Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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mm i] men meeting; FACTIONAL FKK LI NO COM KS UP WHEN RICHARDS TELLS WHY HE OPPOSES SMITH. HhvttU for Smith and lllca*c and Rich aids When Candidate Announces Hb. Kapport of Blease?Manning RwrUm Hearty Applause when He Aaxmsxeces Ills Law and Order FUnh Other Candldalee Well Re caired aad Given Attention. Alken, July 14.?Disorder and a display of factional feeling that out? distanced previous meetings resulted here today when John G. Richards, eandldate for governor, read a state? ment of his position In opposing E. D. Smith for the United States sen ace. Smith supportera apparently at? tempted to drown out the speaker, while Blease supporters and those wanting an Impartial hearing were equally emphatic and demonstrative la their desire to have the speaker fmteh The audience previous to this outburst had been but Intermittently enthusiastic and had given each can? didate a courteous reception and close attention. By the Injection of a dlscussdlon of the merits of Blease aad Smith for United States senate the calm was ruffled. Through the severe arraignments of policies of the present adminis? tration supporters of the governor remained comparatively Impaseive at the start and far into the epeaklng of the candidates for governor the crowd showed a marked tendency to accept the statements from the speak? ers without question. Their applause aad cheers were distributed accord? ingly. Possibly the best Illustration of the disorder that prevailed dur? ing Mr. Richarde' speech was the fact that he was on the stand for 26 min? utes, speaking In the face of a crowd that yelled madly for Blease, Smith and Richards. Mr. Richards picked up a glees as though preparing to throw It at one of the hecklers who became very personal. The meeting of the candidates for State offices was held In Geddings nark, one of 43 parks In thb town of Alken. ' The meeting was called to order at 10.30 ofclock by L. T. Wilds, county chairman, who turned over the chair to O U Tools. . M. C Willis, candidate for adju? tant general, was ths first to speak. There were about 60 persons In the audience. W. W. Moore, candidate fpr reelection as adjutant generel, an? swered the charges of his oppo? nent. Candidates for railroad commis? sioner spoke next ss follows: W. L. Witherspoon, George W. Falrey. C. D. Fortner, Frank W. 8healy. J. H. Wharton. Jamea Cansler has not re? joined the party. When these candi? dates had finished speaking the crowd had Increased to about 700 persons, many of them women. There was applause when C. D. Partner said: "On August 26 Blease will make E. D. Smith look like 30 cents." J. A. Hunter, candidate for lieuten? ant governor, was applnudei when he told of hla part In the In estlga fton of the State Hospital for the Insane. He was followed by B. Frank Keller. Andrew Jackson Bethen and William M. Hamer. A. O. Brlce, candidate fo rattorney neneral. said that he voted against '?tie usury bill because In his part of the State the banks charged no more than S per cent Interest. Themaa H. Peeples. candidate for reelection. characterised himself as Che "servant of the people." He charged that his opponent had voted ? gainst a bill for the giving of free school books. He spoke of his rec erd as attorney general for the past 16 montha .asking reelection on the basis of what he has done in that time. A. W. Jones, candidate for reelec? tion as comptroller general, delivered his customary speech, defending his administration sgalrst the previous attacks of his opponent. Mr. Jones averred that It was not hls\ duty, but the duty of tue attorney general to attend to the loss of moneys in the Lexington County Savings hank. f?harlee A. Smith, lieutenant gover? nor and candidate for governor, stated that the question of law and order wtnt hand in hand, with the liquor question. He declared himself in favor of local op' >n prohibition. "Why do the anti-saloon leagues of our State remain silent on this ques? tion?" he asked. "We are not prepared to double our educational facilities," said Mr. Smith. In defending his position on the compulsory school attendance question. ' Mr. Smith was given four bou? quets. Mendel L. Smith spoke of the re? sponsibility attached to the office of governor. "I smphaalts two planks." snld Speaker Smith, "the education of the masses and the enforcement of law end order." He spoke in favor of good roads, advocating the use of con $ Met labor on the roads. He called attention to the large percentage of white illiteracy in South Carolina. He defended his position in favor of local option compulsory education. He said that a State-wide compulsory school attendance law would work a hardship on 500 school districts in this State. "We must respond to the principles of the medical profession, in the mat? ter of our health and happiness," con? tinued Speaker Smith, who told of the work of the State board of health. Speaker