Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-29
SHENANDOAH VOTE
CONTINUES PUZZLE
Democrats Expect to Carry
Valley for Smith, but Keep
Up Hard Work.
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elections-are this year wondering what
the result will be on election day, Nov
ember 6. Thousands of Democrats are
actively working against the regularly
nominated candidate of their own party
for President of the United States.
Either actively or tacitly, organized or
unorganized, they are working with the
Republican organizations of the Valley
for the election of Herbert Hoover as
President.
Gov. Byrd of Virginia has his home
in the Valley, his voting residence being
Winchester. He and other regular
Democrats are working as they have
never had to work before, to give Gov
Smith of New York majority of the
Valley folks votes for President. To 4
detached observer, who talks with poll
ticians on all sides and with members
of the rank and file, it hardly seems
possible that this Valley will go Repub-
lican even this year, but the most
ardent Smith workers tell you frankly
when speaking "off the record" that
they wish they were more certain it
would not.
Regarded Smith Stronghold.
Augusta County, in which Staunton
is located, is regarded as the Smith
stronghold of the Valley. 1t is part of
the tenth congressional district. now
represented in the House by Henry St.
George Tucker, Democrat, of Lexington,
whose Republican opponent is M. J.
Putnam of Clifton Forge.
This congressional district extends a
considerable distance to the south and
west, including Craig County in its far
western corner. Augusta County is at
its northern edge. 1t extends also
across the Blue Ridge, including on that
side Appomattox County, Buckingham,
Cumberland and Fluvanna Counties.
The other counties in the district are
Botetourt, Allegheny, Bath, Rockbridee,
Amherst, Nelson and Highland. It en-
braces the cities of Staunton, Clifton
Forge and Buena Vista BY the 1920
census the districts population, since
probably increased to large degree,
was 202150.
Augusta County has shown by its
votes in the past that it is politically
dry. Representative Tucker has been
campaigning for Smith, notwithstand-
ing the liberal liquor views of the Dem
ocratic presidential nominee. It is not
believed by the regular Democrats of
Stanton that fuckers vote will be
materially" affected by the anticipated
bolt Of many Democrats from Smith.
Some Doubt of Result.
Even with the name of being the
Smith stronghold in the Valley, Augusta
County is admitted by many regular
Democrats to be, at the present writing,
somewhat doubtful as between Smith
and Hoover. The Democrats, however,
believe the whole tenth congressional
district is fairly safe" for Smith, al
though they do not deny that the nor
NAL Democratic majority will be cut
away down, and perhaps in some COM
munitieS wiped out entirely
In recent weeks the situation from
the viewpoint of the Smith adherents
has improved, as it has in several other
places in the Valley of the Shenandoah
River, say the regular Democratic lead
ers. But here, also as in other Valley
communities, the regular Democrats are
finding 1t easier to win back the men
who have Strayed from the camp of the
Democratic presidential nominee than
the women. Ex-Gov. Nellie Taylor Ross
Of Wyoming spoke for Smith in Staun-
ton several weeks ago, and the regular
Democrats believe she helped to bring
back some women, at least, into the
Smith fold
Augusta County, which today Is re-
garded as somewhat doubtful with
Democratic 1eanings, voted as follows
in 1924: Davis, 1920; Coolidge, 1855;
La Toilette, Is. The vote on that oc-
casion was light, because of lack of
interest. This year the registration has
been heavy and the total vote will I'M
doubtedly be much larger.
Not in recent years but in the not far
distant past Augusta County has been
known to 'go Republican" So has the
tenth congressional district. Jacob Yost,
Republican, of Stanton, was elected to
the House In 1886 and again IN 1896.
Republicans Are Hopeful
This year the regular Democrats are
hopeful of carrying for Smith most of
the counties in the district, with the
exception Of Bath, which went Repub-
lican by something like three votes in
1924. and the possible exception of
Augusta County. The Republicans and
anti-Smith Democrats say the regular
Democrats are taking entirely too opti-
mistic view of the matter.
The Shenandoah Valley was originally
settled mainly by the Scotch Irish,
Germans and Quakers, many of whom
came before the Revolution and many
soon thereafter. It Is Overwhelmingly
Protestant, and its chief industry is
farming. For that reason the farm
relief issue in certain sections of the
valley is having weight with some
farmers, who otherwise are inclined to
vote for Hoover. They have been pur-
suaded, in some instances, that Smith
is more the farmers friend than
Hoover.
To combat this impression the Re-
publicans have recently had Secretary
Of Agriculture Jardine speak at several
places in the valley, and they are hope
full that he has explained the Repubh-
can side of the farm argument in
manner to satisfy a goodly number of
farmers. Only election day will tell,
however, for many of the men are
keeping silent regarding the way they
intend to vote for President.
Crops Are Diversified.
Although a great deal of wheat is
grown in the valley, the farmers of
this section have diversified their crops,
so that they are generally in much
better condition financially than the
diSgruntled wheat farmers of the Mid
die West. A Democrat, and sup
porter of Gov. Smith for President, told
this writer that Secretary Jardine in
his speech at Harrisonburg about the
middle of this month made favorable