The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, July 25, 1914, Image 3

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CANDIDATES ANNOUNCE VIEWS MORE THAN FIVE IIVNRHEH CITIZENS HEAR CITY CANDI? DATES sl'I.AK. Meeting Whs Largely Attended und INsiph? tiavo Speakers Attentive Hearing?C. <i. Howland. K?nning at Itoqoost (?r Erlernt*. Tells What He Has Done During l*ast Two Years, Es|ns dally in No lug In Wa? ter Department? Say* II?? Doos not Want Oflt??o If IVopIo Do Not En? dorse) Ills Views?4teo. D. Dovy for 1 nlforio Enforcement of All l4ff|fl and (?Ding t'lt.v Man?got* IMan of ?Uovernment a Hotter Slum?-Dot11 liberally Applauded. Messrs Qeo. D. J?evy and C. Q. Rowland, the two candidates lor councilman of the city of Sumter, last night made, an announcement of their platforms to mure than live huiulred voters of the city of Sumter. who gave both candidates a very ntten tailve hearing, liberally applauding the speakers at Intervals. Tho au? dience seemed about equaliy divided, If one might Judge by the applause received by the candidates, which showed that each of tnem had many ardent advocates. The meeting, which Is the largest which has been gathered in the city to hear city candidates within u num? ber of years, was called to order '*v Chairman J. \V M< Khver of tue Democratic organisation of the city of Sumter. Mr. Levy spoke tlrst and de? livered an earnest and Interesting epeech. telling plainly what he advo? cated and what he did not advocate. Hie chief plank seemed to be the uni? form enforcement of all laws and city ordinances nnd the giving of the City Manager plan of municipal gov? ernment a better test thi.n, ho said It had had in the post. Mr. Howland rend his platform statement, reviewing his work on council and telling what he advo' Mod. He was nn economist and was willing and anxious to do everything for the city that could be done as long us the city had the money and If It did not too greatly Increase tho nlreadv larae Indebtedness of the city. He showed where l?\ his work on tho wa? ter works dep.^rtricnt the city had been well supplied with niuipmcnt which would furnish the nty water for a Ions tun ? to corre and tho op? erating expenses were roil need from fourteen to seven dollars a day. Mr. levy's platform, briefly outlined, was as follows: Mr. Eevy Introduced himself as a ettisen 32 years of age seeking of? fice for the first time. lie has lived In tho cits practically all of his life and the peopio know him for what he Is by his acta lt. the past, lie has slwe.ys taken u deep Interest In the affairs of the city, anil was seeking election this time as a free agent, not as the candidate of any ( lass of men or corporations, but unhamp? ered, and willing to represent the Whole people of the city. He then took up tho workings of the "City Manager Clan' of municipol government, outlining wherein It was different from tho old Des Monies plan and how It was intended to op? erate, as he saw It. He did not think that It had been given a fair test, for It wa? r ?t being operated as it was intended to or as tho people thought It would be when they voted it in. It had advertised Sumter throughout the wh-de country and should be made a success. He pointed ont .".herein Its local application should make u suc? cess under the -?dml.dstration of the present cltv manager, whom he deem? ed nn able and competent man In city aft vim He went Into the matter of the water works department, quot? ing from the report of the < ity man? ager, to show that the SjSjNSjpfi in oper? ation now were pressed to cap o if to furnl*h suttlcicnt water supply for the city, and two purnp^ of twice tin ir capacity were needed. It was Slated in his report, quoted by Mr. I.? vy. that It, would Si w? ll t-. have a slue track from the railroad to the water works plant to suppl\ < <-al, in Cast the steam pumps *en* m-i? h n? eded. Mr. levy did not consider this invest? ment good economy, us by gettlm larger electric pum ps when the e|tj Was Installing them the steam pump so ild not have been needed at all in furnishing the cltv its dally Water sup? ply Mr Ia \ v a.le/oi .fed a pi. v groun 1 for children, saving tb.it he \ as look? ing t> the future needs of t>e city. Ho ?d\...:itc.| tie* conversion 01 the "city farm." sj tin water works plan I Into ? park and children's vP-' around. This ho said would be I pc?|?IK nee.lid. -? tin ?ttv grew, and os Mffesi i-ars were put m operation snd It would bnrvr about betted h. tit I * among the < hlldn n. He advo. st? i| p ,appro? priation aiol l tofnpk |? equipment for the are deportment, lie stat-*<i thtt he bad aHwayi had ihe heent I mf r?st in tin- department < -r since there was such Hvatty aetwea Ihe two companies years au??, ip helle - ed I hat t In- ? Ity sliOUhl i lh< ib p il lfio nl u il b '.'t.i? run., I.. , to at leu-it sum to. toor name nl i i< ffMf, II?' condemned the necessityI which made the boys visu tiu< busl? !k h men during ihc past spring und secure donations from thtM liberal rttiseua, wnen the city should have furnished the money. He boJlSVCd that Smntcr had as efficient a i'hirf of police as could hoi found anywhere and tIn* department wum one that the etty might well he proud of. Tot four roan tho men had been working faithfully without any raise in salary and ho had been unsuccessful in securing any when ho had appeared before council with thli object in view. lie thought that those wh?