Smith's statement that he would honor the verdict of 12 Jury? men was greeted with applause. Low ml es J. Browning, in speaking of the liquor question as expressed by other candidates for governor stated that he was in favor of local option. He asked that Mr. Cltnkscales de? fine his position on this mooted ques? tion. Mr. Browning again urged that the State loan money to persons desiring to become home owners, thereby help? ing to solve the many rural problems. He made an attack on the present personal property tax, and advocated In lieu of It a graduated income tax. John O. CUnkscales, in answering Mr. Browning's question, said that he had answered the question at Edge field. He gave out the following state? ment concernlngg his position: "In view of the fact that the whis? key question has been brought up in this campaign, I wish to state my position on this question. "I believe that South Carolina has suffered from the lack of constructive legislation on account of undue agita? tion of the liquor question and I, therefore, favor the enforcement of the present law. "I will add, however, that I am a total abstainer and am personally against whiskey, but am not advocat? ing State-wide prohibition In this campaign as some would have the people believe." Mr. CUnkscales went on to say that he believed the lawlessness of today was due primarily to the abuse of the pardoning power. He then went into his "hobby,' as he himself says, of compulsory school attendance. He stated that It would not bankrupt the State to put such a law In force. "I am pleading for the 40,000 boys and girls of this State," he said. Mr. CUnkscales was given a bou? quet. Robert A. Cooper spoke of the of? fice of governor as the most Impor? tant office In this State. He advocat? ed the enforcement of law, naming the glaring exceptiona of disobedi? ence of the law In Charleston, with Its racetrack gambling and Colum? bia with Its "blind tigers." Mr. Cooper stated that he was in favor of equalization of the school facilities of the counties. He paid a tribute to the work of Clemson college In all that It is doing for the farmers, and urged that the demon? stration agents acquaint the people with the danger of the boll weevil, which, according to experts, will reach South Carolina In five years. He asked that support be given the State board of health. The speaker then developed his idea for a rural credits law. John T. Duncan advocated the ap? pointment of a public service com? mission. He then talked about what be calls hla "system." "John Richards." he said, "by the denial of his coattall swinging has advertised himself from llellaballo to Boston." W. C. Irby, Jr., recounted his fight In the legislature to sustain the veto of the governor on the sale of the asylum property In Columbia. He told of his work In tho State con? vention In denouncing the rules adopted there. He charged that John O. Richards and Mendel L. Smith had missed this convention, fearing to give a vote on the rules. He related the time when the mills in Alken closed down, almost starv? ing the people. "I propose to make every man who works in a mill join a union by law," he said. Mr. Irby scathingly denounced the control of cotton mills by Northern capital. Richard I. Manning said that the people of the State were tired of fac? tionalism. "THe paramount issue ahovo all others In South Carolina Is enforce? ment of law. What differeneo does It make what laws you enact If they are not regarded," ho said. "South Corollna docs not hold the | place she once held among her sister States. It is said of us beyond our' State lines and In our own legislative halls that we ore a lawless people? that cirmo Is condoned?that crimi? num frequently go unpunished; that the verdicts of our Juries arc lightly set aside; that the laws are disre? garded. This, my fellow oil Sal BS. is a serious condition. 1m It true? Are our laws disobeyed? We have a law against race track gambling, Does this keep this lawless and demoralhr.-j tng set out of i?sjf State? Are 'rlm-j Inals unpunished? Are the verdicts' of our Juries lightly set aside? Yoa know the condition. Men are breth? ren, are these things so? 1 answer yes. Is this condition to continue in South Carolina? Is it not so that life is not protected if you happen to be against the governor? Is it not the feeling abroad among tho reckless* among law breakers that if murder is committed a petition for pardon can he secured and that if it is sign? ed by the right ones, a pardon will bo granted. My fellow citizens, no Stato can go forward where such a condition exists. It is time to change it. I promise you that if elected gov? ernor I will change it, that law will bo enforced and this will be State? wide, not local or optional but every? where in South Carolina." His statement concerning his at? titude toward the use of the pardon? ing power was applauded. Mr. Manning was liberally ap? plauded In outlining the rest of his platform. Mr. J. B. Adger Mullaly was absent