Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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- 60UUTT GIWPAIGN OPENS. LBQISIiATlVF CANDIDATES ALL AGAINST STATE-WIDE LAW. Mooting at Privateer Tuesday Opened ehe County Campaign?Crowd of More Than Two Hundred Voters ??ftre the OAoe-Seeker* an Atten? tive Hearing?The Occasion Passed Ogf Pleasantly and Without Inci? dent?Picnic Dinner Served for AU Praest. The county campaign opened at Privateer Tuesday with all the can? didates for Congress. State Senate House of Representatives and county ofnoos present except Mr. C K. Stubbe. candidate for re-election to the House, who was too unwell to at? tend. As Is always the case when a campaign meeting is held at Privateer there was a large and representative out-turn of the voters of that section of the county. The crowd numbered at least two hundred to hundred and fifty voters, and the best of order was preserved, each and every candidate receiving a quiet and respectful hear? ing. At the conclusion of the speak? ing It waa announced that lunch had been provided for all present and the candidates and audience were Invited to come forward aud partake of the abundant repast of fried chicken, ham. aandwltches. cake. pies, bread, etc. The meeting was called to order at 11.41 by Mr Thomas E. Hodge, who presided. Rev. William Haynsworth was Introduced and opened the meet? ing with prayer. Judge Richardson. Judge of Probate Thomas E. Rich? ardson, the unopposed candidate for re-election, was the first of the speak i ere to be introduced and make his bow to tht assembled voters of Priva? teer. He tpoke very briefly, confining hla ramarks to tnanktng the people for the support given him three years ago when he was a candidate In the special election, and pledged himself to continue his effort to administer the office efficiently and acceptably. Supervisor Pitts. Supervisor Pitts gave a brief ac? count of his administration and pro? mised to spare no effort to give the ooaaty an efficient and economical ad ministration and to Improve the pub? lic roads In all sections of the coun? ty as rapidly as the means at his dis? posal will permit. He thanked the people for the support given him and especially for the evidence of the con vdence they have shown in him by permitting him to be re-elected with? out opposition. Treasurer Wallace. Treasurer B. C. Wallace was also im that happy class that had only to snake his bow. thank the ptogel for past support and promise to continue to administer the office to which he Visa been elected and will be return ad by the unanimous suffrage of his fellow citizens fairly, Impartially and to the best of his ability. Auditor Wilder. Auditor J. Dl?gs Wilder, who is now o?rvlng hi.* seventh consecutive term, spoke with sincere appreciation of the kindness he had received from the people of Sumter county, and re aswed his pledge to give them the Tory best service of which he is cap? able as the best and only means by which he could prove his gratitude far the confidence of his fellow cltl H. B. Holser. Mr. R. B. Belser. the good roads candidate for the House of Represen? tation, stated that while his purpose, if elected, would be. primarily, to urge a movement for good roads through? out Sumter county, he expected to la hoe wltth all the earnestness of which he was possessed for the good of the State along ail lines. He was especial? ly Interested in good roads because no believed that good roads are the greatest need of Sumter county and of the whole State of South Carolina, that a system of good roads will do more to promote the prosperity of Hem tor county than any other agency, that gaad roads will make country life more pleasant, will Improve the elttsenshlp of our people, will increase land values and will bring nearer the day when Sumter county will be what nature Intended it t<? be?the garden npot of the st.it??. hm South Carollaa anil be the garden spot of the Union end the banner agricultural State of the entlr.u*try. In the past ten years South Carolina has made gr. er progress along agrl< ultur il al I other lln??s of Industry I f other State except OeorgJ ?. and (borgla'.i lead Is attributed to the f i t that Oeorgia has devoted m.,re attention to road Improwment and had made greater ad tg | Im road building th.m this SUte. He felt quali' WUHs t h. riue.h tion of good roads ?'