University of South Carolina Libraries
BLEASE IS WARNED • BY SENATOR SMITH SENATOR SCARELY NOTICES GOVERNOR ONLY EXCITING MOMENT AT ST. MATTHEWS Chief Executive Attacks Record of Smith in the Senate, Denouncing Especially Appointments of Two Editors—Smith, Interrupting the Governor, Disclaims Responsibil ity for Them—Governor Refers to Tillman Letters to Prove Point and Smith Warns Him Taht lie Must Not be Passed—Senator's Speech a Talk to Farmers—Casual Refer ence to Opponents—Other Candi dates Are Heard. —: # v ''Won (By Special Correspondent.) ?t. Matthews, June 17.—Special: fore a crowd of SrtO people or re, a great number of whom came om different sections of the State, the “big guns'' of the campaign com menced their firing'here yesterday morning and occupied practically the entire day in presenting their claims to the voters. All the places of busi ness of the town were closed and the town turned out to hear the candl dates for the office of United States Senator. By arrangement one hour was allotted to each candidate in which to make his speech. Good or der prevailed and the speakers were given good attention. Gov. Blease was the first speakef and was fol lowed by L. D. Jennings, mayor of Sumter. A n intermission of 45 min utes was given for dinner, after which W. P. Pollock of Cheraw spoke and was followed by Senator E. D. Smith. . , ^ The county chairman, Df. T. • H. Dreher, opened the meeting at 11:30 o’clock. He stated that he had re ceived a letter Informing him that there would be some people on hand prepared to make trouble, and he an nounced that no boisterousness would be tolerated. If there had been any intention of giving trouble it did not materialize and the entire proceedings went through in a peace able manner. There were a num ber of ladles in the audience who listened attentively to the speaking. IiJease Opens First. Gov. Blease opened up with an as sault on the recent club meetings and assailed the State convention. "This year,” he said, “all said let’s have peace." He then endeavored to show that those who had said let's have peace had not done those things which would be conducive to peace. He made the charge that fac tionalism had been injected into the ^^tate convention and also that the ^^^ib meetings had been packed, ^^Vome clubs going so far as to put ^^egroes in the county conventions.” “The other side," he sa4<L "appealed to Haskelites and negroes.” He also referred to the State convention as a "corporation convention." Gov. ' Blease was severe in his criticism of the State convention and of its offi cers, the convention, he claimed, us ing foul meaqft to,hurt him. He referred to the new rules for the city people but were against the farmers and mill men. Other charges against the conventioa, which he claimed was not representa tive of the people of the State, were that they tried to put in a provision to have votes counted in private so stealing could be done, and w r ere try ing to hurt voters by making the new primary rules. The governor said he was not in the race for personal benefit or pro fit but to help the people and if elect ed he yould stand by the Democratic party. "If I am defeated,” he said, "I will have no grouch.” “I have l>een governor for the last three years and nobody else has bden and those who don’t like it can’t help it,’ said the governor with a great deal of emphaais. He referred to the pardoning he had done and said he expected to issue another pardon when he returned to Columbia last night and would pardon another from Calhoun county. Blease accused Smith of being a 1 .representative in the "Haskel” con vention and read extracts from sev- « 1 papers of that time to substan ce his accusation. "Smith tries to ’iaim any participation in this convention." "Somebody has lied," he said, “was it the newspapers?" He attributed corruption and tyrutr ny to what he termed the “Haskel" crowd, and asked, “How long will you stand for it?" . He referred to the recent visit of Senator Kern of Indiana to this State and said that Smith had brought big Yankee Kern here to tell us how fo Smith 1 Won’t Take the lie. Blease said Smith had W. E. Gon zales appointed minister to Cuba to repay The State for favors. Sena tor Smith arose and addressed the chairman saying he desired the. rec ord to be kept straight and that he had no more to do with this appoint ment than Blease. The governor then referred to the appointment of Jas. L. Sims as U. S. marshal, "who admitted,” he said, “that he worked on a Republican paper but excused himself by saying he was only connected with the mechanical de partment of the paper.” He said Sims wafl Smith’s appointee. Senator Smith then made the statement that Mr. Sims was Tiyman’s appointee. Blease then read a letter from Sena tor Tillman to Senator Smith which he claimed verified his statement. Senktor Smith walked to where the governor was and addressing him said he wanted it understood that nobody would call him a liar during this campaign. Gov. Blease made a general attack on the record of Senator Smith and said he wanted to know, what Smith had done on the cotton question. He defended his action In the re cent militia encampment matter and referred to letters of commendation of the stand, which he had received. He reiterated his well known policy of favoring his friends and said what offices he had to give he would give to Bleaseites. Gov. Blease made efforts to show that