The Lancaster news. (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, July 29, 1908, Image 1
The
VOL. 3~NO. 85. SEMI-WI
LANCASTER'S CAMPAIGN
DAY.
The Speaking Here Last Saturday
by the Candidates
for State Offices-?Many
uooa speeches Heard by
An Attentive Audience?
What Was Said by the
Various Aspirants.
The State campaign meeting horo last
Saturday was one of the best of the
many thus far held. All the candidatesmade
good speeches and the crowd was
orderly and attentive, giving each
speaker close attention. There was 110
marked enthusiasm, howover, some
candidates receiving no applause whatever.
The meeting was held on the
graded school campus, where a stand
had been erected for the purpose. About
360 voters were in attendance. Quite a
number of ladios also graced the occasion
by their presence. There were
some colored citizens in the audience?
possibly 25 or 30. County Chairman
W. P. Caskey presided with his usual
dignity and fairness. At his request,
the meeting was opened with a highly
appropriate prayer by the Hev. W. A.
Fairy, pastor of the Methodist church.
The first speaker introduced by the
chairman was
GEN. J. C. HOY I), OF GREENVILLE,
candidate for reeloetion to the office of
Adjutant and Inspector General. He
said it was a pleasure to him to appear
again before a Lancaster audience, as
he had done on previous occasions.
That he had received a majority of the
votes of this county in every race heretofore.
When elected two years ago
bis majority in the State was 34,500, the
largest ever received by any candidate
for the oflice who had opposition. Has
made good every promise made and
now asks the peoplo to endorse his administration.
Has the endorsement of
a number of ofilcers of the State militia.
Head a complimentary letter from
('apt. McCollough, of Anderson, adjutant
of the 1st infantry. Also read resolutions
adopted by the officers of the)
National (Juard of South Carolina commending
his annual report as the most
complete over made. In asking for reelection
ho was only asking for what
had been given every oflicer who had
preceded him?a second term. He referred
to his record as a Confederate
soldier. Said he has been connected
with the militia ever since 1876. In the
memorable campaign of that year he
spent about $700 of his own money in
organizing and equipping a military
company. Served with Tillman in the
Darlington war, though opposed to
^ Tillman. Thinks his young opponent
can wait. His opponent boasts of having
written the lirst editorials in favor
of Confederate pensions, which may bo
true, but be is tbo lirst man to ask Unpeople
to turn out an old soldier and
give theoffico to him just because he
wants it. The speaker said if the people
thought him worthy he asked that
mey reelect him.
COL. IIKNKY T. THOMPSON, OF
mCHLAND,
al so a candidate for Adjutant and Inspector
Oenoral, followed. He said
having had occasion in the past to visit
Lamcaster, lie felt that he was 110
stranger here. He complimented Lancaster's
tine school building. The
llemocratie party requires issues to he
discussed, but in the short time allotted
the discussion must necessarily be
limited, lleferred to the fact that his
opponent is his superior ollicer; but if
he, the speaker, can't be elected 011 his
merits he doesn't want to be elected at
all. Said Boyd has an advertisement
in The State in which he claims to hAve
the support of practically all the State
militia, which hedenied and challenged
Boyd to produeo a list of the otlicurs of
his (Thompson's) regiment supporting
him. lie said he joined the militia in
1H78 and has risen on his merits from
private through tho various offices to
^ his present rank, that of senior Colonel,
lie has heretofore boon elected by the
militia, but is now ambitious to be promoted
to the highest office, which can
only be given him by the people and ho
^j therefore is now a candidal*) for public
office for the first time in his life, and
I
Lai^
ledger 18b^
ceklyt
if elected Adjutant and Inspector (General
it will be the first time in the State
that a man has been elected to the position
direct from the militia. Didn't
have the honor of being a Confederate
soldier?was only five years old at the
time. lie said ho wrote, as editor of a
Darlington paper, the first editorial in
South Carolina advocating the pensioning
of Confederate soldiers. That editorial
was published July *J8, 1H77.