??.tauae he i> id given it long and palaetaking study and had hail ex. eptli>nal opportunity to obtain SsHslfi Information at first hand by observation and front the men who are building good roads In other States. He had visited many States In the North. South and south? west and had sought and obtained Information. The sum of his obser ratlons and of the Inforamtlon ob? tained win that In the States and counties where roads are best, the land values are highest, prosper'ty Is more general, schools are better and the drift from country to the city of the best and most progressive element of the population has been stayed The results that have followed the building of good roads In other States wl'l be obtained In Sumter county by th > same means. Mr. Belser went on to elaborate his presentation of the value of good roads by practical illustrations of the results to be obtained. Then he de? veloped the argument by showing how It is possible to obtain a complete system of roads in this county at the mlmlmum cost and without materially increasing the burden of taxation. Along this line he covered practically the same ground that he did in his speech before the Good Roads meet? ing held In this city a few weks ago, which speech was published in full in this paper at the time. As one result of the construction of a system of roads Mr. Belser aruged that the consolidation of schools would follow and that it would be possible to have a first class school in each community, so that no patron would be more than three miles dis? tant from his school house, and the majority would be within a mile. In closing he defined his position on the liquor question clearly and unequivocally. He said he was for local option, was opposed to a State? wide prohibition law, and would vote against and bill to force prohibition on a county that was not in favor of It. He believed that the only way by which prohibition could be enforced was by a strong and vigilant local public sentiment. In reply to a ques? tion as to his views of the section of the Carey-Cothran law making it un? lawful to receive or keep liquor for per? sonal use, and Judge Memmlnger's construction of It, he said he did not believe It jood h.w and would vote to repeal that section. J. E. DuPre. Mr. Jas. E. DuPre said that he was the only candidate for the House from Sumter county, that Is, the only candidate living outside the city of Sumter, therefore he felt that he represents and will represent, If elect? ed, the agricultural interests, whom he believes should have a representa? tive on the delegation. He felt quali? fied to represent the people of Sumter county, and was not without legisla? tive experience, having had the honor to represent them In the House on a former occasion. He would stand for an economical administration of the State govern? ment; the State is going from bad to worse all the time, appropriations grow larger each year. He would op? pose the making of appropriations in' excess of the Income of the State, as had been done year after year In the recent past, thereby piling up a grow? ing floating debt. He would stand for rigid economy. He favored equalization of taxation and. on the county board of equaliz? ation had worked and used his in? fluence to bring about the equaliz? ation of tax returns in this county. He favored liberal expropriations for the pensioning of the old soldiers, all desorving verterans should be taken care of in their old age, it Is a debt the State owes that should be paid; but the pensions should be given only to the worthy, the unworthy should be weeded out. It Is a fact well known to many that there are now on the pension roll many who should not be there?some such are to be found in every community. He believed in good roads and would work to secure them, favored giving, the Supervisor all the money possible for this pur? pose?all that can be used to ad? vantage. He was opposed to giving (Memson College so much money, that the college should bo given an ade? quate support, but It Is now receiv? ing more than it should have and the over-plus should be divided among the rural schools. He favored the enact? ment of a land registry law based upon the Torrens system, that won hi relieve real estate of the present cum? bersome and expensive system of transfer and that would make a min's real estate as available for use as col? lateral as the banker's bank stock or the other stock In which the capitalist may have his money invested. He would advocato the enactment of a marriage registration law. A law oi this kind Is needed, it will keep the records straight and will prevent liti? gation. He would advocate a law re? quiring the county and township Un ? to be permanently and plainly mark? ed?at present it is Impossible to toll with any degree of certainty Where the lines are nod much confusion ex? ists, on the liquor question he de? clared for local option as to oountles, let cob county settlo this Issue fo. Itself as Sumter county had done. He was a prohibitionist In practice and In principle! had signed the petition to call the election In Sumter county i ml stood ready to sign another at the expiration of the four years no that the people might have the opportunity to say at the ballot box whether they wished to continue prohibition or re? turn to th* county dispensary system, Hi Would oppose the attempt to force State-wlds prohibition on counties that have voted to continue the dis? pensary, Prohibition has proven ef? fective In his section of the county