Smith had done nothing for the poor man and referred to the attitude taken by Smith In reference to different questions coming before the national congress such as the Immigration bill and Post Office and Post Roads. , The speech of the governor was read from a typewritten copy and he said he would have 100,000 copies printed and sent over the country. In closing he told of having the support of the labor organizations, and again said he would stand by his friends. Infrequent applause and cheers were given the governor. Mayor Jennings of Sumter. The next speaker was L. D. Jen nings, mayor of Sumter, who said this is the first time he has appeared before the people for a State office. He told the crowd that if his life and voice lasted he would speak to the people in every county in the State and would prove the unfitness of Blease and Smith for the Senate; “the State may be wrong sometimes, racy and not Bleasism or Smithism.” Mr. Jennings gave a brief sketch of his life and the record he had made in his home town, which rec ord, he said, was open for Inspection. He was born on the farm and follow ed the plow for 10 years and he said he would have something to say to the farmers about the talk about the State tbhvention trying to rob the farmers of heir votes. "I was a mem ber of the State convention and defy anybody to prove that the new rules are against the voters. He explained the new rules and said the talk against the rules was demagogy. 5- He gave notice that he would use the public records of all the men in the vace but would not deal in per sonalities or sling mud unless forced to do so. He lauded the Democrats in Wash ington for sustaining President Wil son In t^ie tolls exemption matter. He says he favors drainage, national forest reserve, development of water power and antitrust laws and con demned the “pension" grab. He lauded Woodrow Wilson and his policies. “If elected,” he said, “I will try to represent all the people. I am in the race, not for political ambition to be called “U. S. Senator”, but be cause there is a feeling In South Car olina that some one should take care of the helm of State: I’m pot for my friends or your friends, but for the whole people for the peace and progress of the State.” Mr. Pollock Speaks. Mr. Pollock said this was the first opportunity he had of coming before the people of Calhoun county but he felt perfectly at home for he had married a girl from Orangeburg county, of which.,the St. Matthews portion of Calhoun county was then a part. He made humorqus refer ences to his looks and said he want ed to be measured, not around the waist, but where the bpt band fits. “South Carolina deserves better representation In the U. S. Senate thkn she has had in the executive office,” he said. He expressed hopes that the camlpaign would be for de cency and, orjder in the State. “I’m not the candidate of any caucus and I have entered in with no man or corporation, and by my efforts, when this campaign is over, something will have been done for the good of the people of Sonth Carolina. j He presented his record whHe in the legislature for eight years, and told of what he hid done for the people of the State. He said he was botn and raised on the farm and is a combination fanner and lawyer, and claimed having dorked for the farm- ten. an while In thw legislature. In referring jtQ what Gov. Blease said about a vote he cast in reference to the “Jim Crow” car law, Mr. Pol- lock said he might have Cast a vote against such a law wh'en the rail roads and ths, people were so poor that there was no issue about sepa rating the whites and negroes on trains, but when it became an issue he was instrumental in having the law passed. He ridiculed in a jocular manner Smith’s term as senator and said that he had done nothing; “I’m not running on the demerits of any man. Unless I am a better man than the other candidates I don’t want your votes.” He paid tribute to William J. Bryan and Woodrow Wilson. When the name of Wilson was men tioned there were many cheers for the president. Mr. Pollock promised faithful ser vice to the people if elected. Smith Tells of His Work. C Senator Smith opened up in a happy mood and held the attention of his hearers all the way through. He referred to his record since he has been in the Senate and said he had stuck by his pledges made to the people when he was elected. “Special consideration is due,” he said, “to the men who make the clothes and the men who feed the world.” “I am here to tell you to-day that financial legislation has. been for the benefit of corporations and we. had the crumbs, but the m:.n in the field and wood is going to have his own representatives in the hajls of legis lation.” The senator made refer ence to his amendment to the bank ing and currency law which gives farmers six months’ time to draw their drafts, bills and notes for agri cultural purposes instead of 90 days, as originally contemplated In the measure. He went Into an ex- plantation of the workings of this amendment. He tdld of how the cot ton, corn and lands of the farmer had become available through the workings of the banking and cur rency laws which he did his share towards having passed. Talks of Cotton. He then launched Into a talk about cotton and told of his activities in this line. He first showed how the cotton seller was at the mercy of the cotton buyer because the seller did not know the different gradea of