Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-29
ATEF|GHTS HOLD
INTEREST IN OHIO
Both Parties Concentrate on
Primaries Aug. 14--Smith
Leads in Cleveland Poll.
Special plspatch to The star.

Special Dispatch to The star
COLUMBUS, Ohio. July 28-~National
issues will be largely obscured in Ohio
until after the primary elections to
select party candidates for State, dis
trict and county Offices are over Pri-
mary election day is two weeks from
next Tuesday--August l4-and Bit
terly fought campaign for the two
senatorial nominations for governor
and several other State offices will reach
its climax in the coming two weeks. AS
usual the Republicans are staging by
far the more vigorous contest for the
nomination for governor. with three
outstanding candidates for the honor,
but the fight is in no way connected
with the recent presidential primary
campaign. The differences in the party
In that campaign seem to have been
entirely forgotten.
Now 1t is prohibition and the control
of public utilities Attorney General
Turner would be acceptable TO the wet
interests generally but for the fact that
he Is making opposition to the Spence
Law chief feature Of his fight for the
nomination, and the utility interests
and the vets are Fed up with each
other here and there. The Spence law
enables utility concerns TO increase
service rates at once. subject to ap-
proval OF rate making tribunals after
hearing As final decisions may, be de-
layed for several years. patrons are put
at great disadvantage, Attorney Gen
eral Turner. who is fighting the Anti
Saloon League, charges that the
leagues representatives in the Legisla-
ture helped put the Spence law through
in return for help on dry measures from
friends OF the utilities.
Most Candidates Dry.
Naturally the contest has become
very bitter, Mr. Turner openly charging
that the utility concerns are financing
Congressman James T. Begg's candidacy
for the nomination for governor. Begg
is dry and the other candidate for
the Republican nomination for governor,
Myers Y. Cooper. dry to the nth de-
gree Were either Begg or Cooper
eliminated the other could probably
easily be nominated. But the Anti
Saloon League has not been able to
agree in its membership which Of the
two to support, and the result is doubt
full
The outstanding candidates for the
Democratic nomination for governor are
Congressman M L. Davey and former
Lieut.. Gov. Earl Bloom. They are both
dry Davey seemed clearly out IN front
week ago. but the vets put some enl-
barrasSing questions to him with view
to stimulating wet opposition, He was
asked whether he was going to stand,
as before for prohibition and still sup
port Gov Smith after his statement
against prohibition. His answer was
that he was supporting wholly the
Houston platform and the candidates
the convention nominated Still the
wet fight on him continues, though 1t
seems very likely that Davey will be
nominated.
Senator Fcss will be nominated for
the long term senatorship TO succeed
himself by the Republicans: he has no
opposition, and there seems to be little
question but that Representative Theo-
dore r. Burton viii be the candidate of
the Republicans for the short term TO
succeed the late Senator Frank 3.
Willis. The Democratic opponent of
Senator Willis Is likely 10 be former
Representative George White Of Mari
eta. and Senator ad interim Cyrus
Locher will be nominated by the Demo-
Gratis for tho short term, though the wet
Democrats have brought out against
him Graham p Hunt Of Cincinnati.
Hunt is leading worker In the move
ment against prohibition In this state.
but is not well enough known to the
voters of the State to run we'll
Meanwhile 1t is evident that the liquor
question as a factor in the presidential
election in Ohin is growing. II seems
quite possible that on this issue all the
larger cities of the State may be carried
by Gov Smith. At the outset 1t was
believed that Cleveland would remain
| In the Republican column In the Mo-
yember elnction though Cincinnati was
regarded as likely TO roll up tremen~
dous Smith plurality.
Newspaper Poll.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer, indie
pendent Democratic, has secured ex~
preston In straw vote OF the political
sentiment Of one-thirteenth Of the total
vote of the city. with Smith showing a
considerable and persistent lead over
| Hoover in all classes OF voters II the
| rate Of predominance OF Smith over
| Hoover votes that is shown In this poll
should extend through the entire vote
| of the city it would give Gov Smith a
| majority in Cleveland of 100000.
| While the rural districts Of the State
still show unusually strong Hoover sen.
! timent. 1t becomes a serious question
whether the farmers and villagers OF
| the State can roll up Hoover majority
sufficiently large to overcome the lead
| that the cities seem likely to give to
| Smith
Gov. James Nj. Cox is ready to give
| Gov Smith the heartiest support. buf
| the indications are that the Smith al"
visory committee viii not favor the
| nrorninence of Gov. Cox In the Smith
/ campaign, fearing the effect OF his
| advocacy of the League OF Nations upon
the voters Cox stressed that issue in
his campaign of 1920 and has never
recanted. j, II uALbkAlIH