Wrote other editorials along same line,
from which ho read extracts. He referred
to his record as an officer in the
i larlington riot in 1894: wrb oommnndcr
of the Darlington tiuards at tho time,
lie not only responded oroinptly to
Gov. Tillman's commands, bnt he and
his company remained under arms for
nine day-, lie related the trying duties
tie y had to perform. Ho read a
letter from Tillman commending the
Hoards and its commander for their
devotion to duty. His company?the
Huards?was the llrst to respond to the
call for volunteers in the war with
Spain. Ho was made major and served
in Cuba. Started life as assistant prolessor
in the Citadel. Has always heard
that Lancaster was a free and independent
people, wearing no man's collar.
He asked that he be judged on his
merits.
COM P. GKN. A. W. JONKS,
candidate for reelection, was next introduced.
He said his office is tho
business office of the government?has
charge of all the finances of the Htate:
also of the pension department. The
people are more interested in that office
than in any other. All taxation is n
burden, but it should be equably dis
tributed. The assessment of property
is the great problem to solve. Favors
equalization of assessments. Is not
after Increasing revenues, but under a
proper system of assessment a levy ol
4 1-2 mills would pay all expenses,
He is after the correction of the gross
inequality of assessments, lie related
an incident that occurred in Georgia,
where property is supposed to be returned
at its true value and under oath.
A farmer asked the oflieer of a fertilizer
plant ^2,600 for a piece of land which
was returned for taxation at $500, and
when his attention was called to thai
fact by the ofllt?r, the farmer promptly
replied that the fertilizer plant, though
worth $100,000, was assessed at only
$lti,000. The farmer was paying 00 per
cent more in taxes iti proportion to the
value of his property than the fertilize!
company. What, the speaker said, In
was trying to do was to equalize the
assessment of property in this State.
I.ater on the chairman read a lettei
from Mr. Rrooker, <?cn. Jones's opponent,
regretting his inability to he
present.
The candidates for Stat" superintendent
of education next spoke, tin? lirst introduced
being
MK.K.C. KLMoRK, OF SPARTAN
IllJitti,
who started out by praising Lancaster's
school building, which lie characterized
as a noble edifice?a credit not only b
the city, but South Carolina as well,
lie said In? was proud of the State'*
educational progress, but regretted thai
in some instances it has not kept pact
with material progress, lie referred to
the groat progress in agriculture and
would like to see educational progress
keep pace with it. lb- said li?
in the prestige of the old Palmetto
State. He referred to NVinthrop and
flemson and the lint! work being done
by those institutions. Hut believes
more should be done than is being don.
for the common schools. Partners in
many instances have had to move t?i
town to educate tlnir children, which
should not be the case. Partners pay
more taxes than any other class and
their schools should be improved.
Favors giving to country boys and girls
tliu same educational facilities as those
in the towns and cities. He said his
work as a teacher has been mainly in
country schools, in Union and Spartanburg
counties. If elected will work for
the building up of the educational system
of the State. He said, ask any one
in Spartanburg if he hasn't made it a
point to visit schools and has stimulated
educational interests in that county, of
which he has been superintendent ol
education since 1901.
MR, STYLUS K. MJCLLR'HAMP,
of Orangeburg, followed Mr. Klmore,
11c said he was pleased to meet the good
JCAST
REVIEW 1878 EN
LANCASTER, S. C., JULY 29,
people of I Lancaster and spoke in com- <
i pliinentary terms of both the town and J
>uuuk;. j\ I'HiiuKiam, no saia, neces- i
sarily has to speak of himself, to at 1
i least give a synopsis of his record as a |
i basis for inquiry and information, t
, After graduating from college, as a t
mere boy he immediately entered the s
Confederate army and remained there <
for four years, doing the best he could (
for his country. But he did not pre- (
sent his war record as a qualification
for the oflloe of Nupt. of Kdueation. ^
He presented, however, his qualifies- j
tions as a man and educator. Teach
(
your children at home and in the school
houses that your fathers and grandfathers
did no wrong in following the
Hag of the Confederacy. After the war, t
he said, he took up teaching as a pro
fession. Practically all of his life has .
