition in that direction, and
maX be- the Republican nominee as
parties he will doubtless elect to run
as 4 Republican in the general cleo
lean nomination. he will run as a
Democrat anyway. and will have about
as much popular support in one party
Everybody in Michigan seems to be
ea a,!nt. a except Ford. He has been
in the State, and yet he has not spent
a cent to promote his candidacy. He
Is the most popular man in the State,
lettings. He has led no torch
light parades. He has not chucked
bombarded the Voter with no eloquent
platitudes In fact. he has done none |
of ,t the tn things that regular candidate
has tished large part of his time, and |
when he was not fishing he was work.
tracts, upon which he has declined to |
accept any profits.
ic aean nnnonsr howsser. bis MS two Repub-
uoneering. Former Governor Chase. $.
Osborn has been speaking up one side
Former Secretary of the Navy Tru-
man H. Newberry, now wearing the
uniform of lieutenant commander,
has been right on the job day and night |
for many weeks.
FORD MAY DE CANDIDATE
OF BOTH PARTIES
But. as aforesaid. Ford is not worry
ms III TIC tndt ne !
is going to be in at the finish He
will be the Democratic candidate if
ne e, is IS not the Republican candidate.
who will vote for him will do it just
as quick II he labels himself Demo-
crat as if he styles himself a Repub-
lican:
This is not the way they are cam
ever When man :I1u runs for " ONCE se in
that State, he runs. He does not saun-
ter. And there are three of them rae
inv for Ha of tn,, tad
man. Cole Blense is the most con-
spicuous. for the reason that he is
term as Governor in which to show the
country, just the kind OF stuff he is
South Carolina knows all about him.
That State knows more about him than
any other or All the others put to-
ders that it abides him at all. But he
is fighting sort of fellow. He has
ssle real thinking capacity but he
knows who. to whoop. 'em up in the
red clay, districts and how to CAPT
talize old-time prejudices. This makes
him factor to be reckoned with.
DIAL CHIEF OPPONENT OF
EX-GOVERNOR BLEASE
Dial, banker, and business man OF
Anderson; Dial is. the leading candi-
date OF the two. He ran against TILL
@as 2e He is no a seum pg shou
err, but he is solid all the way through
and South l;a Caroinians generally hold
other. Representative Lever. of South |
Carolina: was generally looked upon
coed Tnlnan. but under the law he
could not get into the contest. He
candidacy after Tillman's death.
After Tuesdays primaries over.
tor Hardwick is making 10 return.
In some particulars this Georgia cam J
paign is the bitterest that has been
is turning heaven and earth to get
vindication of his obstructionist course
in Congress at the hands Of his PEG.
hands off. he had better than an even
chance TO win, but when Mr. Wilson
held up the Senator s1a;a, to the people Of
Democratic party. the outcome became
one OF grave. doubt.
>, Hardwiek faces field Of candidates.
opposing him. Representative Howard.
OF the Atlanta district is opposing
in Emmett Shaw. and Bunk" Cooper.
OF Bibb County. is bringing UP the rear.
But this does not mean that Hardwick
basis. II he returns to the Senate II
must be by the grace of a majority
OF the Democratic voters of the State.
candidates receives a clear majority |
Of the votes on September II; second
some of T' the nfYs h frenas feel
that he made mistake in picking out
Harris as the administrations choice
there was any OCCASION for him to do |
was to eXcommunicate Hardwick. leav-
ing 1t TO the voters to decide between
particularly Howard, have been abso-
lutcly loyal to the President and to