I and he had been told that It was ef? fective in Camden and in Kerahaw I county; this was because public sentl I ment was back " fV> ?law. He said he would vote to repeal the section of the I law making it unlawful for a man to have liquor for personal use. ! C. E. Stubbs. Chairman Hodge announced that Mr. C. E. Stubbs, candidate for re I election, was sick and unable to be present. T. B. Fr?ser. J Mr. T. B. Fraser thanked the people 1 of Privateer for the fine vote they had given him every time he had been I a candidate, it was a testimonial of confidence that he appreciated per? sonally, but it was more than that for I it made him feel that the people ap? proved of what he had done and had tried to do as their servant and rep? resentative and it nerved him and strengthened him to do better work. He said that he favored education I in all its departments and his vote and his voice had been used to furth? er this cause. He said that he had heard that there had been some criti? cism of the division that had been made of the profits of the county dls 1 pensary between the city, county and I school fund, and would say that the j county delegation had endeavored to I give the schools as nearly as possible I the same amount that they had re I ceived from the dispensary fund under J the old State dispensary, had tried J to leave things as they found them I and had done so, inasmuch as the J schools received within a few dollars J the same amount as they had pre I vlously received. He would not critl I eise those who thought money for the J schools was good no matter what the J source, although personally he held the opinion that whiskey money should not be used to educate our children, any more than the colleges should accept money from Rocke? feller?had opposed the taking of $75,000 of Standard Oil money by Davidson College on the same ground. I As to the liquor issue Mr. Fraser I said he would read what he had to say?he had decided to write out his j views for two reasons, first in order that he might have his position clear I ly on record and second that he might I make if brief. He read the following I statement: "On the liquor question I want to say I am for local option, not because I I am opposed to prohibition but be I cause I am in favor of prohibition. I Being in favor of prohibition I want I that Mnd that in my Judgment will I prohlolt. I dv not believe that State I wide prohibition will prohibit. I be I lievo local option prohibition will. I There is no controversy between the j State-wide prohibitionist and me as I to the evils of liquor. The expend I iture of money for liquor that ought I to be used to pay debts, to increase I the means of earning a livelihood, to j procure home comforts and to buy J bread, is, in my judgment indefen? sible. The effects of liquor in unfit? ting men for productive work while I its hideous effects continue; the cre I a*' >n of an unsatiable appetite for I more, the blasting of the lives of so j many who drink and the lives of so j many more who love those who drink, 1 make Its use the crowning evil of to I day. j We must take the world as we fini J it. but leave It better it we can. It is not the dreams we have dreamed, but the deeds we have done that j count. Local option has made 37 of of 43 counties prohibition (prac? tically prohibition) territory and I j say well done local option. I will try 1 It again. The strides local option prohibition has made are marvelous. The two principal foes of prohlblt I Ion were (1) a general Impression j that there would be Immunity from I punishment for the violators of this law, (2) a fully developed thirst for liquor. Now give it a chance. There is no immun.ty from punishment. That foe is vanquished. The thirst must die I by degrees. Give it time and local option prohibition will demontstrate Its effectiveness. I am not a local optionist because I 'ocal option Is "good Democratic doctrine." Djmocratlc doctrine is not I ??pposod to State-wide or nation-wide] J legislation. Nor do I believe a com? munity has the right to sell liquor If j it pleases to do so. No community has the right to sell that which pro? duces want, disease or death. If I can get immunity from a scourge for my own community only when Isolat? ed and with self-imposed restrictions and can not get protection if Joined with the State and all other commu? nities, have an equal chance to secure the same protection and do not do so, the fault Is theirs not mine. 1 wail* the chan? e to protect my own." I Mr. Fraser favored good roads and wished to see the movement go for? ward as rapidly as Is consistent with good business. Sumter county needs good roads. He did not think Mr Heiser had o\er-estimated it when he said that the value of lands WOtlld bo enhanced from lt? to 50 per cont. by the construction of a complete system of roads In this county, He believed thai the farm lands of Sum? ter county are worth $300 an acre, If the