Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-20
NELLY GIVEN LEAD
IN WEST VIRGINIA
Republicans, However, Put
ting Up Strong Fight
for Senate Seat.
Continued From First Page.l

single county. Mcdowell, should not
have both United States Senators.
Jones home is Switchback, in the
southern part of the State, where he
has extensive mining operations. He
has not before run for public Office, al
though he has had his hand in the po-
litical game on a number of occasions
and has contributed to campaign funds.
The Democrats claim that the State
is controlled by the big intereStS-rail
road, coal, oil, water power and gas.
They charge that these interests are
back of Jones in the senatorial cam
paign now. In a measure, it is what
the Democrats fear, for these interests,
according to all accounts, have been
extremely powerful in past elections.
The charge is made that the railroad
and power people were influential in
getting Jones into the race and aided
him in the primary.
Nicely, however, is not without friends
among the coal operators. He took a
prominent part in the fight against the
confirmation of the nominations OF
John j. Esch and Cyrus Woods to be
members of the Interstate Commerce
Commission a couple of years ago, when
1t was suspected they would favor
Western Pennsylvania and Eastern
Ohio coal mines in the contest with
the mines of West Virginia and Ken
lucky in the lake cargo case.
Rate Structure Changed.
The commission had ordered an in
crease in the 25-cent differential IA
voring the Pennsylvania and Ohio
mines to 40 cents on shipments of coal
to the lake cargo traffic. The Southern
railroads had cut their freight rates
voluntarily to meet this situation, the
West Virginia mines insisting they
could not continue to compete with the
Pennsylvania and Ohio mines under
vanian and Esch was believed to favor
the Pennsylvania mines as against
those of West Virginia. Neely'S fight to
block confirmation of these nomina-
tons, therefore, aided him materially
in West Virginia. 1t is reported that
some of the operators will feel that
they must support Nicely in view OF
what he did for them. The Republi-
cans, on the other hand, point out
Jones is West Virginia coal operator
himself and ask who could be more
friendly to the interests of the oper-
ators and miners than he.
There is apparently considerable
degree of apathy in this campaign.
4
ting jobs, in recovering their business
affairs than they are in politics. This
may be of assistance to the Republi-
cans with their better organization
which on election day will see to it that
Republican voters go to the polls.
An influential Democrat, who has
participated in party politics and cam
paigns for many years, shook his head
when discussing Neely's chances and
expressed fear that the resources of
the Republican candidate and the or
ganization might in the end be too
much for Nicely to overcome.
Sees Nicely Ahead Now.
On the other hand, a Republican who
stands high in the party councils adj
mitted that If the election were held
today Nicely would win. This Republi-
can said he thought there might be a
chance of overcoming the Nicely lead
before election day. But he did not
appear any too hopeful that it would
be done.
The prohibition question does not,
fight in West Virginia. Jones, in his
only speech of the campaign, an
nounced that he stood for the eight
zenith amendment and the dry laws.
Nicely, only day or two ago, placed
himself again firmly on the prohibition
wagon. He voted for and supported
Al Smith, wet Democratic nominee for
President, in the election two years
ago. and an effort has been made to
show him favoring the wet cause. But
Nicely has gone the route, in a public
statement, declaring that he has al
ways been dry, voted dry and that he
would continue to be dry. The State
is still Overwhelmingly dry in senti-
ment, 1t is said, although the first dis
trict, in which Wheeling is located, is
wet. In the primary campaign for the
senatorial nomination Jones had a
number Of opponents. one of them for
mer Representative Rosenbloom, who
ran on wet platform. Rosenbloom
lives in this district, and the vote he
received, around 10000, was mostly
polled in wet Wheeling.
Wheeling, by the way is a Republican
stronghold. But even in this district it
is expected that Nicely will roll up a
big vote. Two years ago Hatfield had
only an 8,000-vote margin over Nicely
in the district, almost the entire lead
by which Hatfield won.
Utility Interests an Issue.
In discussing Jones' chances against
support of interests which really were
hostile to Hatfield two years ago. These
are the coal and public utility inter-
ests These interests have become an
issue in the campaign largely through
the hammering which they are given
by H. G. Ogden, owner of dozen news
papers in the State. Ogden himself is
Republican. But he has been fight
ing for years to compel a rearrange-
mo Nf 4ANA 4n4 a. IL
greater tax burdens on the utilities and
less on the homes and the farms of
the people.
The high rate of taxation, it is
charged, has driven hundreds off the
farms, and it is pointed out that last
year $4,000 pieces of property, includ-
ing farms and city homes, were sold
for taxes. Ogden was urged to run
for the Republican senatorial nominal
ton this year, but he declined to do
SO. Two of the newspapers he owns
have always been Democratic. They
are attacking Jones and supporting
Nicely today. But his Republican news
papers, including the Intelligencer and
the News, published daily in Wheeling,
are saying nothing whatever in sup
port of Jones. Generally speaking.
however, the rest of the Republican
press Of the State Is lined up for Jones.
Tariff Aids Republicans.
West Virginia has many industries
In Wheeling alone there are steel mills
and glass factories, tobacco factories
and pottery factories. The protective
tariff of the Republicans is popular
The Democrats have made no Roadway
by attacking the tariff in West Virginia.
AS a matter Of fact, the Republicans
today are counting on the tariff as one
of the main issues to pull them through
this year both in the senatorial and
House elections. There is no election
of Governor or other State officers this
year. The workers as we'll as the own
ers of the industries have been taught
to believe that their livelihood depends