cot ton. “I promised you boys six years ago that I would correct this. For the first four years of my term there was a Republican majority in the Senate and when the Democratic ma jority came in, E. D. Smith’s cotton bill passed unanimously and la now before the House and will undoubt edly pass and Hoke Smith had noth ing to do with It. The New York cotton exhange tried to get me to stop my ’cotton” legislation, but I told them no and on the 28th day of March the bill was unanimously passed by Republicans and Demo crats in the Senate. I got an appro priation of $4 6,000 for testing grades of cotton and these tests were made at the Danville Textile association in Virginia and at Clemson college. The senator here exhibited speci mens of the diqerent grades of cot ton as shown by tests made with the appropriation obtained. Senator Smith quoted the prices that cotton brought during the past ten years and said he had fought fdr the price of cetton before he went” to the Senate and while he was in the Senate and said it was a remark able coincidence if the improved price of cotton was hot the result at lease in part, of E. D. Smith. In referring to his attitude to ward immigration, of which commit tee he was chairman, Senator Smith said that if it were in his power he would let no alien enter the United States for citizenship for ten years. He said he favored restricted immi- gratioii. Though you have genius like that displayed here to-day when you go there (referring to the United States Senate) you take your medicine and start from the bottom, and if you have not the manhood, you stay at the bottom.” Stood by His Pledge. Smith said he knew there was no man in the crowd but that believed he had stood by his pledges. Senator Smith said that he was said to have been at the “Haskelite” convention; said that he was not there but was at George's station and he supposed his name was gotten when he passed through Columbia on his way to George’s station. He made the statement that when he got where his word had to he at tested to, he would resign from the United States Senate and come home. He paid tribute to the Confederate leaders and referred to what they had done tor their country. Senator Smith closed with saying, On the 25th of August when I’m sent back to'the Senate, I’ll change the price of cotton. Everything is going up and I want farm products to go up. I hope when I go back with the experience I have and the loyal work I’ve done for you I will put the price of cotton where it will be commensurate to the work done to produce It.” A. T. W. — 1 1 ' ♦ w ♦ a- Refusee to Name Assailant. C. C. Wyche, leader of the Blease faction In the House, walked to a Spartanburg hospital Wednesday suf fering from cuts, inflicted by an op-, poneut in a fight over personal mat- Ha refused to disclose the attacker. —---- - ^ EXPOSES HOSTS "" .![» _ PRESIDENT DENOUNCES LONG I DISTANCE LOBBY TO PREVENT REFORMS Campaign to Forestall Further Ac tion Sees Searchlight of Publicity Through President’s Utterances Reiterated His Determination That Big Business Must be Regulated. President Wilson came out Mon day with a flat declaration that, de spite what he characterized as a de liberate campaign by certain inter ests to secure adjournment of con gress and postponement of the ad ministration’s trust legislation' pro gram, he would use every influence at his command to get the pending bills through the Senate at this ses sion. Choosing his words carefully, the president disclosed his belief that or ganized distribution of circular let ters and telegrams among business men, members of Congress and other public officials, calling for an ad journment of congress, a halt in the trust bills, an increase in freight rates for the railroads and a “rest for bu8iness” < was responsible for what, he recently described as a “psychological depression”. In support of that view, the White House made public copies of letters and telegrams brought in by friends of the administration. One letter wab circulated by the Simmons Hard ware company of St. Louis under date June 9. The president’s decla ration and the publication of the let ters created a mild sensation ap proaching that which followed the president's denunciation of the “in sidious lobby”, which, he said, was threatening the tariff bill last year. Senators and representatives discuss ed the situation. One of the letters made public pur ported to have been sent out by The Pictorial Review company of New York and was signed by W. P. Ah- nelt, president, under date of May 1. It accompanied a prepared letter protesting against trust legislation, praying for a freight rate increase and suggesting an adjournment of congress, with the further suggestion that the recipient mall copies to the president, members of congress, the interstate commerce commission and other officials in Washington. The letter signed by Ahnelt says that "prosperity has been lost some where in this county, owing to the mlschevious activities of the politi cians,” and that the draft of an in closed letter "embraces the views of a majority of the thinking business people of our section.” In part the form letter for transmission to pub lic officials was as follows: “We ask in the name of the suf fering American people, in the name of common sense, why wantonly ha rass business at this juncture, When it is strugglng for its very existence? '“Why throw more thousands of men