Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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ESTABLISHED 1865. NEWBERRY, S. C., FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1902. TWICE A WEEK.$1.50 A YEAH CAMPAIGN PARTY NO. TWO. * THE FIRST MEETING HELD TUESDAY IN SUMTER. The Candidates for all State Offices, and they were Many, were there to Speak, and they Spoke, but Most of them Very Briefly-The Audience was Small. but the Candidates were Out for Votes and they did their Best to Infnence the Few Voters that they were Able to See within the Sound of their Voices. [Special to the News and Courier.] Sumter, June 17.-The small army of candidates from nearly all over the State met the voting hosts of Sumter county today. The "Game Cock County" was ready for the fray. The first guns of the State political campaign of 1902 were fired and no serious casualities are to be reported. In fact this first meeting developed into a convention of polit ical physicians. Owing to certain irregular symptoms, it is true that these physicians did keep their own fingers with tenderly lingering claps upon the pulses of their "patients" the while they most sympathetically diagnosed their own political condi tions. Farmer Heyward, the only man in the race for Governor who has not been a politician, seemed to have no trouble in keeping his furrow straight among these skilled doctors of politics. He wasted no time in prescriptions, but put his hands to the work and turned up the ground with a double-team subsoil plough. Heyward and Talbert were the fa vorites, the former seeming to be in he lead. This is decidedly the largest crop of candidates ever seen, even in the moet fruitful years. This season they come from Charleston, Colleton, Marion, Edgefield, Lexington, New berry, Abbeville, Greenville, Ander son, Spartanburg, Sumter, Fairfield, Chesterfield, Greenwood, Florence, York and Saluda counties. Several of these counties have more than one candidate, and lonely indeed is that county that has no patriotic seeker after office and the rewards. ME. MARTIN F. ANsEL was introduced. He expressed pleas ure at first meeting friends in Sum ter. Not the first time, he said, that Sumter fired the first gun. Some thing prophetic, he hoped, in his making the first speech. He hoped this meant first votes here and first in race for governor. Mr. Ansel, as a stranger here, referred to his past record. He had been connected with legislative and -judicial branches of government and derived experience in the executive department. He Swould confine himself to only a few -of the many interesting issues before the piople. He had always been in favor of the primary sy stem. Mr. Ansel stated that he wouod always favor appropriations for the gallant old Confederate soldiers. He refer red to the true dignity of labor and was in favor of the best and highest educational advantages to be given to the citizens of our State. He is an advocate of education, which makes better citizens of us all. The burning, important question of the day, a living question. This is duty we owe to the coming gener. tion, to ourselves and to our country. Mr. Ansel was heard with closest attention ar.d closed with generous applause. CAPT. D. C. HEYwARD was next introdnced and was gree&ed with applause. He came here to make friends, (applause,) and was glad to see that he had them. -He was born near Sumter. His present visit differed from previous ones. He desired to say to the people of South Carolina that he wats running for this office on hi's merits. He wanted it in no other way. He has the kindest feelings for each oppo nent. The people demanded a clean, straight campaign. He was glad to see no issues before the people. Glad that be saw a united people. The common development of our great and growing int.erests was the task to continmusto compl ion. Fromx time to time the people of Sou:b~ Carolina have expressed themselves upn the dispnsary law. He re garded this as a settled fact, and properly conducted it is the best solution of the liquor question. Let us then discuss live questions. He comprehensively and briefly reviewed the past industrial problems of the South and these should now be dis cussed. We of this party are to dis cuss State issues. I am a Democrat, endorse State and national platform. THE HON. W. J. TALBERT, of the "State of Edgefield." Col. Talbert said that Mr. Heyward had taken some of his thunder, but if he did not get his votes he would for give him. Col. Talbert would have no text, but no man should aspire to public office without proper realiza tion of its responsibilities. Espe ciall3 was this true when the high and honorable office of governor of South Carolina was the offi-e in question. Duty and courage, sin gleness of purpose, looking for re ward only in the approbation of the people. He was mindful of these considerations and would be through out his campaign, and if he got votes enough he would be elected. (Ap plause.) He never intended at any time to resort to trickery, hypocrisy or unfairness to win votes. When this is the case, when votes are bought and sold, then we can trem ble. Mr. Talbert cited a recent occurrence in Augusta, and said that the growing expenses of South Caro lina campaigns have aroused the indignation of many. He wanted to live to see the day when any man, otherwise qualified, could aspire to