> daily had their lives in danger' for the good of tho city and their fei? low citizens should he justly com. pcusatcd for their services, laying that he was opposed to the theory that no ; working man was worth more than a dollar a day. He referred to his being on the health department, saying that fo*f J this reason he did not like to refer to j this department. Ho stated that mueh good work had heen accom? plished hy the present hoard and the experts who had been here recently stated that thero was such good health that an extended report was not neo cssarv. The city was now enjoying good health and he would advocate, if elected to council, sufficient appro? priations to continue tho elllcicnt work of the health department. He would advocate and push all meas? ures- which would give the city hetter health, especially measures for screen? ing which would prevent the spread of disease. He stated that he was in favor of giving free water to churches and In every way working lor their upbuild? ing and benefit. He stated that he thought that it was time that the working man had a show In the good things of the elty. In this connection he would ad? vocate the extension of water mains throughout new streets whore poor people lived, so that they could get city water and savo by the reduction of insurance rates on their dwellings. In reference to the question of an open town, Mr. Levy stated that it had been said by some that he fa? vored an open town. This was un? true. He was unalterably opposed to an open town. He was in favor of the enforcement of all laws. But ho advocated a strict and uniform en? forcement of the laws and ordinances of tho city. He did not believe in en? forcing th?y hiws agaiast one person J or corporation, and not enforcing ? them agatnot some other person or corporation. These laws must he en forced or they should be repealed. ' Ho sta'ed us an instance that during the fertilizer season the Atlantic Coast Line railroad company continually shifted freight cars in violation of the 'law and the violators wer?- not arrest - ' od. He did not believe this was right, the merchants wore made to close j j their stores on Sunday, why not make ; the railroad company stop work on ?Sunday. He stressed the necessity of o<1ual enforcement of the laws, or their repeal. In reference to th? "red light" dis? trict, he stated that several people had stated that he was in favor of its I returning to the city Un its. This was untrue and had probably had Its origin in the fact that he had, as attorney for those set of people, dls 1 cussed the mutter with council. lie was in favor ot an enforcement of the ordinance against allowing the d sor derty houses in the city limits and he did not want any one to misunderstand his attitude. He referred to what he termed a .continual conflict between the railroad gad the people. He was |n favor of allowing the railroad to secure what it wanted by the regular procedure of law and was opposed to the city do? nating streets for the use of the rail? road. He referred to changes which wer?' recently promised at th?- passen? get station, saying that these should nave been furnished for the city as a matter of right long ego, ami should not i?e given now as a, concession foi the granting of H?user street to the railroad company, Mr. Levy ?tut? il that th<" license on "<>id Bong" sales of tho railroad bad been repealed in Bumter and thai Sunder was being made a dumping ground for all of the old refuse freight from all OVOf the UtatC which was being sohl here in competition to Ihe legitimate business of tin- mor chants of the rlty, He favored having th?? uetast for these gales, as it was for itinerant merchants doing busi? ness hero. in iloalng Mr. Levy expressed his coniMh'uee ,,f ,.| lotion for the follou - lag reasons; 1st. Tim people want u ? hau-:?-. 2ml. Assurances received from bankers, working men and bush ess men. Irtl. MBecause i am free t?? serve ail ??f tho people OQually, and i will, If elected, go help me God." Mr. Itowland spoke as follows: Gentlemen: It's custom of long standing, that candidates for city hon? ors should appear before s meeting of this Kind just before th?