Evening star., 1936-10-26
HOLT'S CAMPAIGN
POLITICAL FREAK
West Virginians Mystified at
Spectacle of Fight
Against Nicely.
BY JOHN H. CLINE.

CHARLESTON, w. Va, October 70.
That political prodigy from the West
virginia hills, Senator Rush Dew Holt
Of weston is waging merry little war
of his own here, and the old-tlme poll
ticians are in pretty much of a stew
about the whole business. In states
where political regularity is something
Of a watchword, the spectacle OF
Democrat fighting Democrat is some
thing that defies comprehension. Why,
they ask. should Senator Holt, Demo-
crat. be stumping the State, speaking
night and day, in an effort to thwart
the reelection of Senator Matthew M.
Neely also Democrat?
Such a course, they point out, can
only give aid and comfort to the Re
publican opposition. and simply does
not make sense in their language.
Senator Holt, who went to Wash
ington too young to take his Senate
seat in 1884. says he has two reasons
for his campaign against senator
Nicely.
II want to make it clear" he said,
"that I am fighting Senator Nicely and
no one else. am not opposing Presl-
dent Roosevelt or the rest Of the State
ticket.
IT am out to beat Nicely for two
reasons. In the first place. and re-
eardless of what they may say about
mo in this respect, he has tried to set
himself up as a political dictator by
controlling w. P. A. administration
In this State. Secondly, although ne
poses as a friend of labor, have EVIL
dence that he is on the pay rolls OF
some of the big financial interests
here. For these reasons, I think ne
should be deprived of his seat in the
Senate and I am going to see to II
that he is beaten if possible"
Democrats Resolve to Act.
The Republican organization. ana,
more particularly, their senatorial can
didate. Hugh Ike Shott, Bluef1eld puo-
Usher, are well pleased with this turn
of events. It doesn't sit well with the
Democrats, however, and they are de-
termined to do something about it.
This week, they claim, documentary
proof will be given the voters that
6SndIOE NChAAAeSAJ
with the Republican State organlza-
ton, if his campaign is not being
financed by them, and that he Is
motivated by personal chagrin at fall
ing to get control of w. P. A. patron
age himself. Both of these charges
are vehemently denied by Holt, Who
says he is paying his own expenses
and working for what he considers
the good of the State.
Despite the furore it has created,
the Holt-Neely affair seems to be
strictly a private matter, and PROD
ably will have little If any effect on
the outcome of the presidential, con-
rressional and State election.
All six West Virginia seats in the
House are now held by Democrats, but
the Republicans are conceded bet
ter than even chance of winning back
at least two Of them this year.
Unless all signs fail, Charles j.
shuck, an able young lawyer from
Wheeling, will defeat Robert l.. RAM
say, Democratic incumbent, in the
first district, and Raymond B. Hum
phreys Of Huntington, will be elected
in the fourth district, defeating
George w. johnson, Democrat.
Randolph in for Hard Fight.
The Republicans are extremely con-
fident of winning these two seats.
Representative Jennings Randolph,
who has taken an active interest In
local affairs in washington, also seems
to be in for a hard fight. He has
always been a good campaigner, how
ever, and seems to have a slight edge
over his Republican opponent, c. s.
Musser of Shepherdstown.
The Republicans have high hopes
of winning the third district seat, now
held by Andrew Edmiston of Weston.
His opponent, John M. Wolverton of
Redwood, is waging a good campaign,
but the Democrat incumbent seems to
be out in front.
In the two remaining districts. the
ffh and sixth, the Republicans are
hardly making fight, being virtually
ready to concede the reelection OF
John Kee and Joel Smith, Democrats.
In the gubernatorial race, Judge
Summers Sharp. Republican, IS op-
posing Homer G.. Holt (no relative
Of the Senator), who is now the DEM
ocratic State attorney general
Both men are highly thought Of in
the State and the comment that either
would make an excellent Governor Is
heard on all sides. Holt however, has
had experience in the State admins
tration, while Judge Sharp has not.
As attorney general, Holt also
drafted the bill outlawing armed