any office within the gift of the peo ple, whether he had money or not. LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TILLMAN came next and was received with slight applause. He made allusions to what his predecessors had said and was not in favor of further taxa tion even for good roads. He thought that Col. Talbert might be running for the office of United States sena to;, judging from his zeal in attack ing the trusts. If Talbert meant this why did he of his own volition leave the halls of congress, where he could really serve the people and seek the office to which he now aspired ? A !l the candidates agreed upon the sub ject of the child labor bill. It was his privilege as . -presiding officer of the senate on a tie vote to save this bill in the senate. Col. Tillman spoke of his first opinion of the pro. posed bill and gave the reasons for his change of opinion. He stated that 30,000 more colored children than whites were now being e,ducated in South Carolina He believed in pensioning the old Confederate sol dier and had favored the $200,000 proposed at the last legislature. He favored a better system of distribut ing pensions anid was opposed to the establishment of a soldiers' home, as it sounded too much like the poor house. In conclusion it was not for him to say how he had filled the office with which he had been honored. He would leave it to the senators to say if he had not done the best he could. If elected in this race, hap pen what may, nothing impure, un worthy, dishonorable to his God, his nation or himAf shall be recorded against him. Some applause greeted the con lusion of Col. Tillman's remarks, which had been listened to with the closest attention. DR. W. H. TIMMERMAN spoke under the disadvantages of a late hour and dinner time. He re joiced at the opportunity of meeting these friends. There wa:, he said, no Cmcinnatus in this raes. On the contrary, the candidates are peramn bulating the State, asking for votes. He was not surprised at those want ing this honor. If so fortunate as to be elected he would do right. He was no orator, but in a plain, practi cal'way would discuss the issues be fore the people, not trying to emu late these lawyers, whose tongues could scarcely be stopped, talking as glibly on one side as on the other. It would be courtesy for his oppo nents to retire and give him the election. He is a candidate for one term only and if elected will have no vindication to make. He said: "I am before yon with my character as a citizen and my record as an officer of your State, giving experience such as none of my competitors have had. South Carolina is as dear to me as to anyone. I will go into any corner of South Carolina and challenge any thing, public or private, against my character." Good roads he thought a necessity; taxation an important subject and no reduction in sight; increased appropriations at last ses sion $200,000 and money will have to be borrowed in July to carry on the Government. Dr. Timmerman gave interesting facts for considera tion of voters on this subject. THE HON. COLE. L. BLEASE, who is quite ready to accept the of - fce of Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina when the voters so instruct, came next and began by calling at tention to the fact that his home club two years ago gave him 215 votes out of a total of 253. The Fac tory Democratic Club, of Newberry, of which Mr. Blease is a member, passed resolutions cordially endors ing the speaker for the office to which he aspires, which resolutions Mr. Blease read. The Newberry County Democratic Convention unanimously re- elected Mr. Blease a member-of the State Democratic executive committee for the third term; elected him a delegate in the State Convention and passed cordial resolutions endorsing his present candidacy, which resolutions were also read. Mr. Blease recalled his three terms of service as a Represen tative of his county, that he was twice a Presidential elector, that he was county chairman of his county, now city attorney of Newberry and was now a candidate before a proud, well informed and independent peo ple for one of the highest and most reponsible offices in their gift. He recited his platform, favoring State and national Democracy, the dispen sary law, bienniel Legislative ses sions, prohibiting children under 12 years from working in cotton mills, liberal appropriations for Confeder ate veterans, liberal, but not extrav agant, appropriations for educa tional institutions of the State, build ing up the free school system so that very white child can have good ed ucations in comfortable . school houses, taxes paid by white people used only for educating white chil dren, of cotuse in favor of good roads -and not opposed to votes. THE HON. F. B. Gary was the next speaker. Mr. Gary iitroduced his subject and then gave his platform. He had confidence in the judgment and integrity of the people and submitted his rights to them. The office of lieutenant governor was one of no pay, but of honor. He wanted the office only on honorable terms. He would not speak one derogatory word. He depends on his merits, not the demerits of his opponents. The duties of the office, he said, were similar to those of speaker, in which office he served for six years. He always tried to uphold the dignity of the office and to treat others cori siderately. He left it to others to saywith