because of sickness. John O. Richards referred to his various connections during 12 years with tho State administration. He related his light to separate, the whites and blacks in travel. "I am tho one candidate who has called attention to the fact that the new rules will disfranchise 16,000 to 20,000 eligible voters," said Mr. j Richards in answering the charges of |W. C. Irby, Jr., that he had failed to attend the State convention. Mr. Richards stated that he was opposed to compulsory education in any form because such a law would militate against the whito child In favor of the black child. "I am opposed to spending any money for the education of negroes until every white person is educated," he said. "How are you going to do it?" ask? ed an auditor. , "If you had as much sense as any man you can figure it out," he re piled. Mr. Richards was loudly applauded and the statement brought out fac? tional demonstration when he said lhat he was going vote for Blease n the race for United States MMt*& Cheers for "Blease" and "Smith" last? ed for several minutes. "Better look out for yourself," tihoutcd an auditor as Mr. Richards read a statement concerning the position of E. D. Smith and his rela? tion to the farmer, which Mr. Rich? ards denounced. The crowd got up from their scats cn the ground, many of them climb? ing up on the stand, and one of the listeners from Blackvllle, it is said, becoming angered and violent in speaking to Mr. Richards, was ar? rested. Mr. Richards picked up a tumbler, looking threateningly at the crowd ami cheers for "Hurrah for Smith" end "Hurrah for Blease" were frequent during the reading of his statement, which is as follows: "When Senator B. R. Tlllman or? ganlzcd the farmers in 1890 and hurled this mighty force of reformers against those who had control of our State government and through ring rule methods had dominated our pol? itics for years, where was Senator E. D. Smith then? "Did Senator Smith align himself with the farmers and those who were working to place the ballot and the control of this government in the hands of the people of South Carolina or was he in league with those who, under the leadership of Col. llaskell, had banded themselves together in an independent movement to defeat the will of the people of the State? j "Since Senator Smith has been in j the senate of the United States has he been fair to the farmers and old line reformers in his recommendations for appointment to positions in this State, or has he been true to his pre-; delictions of 1890 and recommended only those who in that great revolu? tion were hand and glove with the classes against the masses? "Some years ago the merchants and cotton buyers required our cotton to be wrapped entirely up with not less than nine yards of bagging. Thirty pounds is deducted as tare before the price of our cotton is fixed. The price of cotton being much greater per pound than that of bagging, the farm? er was in a measure recompensed for his loss in tare. About three years ago an edict, which may be called the edict of Charlotte, was issued forbidding the putting of more than six yards of bag? ging to the bale, which resulted in an annual loss to the cotton growers of not less than $300,000. "Since Senator Smith with two spurs on jumped astride of a bale of cotton and rode into the United States senate, the politicians have so completely cov crc<i our cotton bales^that it is said no other covering is necessary and that we may expect another edict forbid? ding the farmers from furnishing anything but the ties. "Did Senator E D. Smith increase the price of cotton, if so, how? "If Senator Smith increased the price of cotton, who increased the cost of living? I am having peas sowed today and tlvey are worth $2.50 per bushel. Who raised the price of peas ? "Where was Senator Smith during the recent State convention? 1 no ttced that he delivered some addresses in South Carolina about that time which shows that he could absent himself from Washington, if he de? sired to do so. The Leo county con? vention elected him a delegate to the State convention. Why did he fail to attend? "The recent State convention was composed of many who were in the Haskell movement and many others who were in sympathy with that movement. An effort was made by members of that convention ,if not on the iloor of the convention, then ccr-| tainly by newspaper articles and otherwise, to inlluence the convention to adopt our general elction require? ments for our primary. This was not done, but the convention adopted rui-?s and regulations that are unjust, that are unreasonable and burden? some and that have disfranchised many thousand white men. "If Senator Smith is such a friend to the farmers of South Carolina why did he not attend the convention and use his influence to prevent this in? justice to them. Why humiliate an ex Confederate soldier who may be un? able to write by making his mark? Why humiliate any w'hitc man who is so unfortunate as not to be