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Brf.&?init No 48. LEXINGTON, S. C.. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 7 1918. No. 41.
? TWELVE HUNDRI
HEAR CAI
: Aspirants for Congress Make Sti
Lever the Favorites, Both Dr
111^ While McLeod and B
Splendid R
gage . "Twelve hundred people, including
^ Fipard the I
xnany woiiieu auu kuuvuvU.
^ I the candidates for congress speak or
( the court house square yesterday afj|||r
ternoon. It was a representatve augjs
<dienee, every section of the county
heinar represented, while there were
many Columbians present. Hon.
p. ! Georgre Bell Timmerman received an
ovation, as did also Congressman LeWhile
it was evident that
' l>oth of the Lexington county can"didates*
had many friends present.
I M 3dr. Thos. G. McLeod, of Bishopville
- ;and Mr. Thos. F, Brantley of Or-i
angeburg, received splendid recep-;
tions and both were grenerously apBgp:
plauded, especially when they made
strong: and telling thrusts at the rec-1
a / ord of Mr. Lever/
The audience was a little surprised
j||| in that Mr. Lever failed to answer a;
jpr. great many of the charges brought
| by his opponents. Mr. iLever ex|fo
-plained at the outset, however, that '
SjL- ie had only 30 minutes against 90.
^and this probably was his reason fo?<
i
|t not attempting to make many ansg
The meeting was held in the after- j
gjpnoon. all of the morning hour having
I &een consumed by the candidates fdi
S&i ifche Unifced States Senate.
MM- jbdge C. M. Efird, democratic j
county chairman presided. He was !
HB&hsidutely fair and impartial, toward
if^alT-of the speakers, who were given
I y&O minutes each.
K- Mr. Tho>. G. McLeod.
I gjMr. Thos. G. McLeod* of Bishop- j
pNqife-. was Hie first candidate to speak
I Me was glad to have the pleasure of
H : Appearing before such a splendid aum
dience c? Lexington county citizens.
as a stranger to most of j
V- the people, but Lexington people are j
g fair, just and honest, and believe ir j
^'/giving every man a square deal."God:
E/ "help us when the day comes when anv!
Egf,: free American citizen cannot offer
r- for public office without having to ex
Klf-. ' ??lain why he entered the race," said'
f; McLeod. We are in this war. hej
i. because it is a righteous war.
re Mr. McLeod paid a beautiful;
>ute to the late Bob Purdy. son of j
tee R. 0. iPurdy of Sumter, who
yf a few days ago paid the supreme
rifice with his life on the battleds
of France. ' He declared that
greatest resource we have is pure
erican citizenship. This world
ping to be a vastlv better place to
after the war. or the ship of
;e will drift into the sea autocraDirecting
his remarks to Con>sman
Lever. Mr. McLeod said
: he had never nursed any am.
Dn to run for Congress; but Mr.
er. after 16 years service, threw
his .iob and entered the race for
Senate against Senator Tillman,
decared that he then entered the
i in good faith and had no c.poloto
make. At the Columbia meet
it was stated that McCIeod had
1 beat out of his boots when he
for Governor a few years. He
come out third, running next to
;herstone.
e had always been behind the
irnment because we are fighting
a righteous cause. Mr. McLeod
that he was not going to. discuss
Lever personally, but that he was
g to talk about the record Lever
wrrit+on nnH made. Lever
Ijf* tad a perfect rierht to enter the senatorial
race. Lever in doine so. said
|fe, that he was coiner to make speeches
on every stump in the 45 counties.
Who circulated the report that SenaHg,
twr'Tillman was an embecile? asked
\3jfc. McLeod. Mr. Lever claims that
it "was patriotism?self-sacrificine pa
triotism?which caused him to enter
gr. " 'V- fche senatorial race. He doubted it.
|p?j 3dr McLeod said that he and others
jn the race had been accused of beifiZ
disloyal, so desperate were the
^Lever following: to crab at straws.
Be said that it was the Tillman let
jter first published in the Charleston
^jD^grican that caused Lever's with*iiawal
from the senatorial race. Mr.
lafaer. he said, was ridinc in the sen^orialchariot
until senator Tillman's
rpitchfork came alone and threw him
,<TOt.Mr. McLeod acain asserted that
if "nay of you vote for Timmerman.
