Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-22
RACEFOR GOVERNOR.
REACHES CLIMAX.
Coalition Setbacks Encourage
Democrats, but Former
Also Are Hopeful. :.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

RICHMOND, Va, July 22-Vlrginla S
three cornered race for the Democratic
gubernatorial nomination turns the
three quarter post this week. and, being
the big preliminary to the first Southern
general election since the solid South
was broken last Fall, is being watched
with considerable interest.
The primary to be held August will
decide whether John Garland Pollard OF
Williamsburg. G. Walter Mapp of Ac-
comac or Roosevelt Page of Hanover Is
to be the Democratic opponent of the
coalition candidate. Dr. William Nose
ley Brown of Lexington. The primary
contest has been in progress for two
months, and the three candidates al
ready have canvassed most of the State.
Democrats Encouraged.
This campaign waged upon peace
full basis unusual in Virginia primary
contests. has encouraged the State
Democratic organization in the belief
that not less than half of the Demo-
cratic voters who supported the Repub-
llcan ticket in the presidential cam
paisn last year will return to the Dem
ocratic party. The party organization,
after persuading the Democratic cam
didates not to stir up strife within the
party lest the Republican, Anti-Smith
forces win again this year, has been
active in lining up the friends OF all
three gubernatorial candidates for the
general election campaign. which be-
gins Immediately after the primary and
lasts until election day, November 6.
The two leading Democratic candi-
dates for governor, Pollard and Mapp,
are divided upon two ntra-party issues.
One issue is the short-ballot principle
adopted with the governmental reorgan-
ization legislation of l926-28, and the
other is the motor vehicle license tax
Mapp is asking the voters to repudiate
the short ballot amendments, charging
that they resulted in Capitalization OF
executive power, which Is contrary to
Democratic principles. Pollard is
denying this GENERALIZATION" claim and
Ia urging that the short ballot is not
an issue, since the amendments short
ening the Virginia ballot by making the
offices OF superintendent of public in
Structlon, State treasurer and commits
Sioner of agriculture appointive by the
governor instead of elective provide that
after 1882 the Legislature can make
these offices elective if the people SO de-
sire. He said that he would sign a bill
to this effect, il passed. and that it is
not necessary to repeal the amend
ments asSailed by the Accomac candi
date.
On the second issue. the motor We
eating a reduction in this levy. which
goes into the highway fund. while Pol
lard has been standing firmly against
any reduction in this tax until more
highways are built. He contends that
a reduction of So per car would take
a million from the States road fund.
and that this tax is not burden on
the people. but a profitable investment.
Pollard is considered the administra-
in l1a ast
and his friends now claim. undiSputed.
a considerable advantage over his OPP
ponents. He is known to have behind
him a large percentage OF the local
officers in the State. many of whom are
up for denomination i'll the primary.
He also has the silent support of Gov.
Harry F. Byrd. who defeated Mapp by
10000 in 1925. and who now is popular
because he engineered the State gov
ernmental organization which is said
to be directly responsible for an in
dustrial growth of 00,000,000 since
1926.
Mapp has the support of a strong
group of State ofticeholders in Rich
mond who. for various reasons. have
become inimical to the administration
or its policies, and is bidding for the
support of the large minority in the
State who voted against the short bal
dun of June. 1928.
The Democratic candidates for
governor. together with hundreds OF
Democratic candidates for local Of
fees and seats i'll the General Assembly.
all are bidding for support from the
large Democratic group which refused
to vote the Democratic presidential
ticket last November. and. by joining
the Republicans. provided 24,463
soNtfN
estimated that this so-called anti-Smith
vote totaled about 10000. making the
coalition vote 500 and the Demo-
cratic vote 49, l46.
G. o. p. Active.
Meanwhile the Republican organi-
cation in Virginia, of which c. Bascom
Slemp appears to be general in-chief.
has been making every effort to keep
these 10000 voters in an independent
frame of mind and away from their
old Democratic allegiance They have
been aided in this by the anti-Smith
chieftain of last Fall, Bishop James
Cannon, jr.
The independents. who still call
themselves by Bishop Cannons desig-
nation, "Anti-Smiths,' held a conven-
ton In Roanoke June 10 and nominated
DR.. William MoSeley Brown, psychology
professor of Washington and Lee Uni
verSitv who in turn was accepted by
the Republican convention which met
in Richmond week later. The Anti
Smiths also nominated Charles c.
Berkeley of Newport News for attorney
general. who also was accepted by the
Republican convention. They did not
nominate a man for lieutenant COVER
nor. and thus far the Anti-Smiths have
not Endorsed the Republican nominee
IN yolY i,.l. ,,f
sell County.
The contest for the control Of the
State between the Democrats and the
Republican Anti-Smith coalition thus
Tar Is i'll its preliminary stages, but
both sides are active in organization
work.
Since last Fall the coalition cause
has had several set backs. which have
caused the Democrats to cherish high
hopes of retaining State control by
good margin. The De Priest tea party
episode aroused a storm particularly in
the 80 Virginia counties in which the
colored outnumbered the whites. The
troubles Of Bishop Cannon III the blow
up of Kable & Co, provided fuel for
some of his enimieS i'll the churches Of
Virginia. and apparently has affected
his power among the church members
who have been the phalanx of the pro-
hibition movement III this dry State.
And the failure Of the Republican
leaders in the recent convention to read
The State platform Of the G. o. p. be-
fore calling upon the convention to
adopt it, and the failure of the anti
smith executive committee to accept
the straight Republican candidate for
lieutenant governor have given the
Democrats political ammunition.
Attack Anderson Speech.
IT, Democrats, led by Gov. Harry
r. Syrd. making his first partisan state
ment since the presidential election.
also attacked with considerable success