The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1962-10-12

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regions of the q. S. This evalu-
alton of Oklahoma Is written by
Phil Dessauer, associate editor
of The Tulsa World. - The Hall
Syndicate.
BY Phil DesSauer
TULSA This is a time in
Oklahoma when the widest po-
itical dream has suddenly taken
on an air of possibility; when
men who are not given to fanci-
full thinking find themselves be-
ieving fairy stories.
For example, it is not uncom-
mon to hear grown men predict
that within another year Okla
hona will have its legislature
reappointed. This is a state
where reapportionment has been
a laughing matter in the legis-
lature for SIS years!
Even more improbably. there
is serious talk that the next gov
ernOr may be ~ of all things
a Republican.
In all the years of statehood,
no Republican has been in the
governor mansion except as a
visitor. The party has dutifully
offered a candidate every four
years and a couple of times
the nominee has come close
but the Democrats have won as
predictably as Perry Mason in
court.
Now, however, the COP has
come up with perhaps its most
likely candidate Henry Bell
mon. a 41-year-old wheat farm
er and World War II combat
Marine who has spent two years
building his party as its state
chairman.
Bellmon won the party's nomi-
nation with hardly an extra
pulse-beat, while the Democrats
were knitting each other in one
of their typical primary brawls.
The Democratic winner in a
field of IL was w. P. Bill. Akin
son. Sc. wealthy Midwest City
builder making his second run
for the office.
The Democrats primary bat
tie left some wounds that have
not yet healed. A Republican
rally featuring Sen. Barry Gold
water recently drew a crowd of
10000 in Pontotoc County : an
area where the COP normally
would be pleased to attract
enough people to start a bridge
game.
Manly of the visitors in that
amazing crowd were dissident
Democrats. Whether they will
do more than Window-shop in
the Republican party remains
the key question in the Novem-
Der election.
Democrats have been mad at
each other many times before in
Oklahoma. and they have near
ly always kissed and made up.
The odds are that they will do
it again this year. but Republi-
cans are crying Ring the bell
for Bellmon' with all the fervor
of college cheer leaders.
The race has two main issues:
Cd Does Oklahoma need two
party government? ~ Should
the per cent sales tax be
raised to 3 per cent?
Bellmon is plugging for the
two party system, blaming
Democratic rule for most of what
he sees wrong with the state.
Atkinson argues there's not
much wrong that more sales tax
money wouldn't cure. Bellmon
contends no additional tax is
needed, but he hasn't explained
yet how he would answer the
cries for more state funds.
AS in most Oklahoma cleo
tons, the voters will pick their
next governor almost entirely
on local considerations. Except
for the two-party concept no ba-
sic philosophical issues underlie
the contest. President Kennedy
is seldom if ever mentioned by
either candidate. Bellmon has
his own issues to push and At
kinson isn't going to tie himself
to a man who lost Oklahoma by
1853 900 votes in 1860.
A loud philosophical cry is
heard, however, in the U. S.
Senate race. B. Hayden Craw-
ford, a high man in the Justice
Department during the Eisen-
hover administration. is urging
the voters to Turn Right" and
elect him in place Of Democrat
ic Sen. Mike Monroney.
Crawford, who lost to Sen.
Robert S. Kerr two years ago
by some $1,000 votes, is attack
ing Monroney as a liberal al
though the senator describes
himself as "switch-hitter."
So far Crawford's campaign
hasn't seemed to threaten Mon
r0ney who is getting some