Evening star., 1934-09-10
MARYLAND Cop.
IN 2WAY FIGHT.
Nice, Smith and GoIdSbor.
ough Primary Candidates
for Governor.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
BALTIMORE. Md. September 10
The Republican primary fight II
Maryland, with final showdown al
the polls Wednesday, is three-rine
circus.
One ring presents Harry w. Nice
Baltimore attorney, candidate fol-
Governor, and his running mate fol
the Senate, c. Wilbur Miller, also OF
Baltimore and formerly head of the
Dawson Chemical Co.
The next ring offers H. Webster
Smith, another Baltimore attorney, as
candidate for Governor. and former
Senator Joseph l. France for Senator
In the third ring is found Senator
Phillips Lee Goldsborough. regarded
as one of the most aStute men in
political life in the State, who has
announced himself a candidate for
Governor. And lowering on the out
skirts of this ring is John Philip Hill,
former Representative and wet leader,
who is seeking the senatorial nomi-
nation The fact of the matter is
that Mr.. Hill is campaigning for
Goldsborough for Governor-while
Mr.. Goldsborough, although friendly
to Hill, has made no commitment
to him.
Dopesters Favor Nice.
The political dope sheets give Nice
the edge in the gubernatorial contest,
and France the lead for the Senate.
They may be wrong. There are those
who look upon Senator Goldsborough
as the eleventh hour added entry who
may come to the tape a winner.
The Republicans have gotten them
selves into a terrible stew over this
primary. Nice started his campaign
December IT, 1892, going on two years
ago. Smith also was in the race COM
paratively early. Senator Colds
borough, however, made no announce
ment of his political plans until some
six or eight weeks ago. No one knew
for a long time whether he would
run for reelection to the Senate, for
Governor, or whether he would not
run at all. His decision was made,
however, after canvassing the senti-
ment among his friends in the coun-
ties carefully.
1t Is no secret that Goldsborougf
wanted to run against Gov. Ritchie
II the latter decided to become q can.
didate for reelection. believing that
the fifth term issue and the sentiment
on the Eastern Shore against Ritchie
would SO divide the Democrats that a
Republican might slip in. Goldsbor-
ough has had an almost uncanny fac
ulty in the past of picking the psy-
Geological time to run for office in a
State which ordinarily is quite strong
ly Democratic. He was elected con-
troller OF the treasury for MARYLAND
IN 1897, when there had been a bad
upheaval in Democratic circles and
some scandal. He was elected Gov
ernor in 1911, when the Democrats
were scrapping among themselve:
again. and in 1928, in the Hoover
landslide, Goldsborough became a
candidate for the Senate and was
swept into Office.
County Organizations"
The Republican primary, however
Is largely dominated by the "organi-
zations" in the counties and in thu
six legislative districts Of Baltimore
Mr.. Nice, who began his campaign TO,
the gubernatorial nomina ton so lonr
ago, has visited every county in the
State from five to seven times. He
mas tied into his candidacy many OF
the local leaders, both In Baltimore
and in the counties. Mr.. France and
MS running mate, Webster Smith
nave done lot of work also, and have
some OF the organization leaders with
them. Senator Goldsborough's chance
lies In the appeal he makes to the
more or less independent vote, and tc
the many old friends he has out
among the counties.
1t was estimated today by one OF
the Republican leaders in the State
That not more than $4,000 votes, OF
ABOUT one-fourth of the Republican
voters would take part in the primary
1t is easy to see that under such cir
cumstances, the professional poll
ticians, the organization leaders. will
have big advantage. Other past pri-
mary elections nave brought out, how
ever, much smaller numbers of Re-
publican voters.
A lot is likely to depend upon how
much money Is thrown into the cam
paign finally and where it is used
Not much is being said about this
feature of the campaign. But money
for workers on primary day helps to
get the voters to the polls. The Smith
France ticket is credited with having
the wherewithall to produce cam
paign funds, and there are reports
that the Nice Miller ticket will have
its share also. What financial support
Senator Goldsborough will receive Is
question.
Second Choice Vote.
The Maryland primary law pro-
vides for a second choice" vote where
more than two candidates are run
ming. This system may be helpful tc
Senator Goldsborough. 1t will GER
tainly make the Goldsborough and
Smith forces exert every effort, II
they cannot roll up votes big enough
to give their candidates first place in
the primary. at least to give them
oSNOAAA PA1NCs VI Vic I1hI pldCc
man will be out of luck when IL
comes to the State convention, where
the nominations are finally made. The
State convention will be composed OF
149 delegates, representing % counties
and the legislative districts of Balti-
more. Baltimore has AZ delegates in
the convention and the counties have
lot. The popular vote is counted in
each voting unit-each county and
legislative district-as well as the
votes for delegates, and the dele
gates are instructed by this popular
vote how to vote in the convention
If the voters generally vote their sec
ond choices as well as their first, and
no candidate has a majority of the
vote on the first ballot in the conven-
ton. it is clear that when the second
choices are divided up and allocated
and the candidate with the least
number of votes on the first ballot is
eliminated, these second choice votes
may make it anybody's victory.
Counting in Units.
These second choice votes are