> elt) elec? tion and I'll those present where they ltd and wh) the) are stitndlng there, My story shall be short, | though l hope convincing. If loft to my likes and dislikes, I would inn bo bofore you tonight, asking your support, put many u tho good people oi" tins city, have very earnestly so-j lliited my standing for re-election t" the olflco of councilman, ami it 1m on this account that l am here, Having tilled this office for the past tW<J yeara ami am now offering again it is l?ul natural and right that you should want an account of mj Stewardship, ami the ground on Which I feel warranted In coming before you for rc-olectlon, Now gentlemen, do not lose Bight of the fact, that the income of our city is comparatively small, and the outgo, large, wish a constant demand that we have things done-, is Increasing all tho while, also re? member that the public debt, like the poor, we have with us all the while, and while thutrcs do not He, still It has been said, an 1 rightly so, they are very controvert ill*, and often alarm us. My work on the council has been largely, not en the water wagon, gentlemen, hut looking after the wa? ter system of the city, since under? taking this i have had many ami va? ried klcka, strange to say. don't you think ? And they were all of course very pleasant, l havo no doubt the kickers are all my friends and will vote for me. I am not very practi? cable as a water man, hut my aim and desire has bot n to, got a maximum amount Of water at a minimum cost. Pome of my good friends, the kickers, have said they would not pay their bills, ami others that It was outrageous 'that the churches should be required ? to pay anything at all. As water com? missioner my position is now, and has I been all along, that the water com? pany should get (redit for every gal? lon of water it delivers, and if a case j of charity should develop, it must be treated by the council on its merits. I No business can hope to succeed, , by careless and indifferent methods. If you do not want me 1?? attend to your business do not elect me as al Iderman, All of these objectors re? ferred to thus far, are, of course, ! friends of mine and will vote for me. j Three years ago, at this time of the j year, the water system of Sumter I was badly run down, not only shy in water, but extremely dellcient in equipment, and the commissioners, one of whom I was, were easting about for an additional supply of wa? ter and better equipment, at a possible cost of more tluvn one hundred thou j sand dollars. At that time it was (hard to keep fifty feet of water In ? the stand pipe during the hot months, namely June, July and August. Un? der tho new management, we have spent approximately $10,(1:12 on this I system and have equipment that Is worth the money, having 13 new Wells, <r?0 feet deep and new* steam and electric pumps and boilers, and dur? ing the dry period that we have just j passed through, we have had no tvou 1 ble in keeping the standplpo full, that is about 118 feet, and the eost of power for doing this has been about $7 per day, against $11 for the old system, a saving of $2*600 a year, and while we may expect to increase the facilities as OUI city growa, at the present time we are well fixed In this line and at a reasonable cost for same. Mr. Kicker, be "an honest In jen," what have you got to say about this showing? It's easy to verify the figures, if you think it necesary, and still you do not like Rowland for rea? sons which I hope to toll you later on. You all know, as well as I do, what has been done in the matter of street Improvement, and what has not been done, simply because we did not have the funds with which to do it. But we have a plan to submit to the voters before very long, the question of beau? tifying and Improving all the streets in our city, and if we are directed to do this you will find Sumter fully j abreast of the times along these, as well as other lines, it is entirely in your hands to have it done, if you ' wish to do so. The city manage? ment, is subject to your direction. The commission form of govern? ment is on trial, but the ' ity debt In? curred before Its institution, and with Which It had nothing to do, has it handicapped in a large measure and prevents its doing things that it would do were conditions different, it is hard to navigate a boat that is heavily loaded, even to the point of being waterlogged, and it is imprudent to in? crease the load, Unless a like increase is made in its capacity. The very best talent that we have is none too good for this work, and I am free to admit, that 1 feel my incapacity all the while. I have lived among you good people for about -."> Of the best yeara of my life, the savings of u life? time are Invested in and around Kum ter, I am a large taxpuyor and nm earnest in striving for the moral, spiritual, financial and healthful up Ill t of t his i Ity, I ut i am an econo? mist ia bundling its money ami very timid uliout Increasing its obligations. I am mos I ussii redly opposed to, mid and in favor o| running out of both ihe city ami county, yes, out of ihe State, also, houses of il! fame, blind llgers, crooks und moral lepers of e\ cry kind. It mal t< rs iml w hol her the; huto political pull or not. I ad I mire and respect the honest laborer, and feel that he is worth) of his hire. I have always been in favor of ample salaries for services rendered, having been a salaried man all <>f my lite, hut under no conditions am 1 Willing to keep a man in service of the elty simply because he controls