lands in Kentucky are worth that, for our lands produce crops that sell for more than the produce of the blue grass lands that sell for $300. j Good roads would make our land? more desirable and the country a more attractive place of residence In roference to the proposed bond Issue for roads, he said the only question was whether the end sought won 11 be obtained. Be sure that a system of good roads can be secured for $200,000 then go ahead. When it vas proposed to isue bonds for roads the legislative delegation asked the Su? pervisor how much he could use to advantage, and he said not more chan $10,000 a year. For that reason the bill providing for that amount was introduced and enacted. He was not opposed to the issue of bonds propos ed by Mr. Belser, on the contrary thought the plan suggested an excel? lent one, if it could be carried out, and that Mr. Belser deserved credit for the thought and research he had devoted to the matter. All he desir? ed to say was that the people should be sure they wanted the bond ls?ue and to be sure that they could get the roads desired for this amount. If the people want the bonds they can get them, and the matter will be re? ferred to them for their decision. In reference to the unlawfulness o* having liquor for personal use, and Judge Memminger's construction of the section of the law relating to this matter, Mr. Fr?ser said that In his opinion the law did not mean what Judge Memminger said it does, that he agreed with Attorney General Lyon'S^onstructlon of the law; that a man had the right to have liquor for personal use, and that that only the keeping for unlawful purposes is forbidden. In conclusion Mr. Fraser gave an account of his work in the legisla? ture, detailing how he spent his days in work in the House and In com mlttee. During his ten years service he had been absent from his seat oniy five days, and then on account of sick? ness. Hon. Geo. W. Dick. Dr. Geo. W. Dick began his in\U with a joke and interspersed his re? marks with other jokes that kept <ne crowd laughing, until one of the i u dience turned the joke on him in an unexpected manner and gave him the dry grins for once in his life. Ask him about it, as he prefers to tell *h0 joke on himself. Dr. Dick declared himself in favor of an economical administration of State affairs and his record showed that he had worked to keep the t*xes p.a low as possible, consistent with an efficient government. He was in fa? vor of higher education, the proper support of the State institutions and the Improvement of the public school system so that every child shall have an opportunity to obtain an education. He said he favored good roads, the only trouble was to find out how to get them. He spoke of Mr. Belser's plan as a most carefully thought out system and one that should have care? ful consideration by the people. As to the bond issue he would favor re? ferring it to the people to decide. He endorsed all that had been done to provide for the support of the old soldiers, both by pensions and by the erection of the Home in Columbia. He would favor as liberal pensions as it is possible for the State to afford. Ke referred to his work for the establish? ment of the Reformatory for boys, and said that he felt great pride in the fact that he was one of those who fought for this Institution and helped to make It an actuality. He touched briefly on his work as a member of the committee that investigated the State Hospital for the insane and the fight over this matter that followed in the legislature. He spoke of the effort of certain cunning politicians to defeat the plans of the committee for the purpose of gratifying selfish ambitions, and of the final victory achieved by the appointment of a commission, through which order will finally be brought out of chaos. On the liquor issue he declared in favor of local option, believes in let? ting each county decide for or against prohibition, for the reason that the enforcement of the law de? pended wholly upon local condit'ons and local sentiment. s opposed to tho attmept to force a State-wide law on the counties that voted to retain county dispensaries. He was opposed to the section of the Carey-Cothran law that makes It unlawful to have liquor for personal use. Would vote to repeal this sec? tion of the law If opportunity offers. Mr. A. K, Sanders. Mr. A. K. Sanders, candidate for the Senate was the next speaker. He re? ferred to bis campaign four years ago, when be opposed Mr. Clifton, saying that it was a pleasant cam? paign, that he and his opponent en? tered It as friends and bad continued fi lends. He hoped this campaign would result the same way. lie favored good roads and would do anything In bis power to promote the cause. He was, however, some? what skeptical as to the proposed bond Issue and would advise the peo? ple to go slow. He favored liberal pensions for the obi soldiers, but was satisfied there is something radically wrong