Brantley or myself instead of Lever
you will be called disloyal." "But 7.
:D PEOPLE I
YDIDATES SPEAKj
I
ong Addresses?Timmerman and
awing Thundrous Applause,
rantley Were Given
deceptions.
have been told." he said, that the '
people of Lexington have bougrht Lib- '
erty bonds, subscribed to the Red i
Cross and other war activities, and
have sent your boys to the army: and
after all. that is tie true test of eren- 1
uine loyalty." said the speaker amid
much applause. .
"My God, does a man have to be a 1
Senator or Congressman to be loyal?'|:
asked the speaker. The boys in kha
ki. said he. carryng a gun and placing
their breasts to the bullets, fighting
for you and I, are dong more toward
making the world safe for de- '
mocracy than every member of con- :
gress combined, (applause) Mr. McLeod
also paid a glowing tribute to
the boys behind the counters, in the 1
mills and shops and who are follow- 1
ing the plow, in order to buy bonds,
are lust as loyal and true as any mem
ber of the American congress. In
reply to a question from the audience.
Mr. McLeod declared that he
would have voted for war and also '
for draft act. and he commended Mr.
Lever for his vote. "But," said he.
"where Lever went wrong, was when
he began to monkey with the free :
people of the seventh district." Mr.
McLeod ably discussed the cotton sit- ;
uation. and also immigration. He believes
in America for Americans.Did '
not believe in giving any one m<*n a
lifetime job. and thought it was time '
for a change in the seventh districts
congressman. "We are going to 3
T-:?
cnange nun auriKut sam a rw^c uvm
the crowd. "Then let a big: strong 1
man replace him," said Mr. McLeod.
''George Bell is big enough, - for the i
place," shouted a man back in the J
crowd. In conclusion; Mr. McLeod '
said that whether elected or defeated
he would continue to do what he
could for the State and the nation 1
and he would have no fault to find.
Mr. McLeod sat down amid considerable
applause his able address having
made a profound impression upon
the crowd. . ..
Hon. Geo. Bell Timmerman.
Hon. Geo. Bell Timmerman was
next introduced by Judge Efird.
"Come on, George." "Tell 'em about!
it," "Take your time, and give it to j
him." came from all over the audi,
ence. "Mr. Liver told the people in;
Orangeburg." began Mr. Timmerman.!
"that that was his first opportunity j
to meet his opponents face to face, j
and that he was there with the gaffs j
on. and I told the people of North the j
next day that a little Dominicker did!
not look good wearng those sort of!
things in Orangeburg." Mr. Timmer |
man said that when he entered the j
race for Congress Mr. Lever was in
the race for the senate, but he was
net in it long before he ran out.
"and he carried upon his political
carcass the scars of old Ben Tillman's
pitchfork." said Mr. Tinfmerman
amid laughter and applause. "No- i
body questions the loyatv'of any manj
in -his race.' said Mr. Lever at North
a week ago. they are all good, loval'
and true men, and it gives me pleasure
to say so. "He surely told the
i God's truth when he said 'nobody'(
questioned my loyalty, but I want to j
give him an instance when one of i
his political oppointees. "Postmaster j
General George" did. Then Mr. Tim
merman offered to produce a man, if i
i
anybody challenged the statement, a,
Confederate soldier who had fought'
bravely in the war between the States!
who was willing to say that Postmas- i
ter George told him if he didn't vote j
for Lever he was against this war.
Mr. Timmerman paused and nobodv
challenged the statement He said
he did not have any officeholders.]
or office-seekers running from place;
to pace working for him.
. Mr. Timmerman then paid his re- j
spects to a "Highstepping aristocrat- ]
ic?looking" Lt xingtonian who wasj
claiming everything fofc\Lever. He'
is going around this to^it- whistling, j
and telling it that Lever* will get 90
per cent of the votes afv Orangebnr
r 3 OOf) vntp<s mi" Sumter
county." "God knows if hejrets 3,-1
000 votes in Sumter counts", they will!
have to iro down in Clarendon coun-'
ty and steal 700 of them because i
Sumter voted only 2,300 ballots 2
' years agro.Mr Timmerman said that
'f'.er the 27th of Auarust there wont
' be any room for whistling. "I do.:':
<
think so. either. " said a voice in.the
crowd. Mr. Timmerman said ?hatl
over in Columbia Lever declared that!
he. Lever, would step out of coneress j
and become a street car motorman if:
President Wilson were to ask him to.
