Evening star., 1943-11-23

Cerebral Hemorrhoee
FotoI to Attorney, 81;
Was Masonic Official
BY the Associated Press.
RICHMOND. Nov. 23.-James H.
Price, 81, former Governor of Vir-
ginia and imperial recorder of the
Shrine, died at his home here last
night. He suffered a cerebral
hemorrhage in the afternoon and
died just before midnight
He was born in Greenbrier Coun-
ty, w. Va, but came to Virginia as
boy. He began practice of law in
Richmond after graduation from
Washington and Lee University and
made a steady climb through the
Legislature and lieutenant governor
ship to become chief executive of
the State in 1888. He returned to
his practice after completion of his
four-year tearm.
AS Governor he attracted atten-
ton in political circles by replacing
a number of leading department
chiefs with his own appointees and
by differing publicly on several oc-
casions with Senator Byrd, long re-
garded as the leader of the Demo-
cratic organization" forces in Vir-
ginia.
Active in MasOns.
He served two terms as Lieuten-
ant Governor before becoming Gov
ernor. A Richmond attorney with
wide Masonic affiliations through
out Virginia, he was elected to the
Virginia House of Delegates from
Richmond in 1916 and served in
that House until his election as Lieu
tenant Governor in 1890.
He was past grand master of the
Masonic Grand Lodge of Virginia
and former potentate of Acca
Temple.
Mrs. Price was at his bedside when
he died. friends said.
Also at home at the time was the
former Governors daughter, Miss
Lillian Moir Price A son. 1t. James
H. Price, jr., U. S. N. is in service
somewhere in the Southwest Pa
cific.
Funeral services will be held at II
a m. tomorrow at Ginter Park Pres
byterian Church, with DR.. John A.
MacLean, pastor, officiating. Ma
sonic burial will follow at Staunton,
Mr.. Prices boyhood home. Active
will be members of the
Acca Temple Patrol of the Shrine.
Had Been in Good Health.
The former Governor had appar-
emily been in good health. He left
his law Office here yesterday to go
to lunch. Soon afterward, feeling
faint, he was taken home and was in
serious condition when he arrived
there.
Although he had returned to the
practice of law after leaving the
Governor chair. Mr.. Price had re-
Gently given most of his attention
to Shrine affairs and to travelling
throughout the country as dollar
a-year" man to promote the sale of
War bonds among Shriners. He had
been Imperial Recorder since Sep
tember, 1927, being successfully re-
elected to the Office.
Soon after becoming Governor,
Mr.. Price replaced such Byrd or
ganization" stalwarts as Controller
E. r. Combs, and as his term prog
ressed the list of displacements grew
larger.
At the close of his first year in
office he appeared before a Senate
Judiciary Committee as a witness
for Floyd H. Roberts, Bristol. Presi-
dent Roosevelt's nominee for the
second Federal judgeship in the
western district of Virginia.
Senators Won.
Mr.. Roberts was backed by Rep
resentative Flanagan of the ninth
district, and was picked by the
President in preference to men sug-
gested by Senators Byrd and Glass.
However, the Judiciary Committee
and the Senate, by upholding the
action of the committee in reject
ing Mr.. Roberts nomination, gave
the Senators the victory.
The Price administration was
noteworthy especially for:
Its quick and thorough organiza-
ton OF defense activities after Pearl
Harbor. He met with his military
advisers on the afternoon of Pearl
Harbor day.
Its interest in the Humanitarian"
that formed the Virginia
counterpart of the Rooseveltian
New Deal.
A consistent program for the ex-
of State aid to the public
schools and greater State contribu-
ton toward teacher salaries.
The States most extensive build
ing program in history, achieved
with comparatively small expense to
Virginia.
Continuance of the pay-as-you-go
policy and the balanced budget, en-
phasized by his predecessors in office
over long period.
The Governor considered reorgan-
lzation of the budget Offices one of
the major accomplishments of his
administration. He named DR.. Row.
land Egger of the University of Vir-
glnla budget director while j. H.
Bradford, who had held the office
for many years, became chief of
the section of accounts and control