what measure of success this had been done. COL. JOHN T. sLOAN came next and spoke of his visit here two years ago, mentioning his re cord as second best in the former race against five competitors. He had his home county's confidence, as his record showed. He favored laws upbilding educational institutions of the State; had always worked for them and alwas s would. Comnmon schools are a great necessity. He would be proud when the time comes to see the boy from the plough han ies and from the factory door steps into the highest places of trust mn our government. The dispensary question was seutled now by the peo pe arnd was not an issue, and he as a loyal Carolinian would uphold ii and favor it until the people demand something else. AsS' T ATT' Y GEN. U. X. GUNTER, who wishes when this campaign shal have ended to dispense with only the first word of his present title, cami next on the list. He began by say in. Tf I can set the pae for thil campaign I shall utter no word to injure my opponent nor to mortify his family. I am running on my own record and shall either merit success or bow to honorable defeat. I have been assistant attorney gene ral for four years and have repre sented the people before the highest tribunal in nearly half a hundred cases and have won four-fifths, a re sult not to be complained of in up wards of one hundred motions. Every written opinion, as records show, has been sustained in toto. I have honestly won the good opinion of State officers and judiciary. For six years, without one cei,t of com pensation, the burden of the opera tion of Democratic machinery has been on my shoulders. All of this does not entitle me to an election to the office of attorney general, but they show that a faithful officer, and a true Democrat has more than mere life service to offer to his countrymen. I enter the race abso lutely unfettered by obligations to any' corporation. My bread has come from the people, if biased, it is to those who fed me. Upon my affi davit proceedings were begun against the fertilizer trust. This embodies the fight for the people against the trusts, and it will not d: to swap horses in the midst of the stream. I pledge my most active efforts in be half of my people in the fight insti tuted by our office, in the fight of life and liberty against insolent, brutal greed. Mr. Gunter was followed by his only opponent, HON. W. F. STEVENSON. Applause greeted Mr. Stevenson, who said he was not begging to be elected attorney general. He wanted to be attorney general and expected to be elected. He fought the propo sition that the assistant attorney general was the logical successor to this office. It was a bad precedent that an assistant or clerk in a State office must needs be the successor to this office. Mr. Stevenson related some of his work in the court, which he said ante-dated by three months the work of the distinguished assist ant attorney general. He cited be ing associated with the attorney general in important cases and suc inctly stated his record, covering experiences that compared with any. He asked promotion, not because of having held office in Columbia under a chief, but because of his merits. If money and honor are not what are wanted I would get out of the race. My record is before all, nor will I ever lush in facing it. He recited his connection with the sinking fund commission, with the penitentiary in vestigation, and as speaker of the house, and was ready for careful in spection. He assisted in fixing the fees of the office of secretary of state, and other works of public import. TREAsURER JENNINGS, candidate for Treasurer without op position, came here to thank the people, to give an account of his stewardship if necessa:ry and to as sure them of a faithful record in the fture. COL. J. T. AUSTIN, candidate for Secretary of State, as he was unknown to many, gave his record, which included membership in the famous old Wallace House. Now a member of the Legislature and two years ago received the largest vote as Represer.tative he had ever received. MR. J. T. GANTT for the first time in his life appeared before the people as candidate for office. He referred to his record as chief clerk in the office which he now sought. He was glad to think the race would be pleasant He knew Col. Wilson was a good man, so is Mr. Austin. He then showed that last year the office paid $40,000 ini fees, where it had formerly brought in only about $4,000. It could be made very profitable, almost paying State expenses. He did not ash votes because of being chief clerk, though it did better fit him for the work. COL. J. HARAEY WILSON arose amid applause and said he had no campaign speech to make. "Borr and raise4 here, you know me and know ins well. You have honored me, and for all that you have done I sincerely thank you. The future will decide this race. Should I fail defeat will be robbed of its bitterness because of -,our unfailing kindness. I seek office to gratify a laudable ambition and no act or word of mine will cause you to regret having so honored me." P:jF. 0. B. MARTIN, candidate for Superintendent of Ed ucation, came next and made a good impression. He wanted to persuade voters that a change was necessary and that he was the man. Mr. Mar tir showed that he had been work ing in schools ever since his gradua tion. Is interested in the broad con ception of the work. He