I
i been spent as a teacher and as superintendent
of education, lias taught in .
i private schools and graded schools, and
i for eight years was principal of the preparatory
department of Furman Uni- .
versity at Greenville. Served twelve
years as superintendent of education,
and is now in line of promotion. lie
advised the people to select the best
man lor State Superintendent. Favors
building up all the way from high educational
institutions to edmmon schools.
The latter is the foundation of all, and ^
he therefore insists on building up the j
country schools. He alluded to the j
State's progress in educational matters, j
Taking his own county, Orangeburg, as .
an example, he said lh years ago it ^
raised only 916,000 lor school purposes, ^
while now $80,000 is expended annually ,
for education. As many as 45 school ,
districts in that county now levy spec- .
ial taxes for school purposes?that's
progress. Education is the solution of
all other problems. '
MK. J. K. SWKAIilNUKN,
??f Kdgelield.the blind professor of ?'edar
Springs Institute, was the next and last
candidate for State Supt. ??f Kducation
to speak. lie said it was a pleasure to
him to be in Lancaster. He had just
arrived from Heath Springs, and he
found the sands and roads like those in
Kdgetleld, and he believed the people
looked alike. He spoke in the highest
terms of the Heath Springs school and
the town. He said prosperity is stamped
upon every activity in that community.
He said he dared do all that
becomes a man. He had met and overcome
difliculties in getting an education.
At the age of 18 he lost his sight
by the accidental discharge of his gun.
Hut he managed to get an education?
spent K years at Cedar springs and attended
the South Carolina College,
from which he was graduated. He explained
how it is possible for a blind
man, with the assistance of the two
clerks in the ofliee, to discharge the
duties of Supt. of Kducation. His first
duly il* elected will be lo administer t
. the office so as to promote interest in ,
edmationnl matters. The most im- ,
. port ant tiling today is proper equip[
incnt for intelligent citizenship There
, are now good schools throughout the
State, but there is more room for progj
ress. What is needed is more schools
t and better schools. The home school
. should be fostered. First duty is to
look after the interest of the children.
[ Teacher's chair is not a pension. Winj
throp is turning out the best trained
teachers, la addition to employing
, good teachers, they must be paid good
[ salaries. He said educational work is
his life work.
The candidates for railroad eommis*
sioner were next presented, the first
being
' MK, JAM KS t'ANSI.KK. ,
ofTirzah. Lie thanked the people of i
Lancaster for the f#r?4 votes given him \
the last time he ran?over one-third of 1
the county's vote. Lancaster, he said, i
is almost a part of York anyhow. When i
ho ran four years ago he got 12,000 <
votes; two years ago, 23,000, and this <
time he ought to receive at least 40,000. \
Has been received with hearty welcome i
in every county that he has visited. <
He was sorry he could not present the ]
fine appearance of his opponents. If he |
had their good looks and his own brain (
he would give even Taft the race of his
^ life. For six years of his life he was
not able to move out of bed. He stands ,
for better railroad service?not faster
trains, but safer trains, more con von,
iences an<l more trains. Would have
I the State to pay salaries of commission
ER N
TERPRISE 1891
iyu?. ]
irs, so as not to have their hands tied, a
lie prodded Commissioner Caugliman ri
about the mileage hooks. Said the '1'. fi
1*. A.'s began to kiek and now the peo- a
>le are kiekinn. Said he had saved b
shippers of household furniture alone ?l
iboul $10,000 in freight since he began h
speaking about a month ago. In
"<>M M ISSIONKU B. L. CAl'tillMAN, d
andidate for reelection, then spoke. lie
expressed his gratitude for the votes
eceived and the (confidence placed in
lim by the people of Lancaster when
te ran before, having gotten two-thirds ol
>fthe vote of the county, lias ever di
endercd the people here his best ser- d
fice, having helped them in every in- tc
stance that he could, llis only promise w
hat if reelected he will in the future as v
n the past give his whole time and at- S
ention to the duties of the office. If w
iny man in Lancaster county can say le
le hasn't done his duty, let him speak ti
nit. If another will make a better It
iflicer, vote for him. It has been said tt
hat the S. O. commission is a farce be- bi
ause there is no practical railroad man It
>11 it. The North t'arolina and (Jeorgia b
Him missions havenosuch man on them. ?