"I want to tell you that President;
Wilson thinks too much of the lives I
of the people who ride on street cars |
to srive Lever a job of that kind,"
said the speaker. Mr. Timmerman
said that accordne to the record. Mr.
Lever did not tell President Wilson
the whole truth, in that he had failed
to mention the fact that four
eood men. loyal and true, were runnine
for Coneress in the seventh dis*
trict. Challeneed Lever, or any one
else, to secure a letter from the Pres:
J ? t. 4-1,of Timrmorman '
IUCUI/ Sxa.VIil*i LUC L -
eret out of the race, or that McLeod
or Brantley should get out of the
race. The President had written
that no distinction should be made
between true and loyal democrats.
Lever cannot come now and say that
the charmanship of the agricultural
committee is so important to the farmers
now. Where were the farmers
when Lever had the senatorial fever?
he asked, Gordon Lee. of Georgia
said Mr. Timmerman. would have sue
ceeded Lever and what helps the farmers,
of Georgia would help the farmers
of the South and of South Car-|
olina Who of you farmers knew of
the change in the chairmanship of
J
this committee when it fell to Lever
about 6 years ago.' Mr. Lever's cot
ton futures bill had been declared un j
constitutonal by a federal judge:
and Mr. Lever's Land bank bill only'
gave farmers 3 months in which to
make a crop, and the senate had to
amend the bill so that the farmer
would have 6 months. Mr. LeVer
was also charged by the speaker with
being negligent in securing the nitrate
bill to help farmers, all of j
which caused delay in delivery, and;
loss to the farmers. Mr. Lever ha;
done much good, and I give him cre-J
dit for what he has done, said Mr,, j
Timmerman. In conclusion, the
speaker said Mr. Lever had written to
a few friends in Lexington asking!
them what his (Lever's) patriotic |
dutv was in running for the senate.;
A short while afterwards, he said, a!
conference was held at the Jefferson!
Hotel in Columbia and Mr. Lever an- j
nounced for the senate. When ha
left that race and re-entered the race j
for congress. Mr. Lever announced!
that he would stay in Washington in j
attendance upon his patriotic duties;
?and would not make any speeches
Mr. Timmerman closed with an ear-1
nest promise, if elected, to look af- j
ter the interest of the people of the ;
entre distrct, of the entire State and I
of the naton. and received an ovation.
After Mr. Timmerman had concluded
a Question was put to him by a man1
I
in the audience, who wanted to know;
how he stood on the war. As quick
as a flash Mr. Timmerman replied:
that from the very moment when'
Germany had broken her pledge to
3elgium. as Lever had broken his sol
emn pledge to Senator Tillman not
to oppose him for re-election, he had
been in favor of the war. and the
answer brought another ovation from
the audience, and satisfied the interogatcr.
Thos. F. Bi-antley
Thos. FfS^rantley, of Orangeburg,
the next speaker, said . he favored
short terms i:i office, that a new
broom sweeps clean, and some peopie
hold office so lor.gr that thev think the
office belongrs to them and not to the
people. "Now. my friends^M.r Le-!
ver said Mr. Brantley has erotl\o>^asi.
ness beincr in this race." ("Bdykinfc
to him," said a voice in the crowd.) .
"He is running- against me now.Lever i
entered the race for Senate?and
quit. Brantley and the other canai-'
dates had paid their assessments in ;
good faith and thev could not afford
to quit. .. He said Lever promised
Senator Tillman not to run ar-instj
him, but after riding Ben Tillman's
coat-tail for 16 years Lever suddenly
turned his back on him. Lever was!