was not here to fight the department as at present constructed. He respects the opinion, earnestness and enthusiasm of his opponent, but cannot endorse the removal of the election of coun ty superintendents from the people. He cannot concur in the wholesale adoption of text books, as was done two years ago. Strong, common sense and interest in his subject marked this speecb, which was well received. THE HBN. J. J. M'MAHAN made the next speech-or ten min utes' talk. Mr. McMahan made a comprehensive speech in the time allotted. He showed what the spirit of a public servant's work should be-the only way to bring results. He- thought this the office of all offices for one to render true service. D. ties and responsibilities have de veloped since he had been in this office and he was ready now, ani al ways, to stand before the people, facing the results of any changes his work had made. There was no greater privilege than to present in full his convictions of the needs here for the welfare of the people. Gub ernatorial candidates have advocate' this working for concrete . improve ment of schools. Teachers all over the State were looking to him to carry out the hopes and plans for the improvement of this office. County schools are the poor man's collage. The great question of today i3 the education of the people. The pre servation of Democracy here ruts on rights of citizenship, of manh.ol. and womanhood. He was glad to srpend himself to go down, if this m ust be, in making this fight. The remnoval of the election of county superinten dents was to be -referred to tbo peo ple; stands for expert teacher&. The Governor appoints the schoo. boards and in the final adoption of books the superintendent of education has practically nothing to do. The work was well done-and so was Mr. Mc Mahan's speech, which ended amid applause. Candidates for COMPTROLLER GENERAL came next. N. W. Brooker was the first speaker and gave his record, in cluding the sinking fund work. Then came the Hon. A. WV. Jones, who said he was a candidate for a busi ness office, the most important office in South Carolina, the bead of the tax department, and this alone was of significance. He concluded a business talk in aL business manner. W.- H. Sharp came next with some thing new under the sun. This was a man offering himself for this office wo has never 'been connected with the comptroller general's office or the sinking fund, nor ever sent his picture around. He related his po litical history arid extended to the people of Sumter a cordial invitation to visit his office when he was elected (i. L. Walker pleaded guilty of being a poor speaker. He consid ered himself fortunate in being a candidate for an offEce that required business ability and not a talker. Next came candidates for ADJUTANT GENERAL Col. John C. Boyd leading, Mr. Ayer not being present. Col, Boyd was a candidate on his career as a Confederate soldier andl as a member of the State militia. (Col. Boyd was a rapid firer and finished in short or Ider, making an impression. Col. J Dn Frost has a good many friends here, to whom he recounted his military experiences in the field and in the offices of the Adjutant General as assistant to Gen. Floyd. Capt. John M. Patrick, of military experiences and capacity, made a military speech. His record was open to all and he had been a milita ry man ever since he could remem ber. Capt. Patrick's speech was short and to the point, and he reminded his hearers of the fact that he want ed to be elected. Mr. Geo. Rouse thanked the people of Sumter for 500 votes given him two years ago and asked for more. Charleston offered ability and training, and he asked for re cognition of these necessities of this office. The candidates for RAILROAD COMMISSIONER came next as follows: Messrs John Cansler, B. L. Caughman, W. Boyd Evans, A. C. Johnson, H. J. Kinard, John G. Mobley. H. H. Price and J. C. Wilborn. They made brief mention of their fitness for this office and were heard with interest. The meeting closed about 5 o'clock. At times the audience dwindled down to less than 100 people, but the hearers generally seemed inter ested. The speeches was most com memdable, reference to opposing candidates being generally most pleasant. The ginger and snap of the occassion was furnished by W. F. Stevenson in his reply to U. X. Guuter's speech. Mr. Stevenson jumped on his opponent vigorously, assailing every vulnerable point te naciously and ibercilessly. The crowd was not a large one, while the number of candidates is so large and the allotted time for speaking is so short that one can scarcely term this a campaign of education. SENATOR TILLMAN'S APPEAL He Wants the Government to Allw Farm ers to Buy Cheap but Strong Rural Mall Delivery Boxes, and (ives the senate an Object Leison, [Special to News and Courier.] Washington, June 13. -Senator Tillman made a strong and an im pressive appeal to the senate today for a cheap free rural delivery boxes. During the morning hour he took occasion to present to the senate a sample box, made of galvanized iron, which he said, could be furnished to persons along rural free delivery routes at a cost of 49 cents for each box. He explained that he was not a member of the postoffice commit tee, and added that he is deeply in terested in the subject because 200 people in the vicinity in his home are to have privileges of the free de