able to write his name by requiring as a pre? requisite that he make his mark. These club rolls are permanent rec? ords and can be used in future years as reference or as a source of annoy? ance, and that will prevent many who can not write from offering to enroll. "Where does Senator Smith's boast? ed love for the farmer come in when he did not raise and does not now raise his voice against the great injus? tice done the farmer by the conven? tion? "Why was the farmer denied the privilege of having his name enrolled upon the club rolle upon written re? quest, but was required to present himself in person, causing great sac? rifice of time and much inconvenience he in most instances living consider? able C. tance from the place of en? rolling while the citizens of Char? leston a N given the privilege of hav? ing thoi tames enrolled upon written request? "Why i old a voter in Charleston be given . 9 right to vote after one year's residence In the State, while all others are required to reside in the State and pay taxes two years beforo being allowed to vote? This Is taxation without representation, and why? Where was Senaten* Smith when all this happened, and what word of condemnation has he uttered since it happened? When Senator Smith's newspaper champions and others, who are abusing me for exer? cising my right to vote as 1 choose, answer these questions, I may ask a few more." Cries of "Hurrah for Richards," greeted the speaker as he closed, and a general uproar followed. Charles Carroll Simms, speaking last, said: "We can not he<p South Carolina by becoming excited." Mr. Simms was given close attention, and the crowd quieted down. Ho pleadod for the laboring peo? ple. He s. id that he had been a friend of B ease many years ago, and continuously since. He referred to the attitude of his opponents as be? ing "sanctified." SENATORS DESERT PRESIDENT. White House and Senate still at Odds on Federal Bank Nominations. Washington, July 15.?The White House today is making a hard light to keep the Democratic ranks in the senate intact on the question of con? firming the nomination of Thomas Jones, as head of the federal reserve board. Although admitting that there are serious disaffections in the Dem? ocratic ranks, White House officials still express confidence that they will win. Democratic leaders who have deserted the president on the ques* tion are Hitchcock, Reed, O'Gorman, Martine, Lai e and Vardaman. It is reported that Walsh, Myers, Clark, (Ark) Ashurst, Smith (New Mex.) will vote aaginst confirmation. HEAVY RAINS IN LOUISIANA. Damage Crops to Great Extent? Niuc Inches in Three Hours. New Orleans, July 15.?Unprecen dented rainfalls in Louisiana are caus jing great damage. Thirty-one coal barges sank at Lobdell fron? the sud? den rise in the ri\ er, causing a lo"ss of a hundred and fifty thousand dol? lars. At Port Allen nine and one I third inches of tain fell in three i hours. Good Crops at Rcmbcrt. Rembert, June 13.?Isaiah Young, a good colored farmer, a splendid man to have ahout a farm, came near sustaining fata; injuries by the falling of the smoke stack of an engine. If you mention those who have good crops you will name everyone so we stop. The prospects were never bet j tar. "Hagood." BA66II AO TIES 1314 (I The tillers of the soil are to be congratulated upon the magni? ficent prospects for all crops, which we sincerely hope will con? tinue, so that our agricultural friends may reap a rich reward as the result of their year s labor. Our business is largely dependent upon the farming class, when they prosper, we pros? per, and we feel very grateful to them for the loyal manner in which they have stood by us for many years past. You will soon be looking around for the wherewith to cover your cotton, as the indi? cations point to a reasonably early crop and as usual, we are well prepared to take care of your wants in this respect. We hare all grades of bagging up to 3 lbs. per yard. Our Globe brand is a rewoven fa? bric, but free from holes or any imperfections whatever. It will make an ideal bagging for persons running public gins, as it will serve the purpose equally as well as the new goods and costs very much less. Our Dundee brand is doubtless familiar to you, as we have been selling it for many years. In Sugar Sack bag? ging we handle nothing but standard goods, which wc have in 3 and 3 lbs. Our experience has taught us that second hand ties are unprofitable as well as undesirable, so wc are offering nothing but standard new goods. We carry a stock of both bagging and tics in our warehouse in Charleston, from which wc can ship you direct, thereby saving the local freight from Sumter to those for whom hauling would be inconvenient. We are pre? pared to make shipments August 1&, payable October M without interest and you can de? pend on our prices being right. If you have any doubt as to that, it will be a pleasure to quote you. Soliciting your incpuiries for this or any thing else in our line. O'Donnell ? Co.,