Evening star., 1934-06-24
GOVERNOR RACES
IN SOUTH HEATED
Is Candidates, Seeking
Four Posts, Riddle Each
Other on RoStrums.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
COLUMBIA, S. c., June 23.-Fif-
teen candidates in four Southern
States are fighting for gubernatorial
Offices.
The majority, eight Of them, are
after the South Carolina job, with
keen interest in the fight between the
veteran firebrand, Cole L. Blease, and
young Olin D. Johnston for the heavy
textile mill vote in the Upstate.
Economy in Government, the old
campaign standby, is as full of vigor
as ever with everybody, everywhere,
promising relief to taxpayers.
Actions and personnel of highway
boards of commissions also are coming
in for the usual lambasting by the
outs and defense by the ms. with
liquor, dead issue in the South for
many years, again raising its head in
at least two States.
All Touring Together.
The South Carolinians already have
started their county-to-county cam
paigns, an odd custom under which
all the candidates travel together and
all speak at designated places on the
same day. The speaking takes about
all day.
Blease, former Governor and former
Senator, who shocked the county
when Huey Long was still in short
pants by shouting ITO hell with the
Constitution" has dropped many of
his bombastic ways and taken a cue
from Al Smith with a Lets have
look at the record" He points with
pride to his previous terms
Four candidates-Lieut. Gov. James
0. Sheppard, Tom B. Pearce, Wyndam
Manning and H. Kemper Cooke-have
thrown prohibition into the race by
advocating legislation for the sale of
liquor if the people SO desire. A non
binding referendum on liquor will be
held in the Fall. Even if liquor re-
turns, all favor a county option syS-
tenn.
Talmadge Under Fire.
Interest in the Georgia race has
centered on the attacks of Judge
Claude Pittman against Gov Eugene
Talmadge. The North Georgia jurist
who approves of practically nothing
the Talmadge administration has done,
says the Governor, who threw out an
unfavorable highway board at the
point of bayonets of the State Militia,
has interfered with the highway stu
alton by imposing his own will on the
board; has issued too many pardons
and failed to pay the teachers.
He has particularly denounced the
Governor for his opposition to certain
policies OF President Roosevelt and his
criticism of the Agricultural Adjust
ment Administration and his calling
Washington mad house"
Pittman claims Ed A. Gillian, At
lanta attorney and third nan in the
race, is talking horse" for the Gov
ernor. Gillian, denying the charge,
is calling for prohibition repeal and
attacking the Governor on his record.
Talmadge Is Waiting.
Talmadge has not started an active
campaign, but was expected to base his
plea IOr re-eleCJlOl on TeQuCeu ullllty
rates. cheaper automobile tags, pro-
posed diversion of highway funds and
a promise to get the State out Of debt
in two years.
The only quiet spot on the entire
Southern front is in Arkansas, where
neither Gov J. Marion Futrel nor
his opponent, former State Comp
troller Howard Reed, has opened his
campaign.
In Tennessee, where the Democratic
McAlister-Pope contest is becoming
something of a habit, Gov. Hill Nc
Alister again is opposed by his old
political enemy, Lewis S. Pope, Nash
vile lawyer
They were rivals in 1928. when both
we're eliminated. Neither ran in 1880,
but returned to the wars in 1882
Pope lost. took his case to the Execu-
tive Committee. lost again, and en-
tered the general election as an in
dependent only TO lose the third time
Both promise strict economy in
government, both are drys. and chiefly
differ on the method of making Con-
Stitutional changes.