idle when so many families are already starving? “Why subject business to any ex perimental legislation how when it is not prosperous? Postpone it. Dras tic action on your part is a peril a£ this time. . What we do need is a lit tle building—no more tearing down. “The granting of the petition of the Eastern railroads for a 5 per cent, freight rate Increase will do more for the prosperity of the coun try than all legislation unlawful re strain and monopolies.' “The continual senseless attacks by governmental bodies upon mer chants, railroads, industrial mercan tile corporations, revision of the tar iff and currency reform have resulted in sinking business to such an extent that it has thrown hundreds of thou sands out of employment, reduced wage? and decreased values in rail road industries in mercantile , qor-' porations to the extent of at least $3,000,000,000. “The most serious situation that confronts the country to-day is the fact that 'unemployment is growing more acute. We ask congress to halt before it is too late. Postpone all anti-business legislation.” A prepared telegram much to the same effect, but in condensed terms, was attacked. The Simmons letter declared that the three things which stood In the way of prosperity were the Mexican situation, the awaited advance in freight rates and con tinued hostile legislation in congress. It said in part: Especially do we recommend that qo further attempt at legislation on the matter of the control of busi ness or passing of anti-trust laws should be continued at this time. What the country needs more now than anything else Is a quiet time— an absolute rest from the agitation of politics and assaults upon host- neea^tt.'Trtniraat wlrs^aay differ ence whether it is big business or little business. “We, therefor*, strongly recom mend and earneatly hope that con gress may be convinced that they hive done enough law making for the preseat; that the country Is abso lutely tired and uurfefted wlthpoUt- ‘ that the READY FOR THE FRAY SMITH SEEKS RE-ELECTION ON , HIS RECORD IN SENATE. Junior Senator Laughs at Threaten ed Disclosures of His Enemies ■ Talks of His Position. ^ . When Interviewed Ih Spartanbufg Monday Senator Ellison D. Smith said “I’m rqady for the fray”. The senator said he would ask re-election on the strength of his record In the Senate, In this connection laying par ticular stress op a measure he said he had. passed for the regulation of the cotton exchanges and his amend ment to the’ banking and currency law which gives farmers six months’ time to draw their drafts, bills and notes for agricultural purposes In stead of 90 days, as originally con templated in the measure. Senator Smith also said: “I am now in position as a matter VILLA AMD CARRANZA DIVIDE REBEL TERRITORY. :V SETTLEMENT POSPONEI Rebel Chieftains Forget Preeeut Dis agreements la Face of Service They Owe Their Native L*ad—All Ques tion* Between Them to be Settled Later by Them. Gen. Cararnx*. Thursday night ad vised Lazara de la Garza, Villa’s agent here, that the difficulty', be tween himself and Villa had been ad justed by Carranza giving his per mission for Villa to proceed sonth to the City of Mexico, regardless of the appointment of Gen. Natera as head or the new central zone. Carranza of course to do more for the people. . J by virtue of my position on various ^ committees than I have been able to do in the past in that my committee appointments are such as to give me added influence in legislation. I am chairman of the committee on immi gration, ranking member on the com mittee of post offices and post roads, ranking member of interstate com merce committee, ranking member of agricultural committee and of sev eral other less Important committees. In case I was not returned, whoever succeeded me would necessarily have to begin practically at the bottom of the list. These are some of the facts that I think the fanners ought to know.” Asked about Wilson's policy with reference to negroes which has been criticised in this State, the senator replied that he did not know, and that it was a thing that in the nature of the case one did not like to dis cuss. "The people know that Wilson is a big lot of seed corn, the only man that has ever accomplished anything, and they would be fools to throw away all the corn for a few rotten kernels,” he said. Asked about some of the particu lar charges which friends of the gov ernor have been talking of as'prob ably to be brought against him, not ably the charge that he has been dealing in cotton futures on the New York exchange while his cotton bills were pending in the Senate, and while he was advising the farmers to hold their cotton, the Senator be came rather warm, brought his fist down with force and with a laugh of derision said that he was net worry ing at all about that, that he had the goods to prove such nothing but man ufactured lies. Asked if he voted to confirm a negro judge in the District of Co lumbia. he laughed again as if It were a joke and said that on the con trary he had the proof to show that he made one of the most convincing speeches against this confirmation and came near to preventing it by changing the minds of a number of Republicans. To substantiate this he said that one had only to write to Senators Vardaman, Lee Overman and J. W. Kern. "This was done in secret session and therefore might be hard to get out. It is not in The Congressional Record,” said Senator