Governor Manning's candidate and
not the administration's at Washing.;
ton. When Senator Tillman wrote a!
certain letter Lever quit the race, be I
cause he knew that Tillman had him
beat, and Lever now tries to hide be-.
hind President Wilson's legs. Fori
3 years of the war 12 million sol-j
diers have been killed, wounded or
disabled for life. The congress of
the United States appropriated 21
billion dollars for war in one rear,
while for 12(1 years 26 billion had
been c-pent on all of the wars in
which this country had been eneragred.
It is an enormous proposition, but
we must win. "I would always vote
*o back up my country," said Mr.
3 rant ley next went into a discussion
BENNIE HARMON
WITH THE BARRE CO. j
I
Mr. Bennie R. Harmon, who has
been with the Enterprise Hardware
Co. for several years, has severed
his connections with that firm and is I
now with the Barre Hardware Co. |
where he invites his friends to callj
on him. Mr. Harmon is one of the
I
mosts uccessful hardware men in j
this section, and he will doubtless,
prove a most valuable addition to j
The Barre Co.
I I
MANY CHICKENS KILLED.
_ . I
Chickens of all sizes and many do.
zens of eggs were broken when a ford
car. driven by Fred Frazier ran into
Mr. W. W. Taylor's ford on Main!
street about daylight last Friday
morning. Mr. TayloT had a coop of I
chickens tied onto the rear of his ma- j
chine and had gotten out to see if;
they were alright. Mr. Frazier stated
he did not know that the car was
in front of him until the crash.
FIRST OPEN COTTON j
We acknowledge receipt of the
first open cotton we have seen this!
season was brought to this!
office by Stobo Hendrix a negro far J
mer on Mr. T. L. Harman's place
near Lexington.
of cotton, the wealth of the South.
He favored fixing the price of the
staple by legislation or otherwise.
The government fixed the price of
wheat, why not fix the price of cotton.
!
The war board is fixing the price
of manufactured product The mills
now make about 30 cents profit on
every pound of cotton. There is
a surplus of 3 million bales now from
last year's crop, he said, due to the
fact that only about 11 million baled
are consumed annualy. Favored put
ting Federal monev in good roads.
Lever claims to have given up chair
manshipof agricultural committee tc
run for Senate for patriotic reasons
but, in my opinion, Mr. Lever entered
the race to satisfy his own person
al ambitions. Mr. Brantley declared
that he was more interested in cotton '
than anything: else and if elected hd
promised to do all he could for the
cotton farmers of the south.
Congressman Lever.
Congressman A. F. Lever, seek-;
ing reelection, was received with cor
dial applause. He said that he only'
had 30 minutes to reply to 90. ("Take
your time. Frank" said a friend in
J I
the audience.) Said he had always
beer/ opposed to indiscriminate immi-i
gratioTs. and on this he opposed the
President's veto. He then branched j
off into a discussion of the cotton
situation, declaring: that, with only
96 Southern votes, against an overwhelming
majority, it was impossible i
to get a bill favorable to fixing the!
price of cotton to pass. Ke had pig
eon-holed two tills in his committee !
and there they would stay as ior.g as
he "wr: in Congress. Mr. Lever said j
that T:mmer~-r.n tent shaking his
for:-:?"l"s rt him and he (Lever)
did net PKe in Mr. Lever said that
hp and noro many things that the
peopio knew noiii'.r.g about. He said
had it not ueen ior his efforts the
people of this section would not now
be able to get flour. Favored in-,
creasing: the shipping: facilities as
much as possible. Said that Congress
was powerless to act in the matter of
idleness among negro women?that
is a question to be handled by the
State laws. He declared that no a.dult
woman, white, black, rich red o"J
hhie has the moral right to eat idle
breS^liAyhen bovs are dying in France 1
Mr. E^fer Jioxt read letters from
Champ Cl&rk. great democratic leader.
to show That he was looking afte:<
his duties in Washington: anyd also a
letter from Mr. ^Cfark showing why
the nitrate bill was Sent to the committee
on appropriations-instead of
to the committee on agriculture. Mr.
Clarke said that the rules of Congress
would not permit the bill to go
to Lever's committee first.