livery service, beginning the firist of next month. Under the rules of the postoffice department patrons of the service are required to procure regulation boxes, which cost from $1.25 to $3 each. Senator Tillman enlisted the sympa thetic attention of all the senators who are interested in rural free de livery, and he appealed to Senator Allison, chairman of the appropria tions committee, to insert a provision in the general deficiency bill to en able the postoffice department to in augurate a system by which cheap boxes may be supplied to the farmers and others who are benefited by the now popular free rural delivery sys tem. He exhibited a galvanized iron box at his desk, which, he said, was one of the three samples submitted for the consideration of the postoffice committee, all of which can be fur nished for less than 50 cents each. He took occasion to state that he was in no way interested in any par ticular box, his only object being to urge upon the Senate the importance of taking prompt action on the pro position to reduce the price of mail boxes to patrons in the rural region. He also stated that he had previ ously doubted the practibility of the rural delivery service, but exper ience has demonstrated its popular ity in all parts of the country, He aid his only aim was to secure a box acceptable to the postoffice au thorities, which can be supplied at a figure ranging between 50 and 75 cnts. 4KETCHES OF ARMY LIFE. InterPating Incidents of the Civil War Re - lated by 'X. Con. Fed" a Member of the Third S. C. Regiment. Of all the young men who were in the Confederate army from South Carolina none ever seemed to me to be superior to William Farley, of Laurens county. He was a hard some young man, always went neat ly dressed, generally had a large plume in his hat, and rode his horse as if he and his horse were one. My first recollection of Capt. Farley was on the 21st day of July 1861 at Manassas. HeP was on the rigL of the line when the battle opened and was broken out with the measles. Bonham's Brigade were in line on Bull Run near Mitchell's ford, that beautiful Sabbath morning, when the battle opened on the left on Manassas plains. Capt. Farley al though quite sick hurried to the fight. He had several close calls that day and at its close was com pletely exhausted. He had a tight rub with the measles but finally pulled through. Then began his wonderful career as a scout. He was at the front nearly all the time and kept our officers well informed of the movements of the enemy. Capt Farley having a brother (Lient. Farley) in the 3d regiment visited us very often. Some time in the fall of 1861 he told us he was going to Washington and Baltimore. He had secured a huckster's wagon and horse and had secured a pass to go through the Federal lines. Before the time arrived to go through the lines he got information that a regi ment of Federal cavalry was going to make a raid near Drainville not far from Arlington Heights. Farley got a young man by the name of Griffin and two Virginia bdys to go with him to ambush the Federal column. They secured a good situation and waited all day for the enemy. They did not come, and at night Captain Farley with his men went to a house and slept. About sunrise the next mcrning they came out and found that the Federals had passed them in the night and were returning with some civilians and prisoners. They were away from their place of ambush and it would have been wise for them to beat a hasty retreat; but instead of retreating they ran to some bushes and scrubby pines and opened fire on the head of the column. The Federal line was thrown into consternation and was about to re treat, when the lady at whose house they had spent the night, ran out and begged the Federal troops not to kill the boys as there were only four of them. This she did for the love of the boys, but it proved their ruin. One of the Virginians was killed; one managed to make his escape. Griffin was wounded and none were left to continue the fight except Far ley. He moved from place to place in the little thicket and finally all his amunition was gone except one ball and he concluded to reserve it for the last resort and to try and knock some Federal from his horse and perhaps he could makL his escape. He secured the horse but was knocked on the head with a carbine by a Federal soldier and when he re gained conciousness he was a prisoner. It looked as if Farley would be mur dered, but a Federal officer who had been Farleys's college mate in the University of Virginia, re' ognized him and took 'him in charge. In a few minutes Griffin was brought in wounded and the Federal soldiers told Farley that here was "The girl e left behind him." Griffin looked very much like a girl. They were car ried to Washington and Baltimore but was soon exchanged and re turned to the army. From this time on Capt. Farley was one of the army's most trusted scouts. He was ever where the fighting was the heaviest, and while he would do all e could in an open fight to kill as many of the Federels as possible, he would never kill a prisoner even when it looked like his own safety depended on it. He was killed in June 1863 not far from Culpepper Court House. The shell that killed him also took off Gen. M. C. But er's leg. If Capt Farley had lived a short while longer, he would have been a Brigade General of cavalry. X Con. Fed.