in the award of pensions, for there are those on the roll who should not be. He favored the weeding out of the unworthy so that those who are needy and deserve relief should receive more than a bare pittance. As to education he said he favored the proper support of the colleges and the improvement of the schools. He was convinced that the State's educational system is becoming top heavy, that some of the colleges are getting more money than they ought to have or are using to best adtantage. Some of this money ought to go to the support of the public schools. On the whiskey question he was a local optionist and stood for leaving this question to the counties to settle. Four years ago he had advocated county dispensaries and had then predicted that if a county dispensary was established it would return a larger profit than had been obtained from the State dispensary, j Results had vindicated his predictions. In concluding Mr. Sanders called atte .tlon to the fact that the rural districts had no representation on the legislative delegation, also that where there had had been opposition from the city of Sumter no candidate from the county for a county office had been elected in recent years. On this aoeount he thought it time for the county to be recognized and that a member of the legislative delegation should be elected from the country. He felt competent to properly rep? resent the county in the Senate, oth? erwise would not be a candidate. He had served Sumter county as a repre? sentative in the House and \\ia record was an open book. His experience thus gained would enable him to give good service in the Senate. On the personal use and keeping of liquor he said he was In favor of the repeal of the section of the law, if it means what Judge Memminger says it does. Senator J. H. Clifton. Senator Clifton said in his opening remarks that he was appreciative of the vote he received four years ago and sensible of the honor the citi? zens of Sumter county had conferred upon him when they elected him to represent them in the Senate. He had endeavored 'to be worthy of the honor and deserving of the confidence of the people by giving them the very best service of which he was capable. His record in the Senate was public property, a matter of record, open to inspection and he not only did not shrink from criticism, but Invited it and challenged anyone who Is so mind? ed to attack It at any point they thought It vulnerble. He said he favored good roads and would lend his efforts, his time, and I whatever ability he had, as well as much of his means as he could spare to the furtherance of the campaign. He reviewed his work in behalf of the Remberts High School?introduc ing the bill authorizing the bond is { sue, and then placed the bonds at the lowest possible rate of interest. He declared himself the friend and ! advocate of education and had worked [ for the schools and colleges. He Is , also a believer in, adequate pensions I for the old soldiers, and would al? ways be found' championing their cause. On the liquor question he said that the time of the legislature had been wasted for the past eighteen years in wrangling over the liquor problem and he thought it time for this to cease. He reviewed his record in the Senate on the liquor issue, showing that he was and is now a local op? tionist and had been one of the first to suggest that the question be refer rde to the wet counties to determine at the ballot box whether they want? ed prohibition or the dispensary- He believed in letting the people of each county decide the question. He was opposed to State-wide prohibition so long as the public sentiment of a number of the counties is against it, and so long as the Federal law per? mits the shipping of liquor into pro? hibition territory. While the liquor interests have the protection of the Federal constitution there is no hope of the enforcement of a prohibition law, and for this reason is opposed to a State-wide law for South Caro? lina. Under present conditions there is no hope of the enforcement of pro? hibition in (iharleston, Georgetown, or Alken, whete the people are opposed to such a law. In reference to Judge Memminger's construction of the Carey-Cothran (aw he said that Judge Memminger was right, insofar as the letter of the law was concerned, that the law said exactly what Judge Memminger de? clared It to mean. lie then went In? to a discussion of the Inter-state commerce law. showing that the sec? tion making it unlawful for an indi? vidual to receive or keep liquor for personal use will not stand the test of the courts. Time was called on Mr. Clifton be? fore he had concluded, but he de? clined to trespass upon the time of others. Superintendent of Education. Dr. J. Herbert Haynsworth, candi? date for County Superintendent of Education, made a very attractive talk, outlining his views on educa? tion nnd the needs of Sumter county In particular. He told of his