Mr. Clark said that Mr. Lever had
won his present high station in the
house by hard intelligent and honest
T > J J-to i. i."U ^
enceavor. xur. ijever saiu ui?t uie
first cotton futures act had been declared
unconstitutional. the court
claimed, because it was a tax meas*
; ure. He said he had later gotten
| through an exact futures measure
' with a slierht amendment, and nobody
: lost anything.
I.i conclusion. Mr. Lever said that
, none of his oononents had offered a
i single reason why he should not be re
I turned to Congress, or a single rea:on
why thev should b?. Ho was
; v;r.:ur.iy aprlaudeu r.c nc sat uo .vn.
0
COUNTY CAMPAIGN I
OPENED SATURDAY!
Five Hundred People Hear Candi- j
dates for County Offices
at Gilbert.
The first big guns of the Lexington j
county campaign were fired at Gil- j
bert on last Saturday, where more!
than 500 persons gathered to heari
what the various office-seekers had toj
say. The meeting was void of the J
sensational: the audience being un-1
rl/MViV/^ dr>4- + 'V\ OTP WOC O
VldllVliO l/l- V ^ vr uo c* I
slight tilt between the two candidates
for county auditor, and the two candidats
for county treasurer. These
incidents however came near the
close of the meeting, and afforded
the only excitement of the day.
The meeting was officially opened
by Judge C. M. Efird, democratic
county chairman who in address filled
with optimism and ringing with
the earmarks of Democracy, bespoke
for all of the candidates, throughout
he entire campaign, a square and
iair deal. Judge Efird referred
briefly to the great crisis confronting
the people, declared that Lexington
county was patrotic to the core, and
that her people would continue to
stand by the government until democ
racy reigns supreme throughout the
universe.
The candidates organized by electing
Cyrus L. Shealy, president, and
W. D. Dent, secretary.lt was agreed
to give the seven candidates for the
house 20 minutes each and the candidates
for other offices 10 minutes
each.
D. J. S. Derrick was the first candi
date to speak, he stated that he was
in the race only after having been
solicited by many friends to become
a candidate. He did not believe in
lone: speeches. It was his purpose
to do all in his power to aid the state
and national governments in the pre3
ent war. He was no new convert to
the principle of loyalty: had been
there all the time from the verv moment
our government took a hand,
hard to be loyal now, but last year
The speaker asserted that it was not
when there was difference of opinion
he was of the same belief. It is
th duty of every one to back up the
government and support the boys in
the trenches. Did not know what he;
could do in the legislature, but he hadj
practiced economy all through life;
and if elected he would see that the j
priming knife is applied to all unnec-:
essary appropriations. At the sametime
there would be no limit to what
he could do for the boys in the tren-!
ches.
Dr. L. E. Dreher, introdzfced next,!
made his maiden political speech, it
being Dr. Dreners first appearantj^
in politics. He urged his head's at
the outset not to vote for any candidate
because of personal likes and dis \
likes, but for those candidates repre
seating the principles for which the
voter stands?for those cand,idaJcesN<
representing true principles of genuine
democracy. Dr. Dreher declared
that the people of* this co.Untv
and state will never be-- able to release
themselves from the clutches of
the present high taxes until the voters
took the matter in hand and cut
out the wiley politician who, each
pr.mn'i;<rr> Vfpv mr.fip pll kinds 01
promises, which never is nor never:
can be filled. Dr. Dreher then went
into an able and clear discussion of
hierh taxes. Columbia b* -rowed money
at 4 per cent interest, he said, i
while the treat state of South Carolina
paid 4 3-4 per cent. The taxpay.
ers have to come up with $222,000
interest each year on the bonded in-j
debtedness of the State, and it is;
time to call a halt. The wealth of
South Carolina had increased less
than 50 per cent, and the population
of the state 10 per cent during- the i
past 10 yars, while the expenditures;
have increased 100 per cent. How,
can we survive with such wreckless1
extravagance? asked the speaker. Dr.;
Dreher came out flatfooted and un-1
qualifiedly in favor of education. Es!
pecially did he favor liberal proviso
ions for the rural schools. The spea-!