voles. Nor will l consent to the cltyi employees dictating to the council What iis policy shall lie or the salaries thai shall he paid, under the threat' of not being re-elected, if we do not do this. 1 have been told, hut how true iL is 1 do not know, that some of the | city employees an- opposing my re? election, for the reason that l voted against a general increase of salaries, and Unit others are supporting me for reasons known only to themselves. I feel that all employes should vote as they honestly think lust, but that they should not attempt to manipulate the politics, of the city, as docs Tammany, those of New York, and whether I am elected/ or not, I am against Jill such. In addition to voting against the above increase of salaries, I also j voted against the purchase of a gaso? line fire truck, at a cost of about $4, 600 and a crematory for burning gar? bage at a cost of about the same amount. I did this because I felt wo could not afford either of those at this lime, not having a penny with which to pay for them. I have been told by many of late that my acts as coun .oilman have made me unpopular per? sonally, and I will lose many votes on 1 this account. If such is the ease, and I fear it is, I am Rorrv for it. How? ever, if it is popularity, and not effi? ciency you want, I can very well af? ford to pull my hat, I would rather I have a clean consc ience, than public [ applause without it. I have always j tried and expect to continue to do what I think manly and right, wheth? er It makes me popular or not. I would rather know that 1 am right than popular. I hear all sorts of reports as to why I am not popular. One man said, he did not like me and was not going to vote for me when he hardly knew me by sight. He has only been in the city for a short time and my business re? lations with him have been very slight, but pleasant. How do you sup? pose he came to have such a dislike for me? Possibly some walking dele? gate has been telling him of my good traits and, he could not have had his mind posoned otherwise. They tell me that ^1 went to Columbia and de? feated tj|e Union Station bill. Now gentlemen, the party who started this report was either a liar or a knave. Were I big enough and inclined to manipulate the legislature of South Carolina in this manner I certainly would not want the Job as alderman of Sumter. I would he too big for it. which I am not. It is too absurd to think of. My home and interest arc In Sumter and what affects Sumter af? fects me and my interest. I'll hot the man who started that report, was a walking delegate, also, whose heart was mere in pulling me down, than helping the city of Sumter; that T pay more taxes than he does, and that he has an axe to grind in getting me out of the way. Another just as absurd objection, is that my Jersey cow always had heifer calves and by that means I hope to control the milk sit? uation in the city. That's bad, if true, but all of the calves are not heifers. Another very serious charge, my dog ran my neighbor's cats. It is claimed that I have stated that no man is worth more than 50 cents per day. The man to whom I told that has never been born and the man who tells itj as true, is telling an un? truth and he knows it. Further, that I bought tho Graham property and had the street Improv? ed. Well, the street certainly needed improving. However, it was ordered done long before I bought this prop? erty, which statement my associates on the council will hear me out in. But the most serious of all is my relations with the railroad company. Xow gentlemen, this calls for more talk. 1 came to Sumter as railroad agent and have been on tho council several times. I am now an employee I of the railroad and hope to be as long 'as they want me. My salary for the past several years, as commercial agent, is so small, that I am ashamed to tell you what it is. During my stay hero, if I have over attempted to leg? islate in favor of the railroad, to the' hurt of tin.' town, I have no knowledge I "f it. On the other hand, my being with the railroad has enabled us to get concessions that it would have been hard to have gotten otherwise, i me case in mind is the drain lead? ing front Alain street down the rail? road to Turkey Creek. The city ha?l made an agree me 111 with the railroad to spend four to live thousand dol? lars on this drain, it costing $H,000 to 110,000, half of Which the city was to pay, ami participate in keeping it up for all lime to come. Tho general manager very kindly, at the suggestion of some one who had the welfare of the city at heart, reconsidered and directed me to tell the city he would have lids drain put In and Kept up for all time, upon the city's paying the nominal .sum of one thousand dollars. I was tin n on the council, and in I he railroad's employ. Was I a friend to the city in tins case or not .' Must Centralize the Anti-Blease Forces to Elect a Governor si ( ll A si i:i? HAS BECOME IMPER ATI V F TO ASSURE t'f/l'IMATH VICTORY OF AN ANTI-BDFASF ADMIXISTR A TIO X MAN, AC CORRIXG TO LEARER8 0? THIS