quali? fications and pledged himself to give the ofllce a business-like and efficient administration. Mr. J. Kdwin Rembert, who also asks to be Superintendent of Eudea tion, reviewed his service in this i ofllce before Lee county was cut off, at which time the duties were mere arduous. He outlined his policy, say? ing among other things that he would strive to establish a first class high school in every school district, so that a first class education would be brought within the reach of all chil? dren of school age. Magistrate. Mr. S. D. Cain, candidate for mag? istrate in the Fourth District was the next speaker, and he was followed by Mr. J. F. Ingram, his opponent for that office. \ Congressman A. F. LeverX When Mr. Lever was introduced he was received with applause, the first and only speaker to be thus complf-^ mented. He made a capital speech in the limited time given him, ft hav? ing been agreed between himself and Dr. Ray, his opponent, to speak only twenty-five minutes each. When Mr. j Lever's time was up the crowd de? manded that he continue, so he spoke about ten minutes longer. He gave a running review of his work for the district, telling what he had accom? plished In a practical way for his con stltutents and what he hoped to achieve in the future. He then took up the charge that he had violated his pledge as a demo? crat and had proved a traitor to his party by voting for the tariff on lumber. He read the party platform on this question and then stated his position, which was in brief, that a tariff for revenue is a democratic doc? trine, that a tariff is necessary to the support of the government, that the tariff on lumber was a tariff for revenue, that it did not levy one cent tax on any person in this district, that it was a tariff on Canadian lumber and that the people of the extreme Northern and Eastern States paid it, and that it benefitted the lumbermen of the South In that it kept open a market for the lower grades of lum? ber for which there is no market In the South. He said further that but for this tariff on lumber which yields about $3,000,000 a year, the t&riV would have been higher on other articles which would have been a tax on the South. He had endeav? ored to get bagging and ties put on the free list, but failed, although the Republicans had secured free bind? ing twine for the benefit of the western grain farmers. He also worked to get commerical fertilizers on the free list, but as this is a tax (largely paid by the South he failed. Dr. W. W. Ray. Dr. W. W. Ray, of Rlchland, who Is opposing Mr. Lever, consumed prac? tically his entire time in an attack on M- Lever's vote on the lumber tar ilt. He made a strictly party argu? ment, claiming that all Democratic congressmen were bound to vote for free lumber by the party platform. He read a letter from Mr. H. J. McLaurtn. Jr., to lumbermen urging them to support Lever and Ellerbe as a re I turn for their services to lumbermen. I This he construed to mean that the tariff on lumber had benefitted the j saw-miil men at the expense of the balance of the people. He also assert - ted that a committee of lumbermen from Sumter, Darlington and Claren? don had gone to Columbia and beg? ged The State to let up on Lever and Ellerbe about their vote for a tariff on lumber. Dr. Ray received a respectful hear? ing but he made little or no Im? pression on the crowd, for it was a Lever crowd all the way through. HELPS COMMON SCHOOLS. Winthrop Gives Member of Faculty to That Important Work. Columbia, Aug. 9.?At a meeting of the executive committee of the board of trustees of Winthrop college yes? terday in the governor's office action was taken of considerable interest to the rural schools of South Carolina. I The committee elected Miss Leila A. Russell of the Winthrop training school to the position of county su? pervisor of rural scchools. The sura of $1,000 of the money needed for tl.'a <rork was given to the college by the Southern Education board. This sum was supplemented by the executive committee with $200. I It is the purpose to select some county for this important experiment in the supervision of rural schools. Miss Russell will go to the rural schools In the county to be selected <nd actually help the teacher in her school room work, showing her how to manage and teach the children In each grade. Miss Russell will retain a connec? tion with Winthrop college and will give some Instructions In rural school methods to the Winthrop seniors so as to turn their attention to rural school work and better prepare them for it. In this way the benefits of normal training secured at Winthrop will be assured for the country schools as never before. Winthrop's efficiency as a teacher training in? stitution will thus be strengthened and the country schools will be g~eat ly hoped. A straight oar seems crooked in the water; it does not only import that we see the thing, but how and after what manner we see it.?Montaigne.