tnd letters were read to substantiate h
he fact. No change had been made in ti
ate on second-hand furniture and the nr.
.tatement made to that etl'ect by the 3:
irevious speaker was denounced as ti
alse. The speaker referred to his legis- ot
ative record?his service in both the N
House and the Senate. Said he was ('
.he author of the Jim Crow car law, c?
vhich requires separate coaches for tl
vhites and blacks. lie was now run- e<
ling on his merits and if reelected c<
tvould continue to do his duty honestly ai
tnd conscientiously. s?
MIL F. C. FIS1IHUHNK, >v
>f Charleston, also candidate for K. IL ^
L'om., followed. He said he came not
to abuse any man who is in the race
for commissioner. He thought the low
country should have some showing in j
making rates. He is opposed to discrimination.
Thinks the cilice should '
be lilled by a man of experience and
competency. Knows as much as any
oilier man about building and eon- h
strutting railroads. Returning from v
the war ho plowed a while and then a
?ot into the railroad work?contract ti
work. Charleston is the queen city of tl
Lhe Atlantic ocean and yet railroads dis- b
criminate against her. Wants to un- P
lock the doors at Charleston. Doesn't v
want to break up railroads, but wants g
o teach them that the people have ^
rights as well as they have. The way n
o do so is to elect eoinpc tent men to ?
ill ollice of commissioner?not men S1
who blackgaurd each other,but men who I'
an go when necessary before the in- n
erst a to commission. Men of ability
uid integrity are tin* kind to till office.
So drunkard is wanted in office. The 11
speaker said he was endorsed by the 11
untire people of t'ollcton county ami l<
the business men of Charleston county, i'
and was sent here by those people, lie a
is a sober man and desires to see the s
best man win in this race. I1
MR. II. W. Itlf IIAKHSON, V
of Barnwell, also aspirant for It. It.
Com., followed. lie sitid he was a
stranger to most of the people here, but
some in Lancaster have known him for
years and they will endorse hiin. The
office of K. It. Com. requires a bus- !
ini'ss man, and not a speech maker.
Never before asked the people for jui
office. Native of Barnwell. In isni
went into the war at Hi years of itge. ^
Was captured att'oid Harbor and lockud
up in prison six months. Made his ^
escape and returned to Uie army, serving
until the ond. In tin* troublous
Linns of lK7<i, raised a eavalrv compa- .
u
ny, shipped on 20 bales of his own eotton,
sold it and took the monev and
v
bought 100 rilles and 500 rounds of am- t
munition for his men. llis company dis- ^
armed three military companies of
I 'hainberlain, ''that prince of scoundrels."
The speaker said he at one ^
time was collector of customs for Beaus
Fort, Port Koyal and Coosaw, but got
out when the Republicans got into ,j
power. He went with his old com1
}
tnander, Men. Kosser, to Tennessee and
engaged in railroad contract work? ^
built ;rA miles from Johnston ('itv. .
Took other contracts under the most
r
skillful engineers. Is an experinced, ^
practical railroad man, from hewing j
cossties to building four-bench trestles.