Smith. FARMER IS KILLED. Lancaster Farmers Have Fatal Shoot ing Scrape. News reached Lancaster Sunday o. the killing of Will Stack, a farmer o' the Tradesville section, by Tom Park* er, another farmer of the same com munity. It Is said that Parker warn ed Stack to keep away from his home, otherwise he would kill him. Stack was tried for murder at Lancaster several years ago and acquitted. The killing occurred just over the line in Chesterfield county. Both parties are white. It could not be learned whether Parker had been arrested. Mowing Machine Kills Child. The six-year-old son of Sam Odom of Darlington was struck down and fatally Injured Wednesday by a moiK Ing machine. His, leg was broken and he receded other injuries about the head. now of the control of business is ex ceedingly Injurious and will serve to- retard Improvement In business, which otherwise would be very great and rapid. “We submit these arguments or reasons to you, asking you and pray ing you to use your best influence in following the lines suggested ih this communication, viz: 1 To have con gress shut up shop and go home. If you agree with us, send to your con gressman and senators a telegram something like the inclosed aqd urge your commercial club to paas strong resolutions along similar lines and send them to Washington. Our rep resentatives there are worn out, phy sically and mentally,'and will wel come your suggestions that further consideration of legislation affecting business be postponed until Decem ber." Thf president declined to make any extended comment on the' Let- ten, declaring that they spoke for in the west and Gen. Gonzales In the east would work Independently of Gen. Villa’s troops. The Constitutionalist commander concluded by saying that the misun derstanding between himself and Vil la and any future misunderstandings between any of the leaders would be left for adjustment when the three armies meet before the national cap ital. In the meantime Gen. Villa will run his own military and civil offices In his territory. « Villa will proceed with hi* army south toward the City of Mexico, dis regarding Gen. Natera, whose ap pointment by Carranza as head of the new central zone evidently caus ed the open breach between the north northern sone commander and the Constitutionalist commander-tn- chief. This made clear for the first tlms the relations between Carransa and Villa. It was said officially .that Villa’s forced step in taking over the Carransa offices at Juarez was but a step in the general plan to oust all Carranza elements In the territory Villa domlnatee. While not declaring that he Is not under Carranza’s orders. Villa is known to have told his chief that he will take the central strip of country leading to the City of Mexico, while Carranza’s other divisional command ers can do likewise down the east and west coasts. According to this arrangement there would be two distinct govern ments. both military and civil, m northern part of Mexico held by the Constitutionalists. On* would be Villa’s strip, where not only his mil itary leaders but his own appointed civil officials would hold office. The other would be that directed by Car ranza In his capacity as military and political chief of, the movement from his capital at Saltillo. It is not doubted that Oen. Alvaro Obregon, commander of the western military zone, and Gen. Pablo Gon zales, In the east, will remain firm adherents of the Carransa party. Villa already is reported to have tak en over some of the petty leaders of the central zone territory south of Torreon. The news that Gen. Natera, whose troops have been repulsed at Zacatecas, had come north to visit Villa was taken as significant. Na tera, previous to his appointment as a zone commander, blocking Villa’s movement, had been a staunch Villa man. It also was learned that Gen. Chao, who aome time ago had been reported ousted by Villa as governor of. Chihuahua, haa joined Villa with a column of.troops from Parral, al though having been ordered by Car ranza to proceed to' Saltillo. The, authoritative narrative of what oc curred between Carranza and Villa is as follows: On Saturday Carranza ordered Vil la to send 5,000 men to the assist ance of Natera, under command of one of Villa’s generals. Gen. Villa replied that he was going to Zacate cas himself with his entire army. Carranza asked Villa to obey his or ders, which would have placed Villa's troops under command of Natera, In whose zone Zacatecas is located. After this exchange of felegrams, Villa proffered his resignation. Car ranza asked that his successor be ap pointed immediately. Then followed * conference of fourteen generala un der Villa, who declined to accept a new leader. Villa then told Car ranza he was going, to move south as he had announced previously. The exchange ended. Villa took over the Carranza offices and put his own men In. Among the national officers arrested at Juarez was Scrapio Agulrra, Carranza’* treasurer-general, who had been Is suing a new series of Constitutional ist money. The money was confis cated by Villa’s troop*. It amounted to more, than $1,000,000. * Boy Blows His Heed Off. Montgomery Watson, the fifteen- year-old eon ef Mr. Isham Watson, had the top of his head ifeot off late Saturday evening while 'playlag with a shot gun at Florence. It was at first thought the yonag mai committed ’ iuldde; bat' Wk - can be assigned for sa hence it la thought It wa J