ker advanced the progressive idea of'
compulsory attendance of all white'
children between the ages of 7 and |
12 years, inclusive, which he said |
lotr fVirt fftiitir}n fnr Pnfnr'rt
i lK* y C11C x v uuuui/iVii Awvv"v;
developement of the compulsory sys'
tern. He favored biennial sessions
of the greneral assembly as a means
of reducing taxation. Dr. Dreher
said that he was opposed to appropriating:
a $50,000 law enforcement
fund to the crovernor. He himself
[was a la.v abiding clti'en. and be
W. E. LORICK LEFT OUT OF
RACE FOR MAGISTRATE
Mr Editor:
'Please allow me space in your
valuable paper to explain to my
friends why I am not a candidate for
Magistrate of the Irmo District. In
view of the fact that the time for
filing- pledges and paying: assessments
had hppn sot for August 13th and af
terwards changed by the Executive
Committee to August 2nd. I failed to
file my nledge and my assesment on
time The only notice I ever had of
this changing of the time was when
I saw it in the Lexington DispatchNews
which I received on the afternoon
of August 2nd. I am sorry it
has turned out this way and I realize
there is nothing that can be done to
remedy the matter; therefore I accept
the status of affairs as it is
without a kick and publish this article
only that my friends might under
stand why I did not qualify.
Wallace E. Lorick if
s IRMO.
THE GAS THE GERMANS USE.
Mustard Gas?which is used chief
ly in gas shells, is an organic compound
containing chlorin arid sulphur
The gas is very heavy and lingers for
a long time causing severe burns. It
may be used in shells of all calibers
up to eight inch, which are fired either
ffom trench mortars or long range
ai wiinjf kww, x. w
ENTERTAIN AT PINEVIEW- 1
t .
The Ladies Improvement League
of Pineview school will give a pound
party at the school house Thursday
night August 15 th Refreshments
will be served.Everybody is invited tu
attend
ieved that the great majority of
South Carolinians were also lawabiding.
He said that the State is spending
$250,000 pr year more on eight
institutions than had ever been
spent before; and if electd he would
vote to cut' the appropriations for
these institutions to the appropria'
tions of 1917. v The colleges should
learn to economize, said Dr. Dreher,
just as the people of the State are
learning to economize. Dr. Dreher
said that it was with sadness that he
referred to the war, and he deplored
the fact. However, this is a day of
action and we must fight with all our
might until the war is won for democ
racy. Hon. W. J. Bryan the great
"Commoner," opposed this country's
entering the war. Hon Claude Kitchen,
congressman from North
Carolina and Democratic leader of
the house, voted against war and is
m v running for re-electon without
opposition. Henry Ford, he said.
4-/\ TT AM A noono roicciAT)
>> cilt LU juui VMC uu a liiicciviif
accompanied by an ostentations men
*
i&cant from South Carolina now posins*
as a great patriot, who stated
.when he returned, that this war
was one of commercial greed.Nov/
he is posing as a great patriot. The
man who says he watns to reprsent
you because he wants war is a fake,
eloquently declared the speaker.The
war has made many millionaires said
he. and there are a few in Lexington
county who are now nosing as patriots
for selfsh greed only. In conclusion.
Dr. Droher promised if elected
to reduce taxes as far as possible.
It matters not who the governor may
be. he declared that he would vote according
to the dictates of his own con
science.
Hon. T. H. Shull, candidate for re
election, came next. Two years ago
he entered the race a farmer boy
with no set speech. During his two
years in the house he had attend,
ed every roll call, except possibly one
or two. He had stood for economy
and stands for economy n-ow. He
had earned all that he has through
the practice of economy, therefore he
was always looking out for taxes.
One man can accomplish but little
he said, but he had done what hd
could. The senate is composed of
two thirds lawyers, and every bill had
to be acted upon by that body.He
had voted against the tax commission,
but the senate refused to ratify
it. The legislature was falsely ac
cused of raising taxes; the tax commission
sent out orders to the various
county auditors, and they had
I to act. Mr. Shull said that he had
heard a report to the effect that the
Lexington delegation had exhonora
1 ted E. L. Wingard, extreasurer, from
all liability. He denounced the reI
port as false. No such thing was
' ever mentioned, he said. Favors bi- '
ennial sessions of the aeneral assemi
bly, b-'t th'-i oar not be no^onrt'i^hsd
I (Continued or. pr.^c