If elected will put down discrimination t_
if he can. Kefers to an instance where '
EWS
PRICE 5 CENTS PER COPY
charge of ftt'2 was made when the
ailroad was hauling a like class of
reight same distance, ete. for #7. He
lso paid his respects to the "mileage
ook iniquity", relating a pathetic inLance
where it operated as an extreme
ardship on a poor woman who was on
cr way to Asheville to her dying
iiughter. He said the salary of the offe
is ?l!H>0 a year, the term 6 years,
cry young man, Newberry elected blm
member of the House of Hop resell Laves.
Served several terms and was
len elected to the Senate, of which
ody, in 1!?07, be was elected president
ro tern, if Ansel and Mcleod should
acate tlieir offices he would become
overnor. Has been city attonev for
lew berry. Represents as attorney
lore than half the cases on both sides
f the court in Newberry. These, be
\id, are t lie endorsements of his home
eople, II is parents were born and
ared in Kdgcfield, moving to Newerry
shortly after marriage. Has decided
">'i people for their lives and
one were hanged. Have naturally
iade some enemies. He was told not
> .\iisci n>r a second U'rm, that
. was customary to give the governor
second term, lie submitted proof to
how that Ansel has not always suported
governors for second term.
Vould give the finest Stetson hat in
own to the man disprov ing his chargs
against Ansel. Said the Ansel aduinstration
is the most extravagant
inee ltepublicanism. lie compared
lie appropriations for the past four
ears, showing an increase of $301,000
11 the last two years. It is claimed
hat Ansel is not responsible for the
pproprialions, but he has the power of
eto. Ansel recommended an extra
uvy of 2 mills, whose theory is to have
rich government and a poor people,
chile he, the sneaker, favored a rich oeo
le and a poor government, lie read
rom the Comptroller General's reports
u show that there was nonnecessity for
he '2-mill levy recommended by Ansel,
. ho said be wanted to get the State
n a cash basis. A levy of 4% mills, according
to the Comp. Gen., was suffient
to pay alliexpenses and leave a sur>lus
of $23,000. He said the governor
ranted higher salaries and a new manion.
Get your tax receipts and see if
axes haven't grown higher and higher.
The legislature is to be thanked for not
tutting on extra levy recommended by
he governor. As to education, favors
>oth country and higher schools of
earning. The latter are getting too
nuch money. Net one-tenth of the
ihihlren K"t into H college. Would
lot tAke a brick out of Winthrop
ir t'leinson, but doesn't believe bi oji4'ontinned
on I'atfe ICi^ht.
... ...o .imii is unreasonable who a
ants it for twelve years.
M K. J. A. SUMM KitsKTT,
F Richland county, the last of thocanidates
for It. It. coin, was next intronced.
He said he wauted everybody
? see "Summersett" and every one
ho had ever turned a summerset to
ote for him, and if all the voters in
outh Carolina would do the same there
ould be no second race. He said he
id here in the race two years ago, getng
a majority of Lancaster's votes,
eferring to Cansler's claim to Lancasir's
support on account of Lancaster
eing almost a part of York, he said in
<90 and 1891 he lived even nearer to
ancasler than Cansler's home, Tir/ata
-was at Catawba Junction. Said he
ad not been attatked in his speech at
lis meeting by Commissioner Caughlan.
That he had tried to get him to
ipinm wny ne as commissioner makes
le people of this State pay higher rates
f freight than are paid in Georgia and
orth Carolina. The people of South
arolinn are entitled to just as much
msideration and just as low rates as
lose of bordering states. What is needl
is an expert in the office of railroad
unmissioner. When yon go to elect
a Adjutant and Inspector General, you
jlect a man versed in the science of
?r, and when you want an attorney
eneral yott elect a lawyer. The rail;>ad
commission should not be withtit
a practical man on it.
The candidates for governor closed
tie discussion of the day, the first inroduced
being the
ION. COLE L. 11 LEASE, OF NEWHE
Hit Y.
The speaker first gave a sketch of
is official life. In twin wiion ?? ? ?