FACTION? MANNING UOUWAL CHOICE. (By J. A. Daly in Columbia Record,' July 20.) That centralization of the anti-ad? ministration forces on some one anti Blease candidate for governor has become imperative in order to assure the ultimate election of an anti-Blease governor was a development of last week in the campaign for State of? fices contained in statements of sev? eral anti-administration candidates re? garded as leaders of that faction. Without reserve it was admitted by one candidate ot this faction that such a coalition is necessary to prevent two Blease candidates for governor entering the second primary. The claim that he is the logical can? didate around whom the combined forces opposing the administration should gather has been individually advanced by several candidates for governor. Considerable doubt is, however, expressed that such an agreement can be perfected. Blease supporting 4candidates Jfor governor continue to assert that two of them will make the second race un? less the anti-administration forces combine and center their strength on one candidate. In discussing the probability of such a coalition, anti-administration candidates pointed out that thoughts of the formation of such a combination can not be taken as an admission ot particular strength of the administra? tion forces. They admit the Blease I faction has a strong minority, which, it is believed, will he principally di? vided between John Q. Richarde, of ?< Kershaw, now regarded as possibly the leading Blease supporter in the race for governor, and William C. Irby, Jr., of Baurcns, and Charles Car? roll Simms, of Barnwell. j While this unknown vote of the ad? mittedly solid Blease faction will be divided between these three Blease < nndldates, the anti-administration supporters in the race for governor admit that their faction's vote will be divided between at least seven can? didates. Arguing in this manner, they declare that coalition of the strength of the several anti-administration can? didates is necessary to insure suc? cess for their faction. Developments of the past several weeks in the State campaigns have in? dicated that John O. Clinkscales, of i Spartanburg, candidate for governor, whose strength lies principally in his stand for compulsory State-wide edu? cation, has been placed in a "faction" by himself. The more or less mild attacks directed at Clinkscales by both anti-administration and adminis? tration candidates for governor are generally taken as indicating an in? crease in strength. These attacks on Clinkscales from his several opponents would possibly indicate that he has, in a way, been "outlawed" from the strict anti-ad? ministration faction on account of his comparatively radical view he holds on account of the compulsory educa? tion question. This issue it is felt by some of the anti-administration supporters, would make Clinkscales a weak candidate should he enter the second primary. In opposition to this tendency of the Clinkscales advocacy of the state? wide compulsory education Issue there is known to be developing among some of the anti-administration sup? porters a movement seeking to center on Richard I. Manning, of Sumter, the support of the anti-administration men, whom, they argue, would be a strong candidate in the second pri? mary because of bis advocacy of local option compulsory education, which, they say, would make Manning a de? sirable candidate in counties where compulsory education is strongly supported and unobjectionable in counties where compulsory education is disapproved. While no candidate expressing his views regarding this now indefinit? proposal has declared opposition to such a movement, still the claim of each that he Is the logical man for selection as the center of the combina? tion foretells a great difficulty to bo overcome before an intra-faetional agreement can be reached by the anti Blease candidates and their support? ers. Facing a possibility similar, intra factional agreement between the three leading Blease candidates for gover? nor, some anti-administration candi? dates hint at the probable failure of any combination, though they do not make that definite assertion. Throughout the entire party, there is yet held a noticeable desire on the part of each candidate to fight his own battles and abide by the result of the balloting in the first primary, despite recent political developments. The three Blease candidates in the race for governor each claim he will be in th-j second primary with another of tho Blease candidates, and they de? clare the election of an administration supporter as governor is as nearly as? sured as is possible in a campaign so split as the present campa'gn. I With three more meetings in the coastal plain between, the campaign? ers and the coming fights in the Pied? mont section, where they say lies the balance of political power, the candi? dates for State offices are now specu? lating as to the results there of the political developnu nts of the last 18 months. Through the first five weeks of the State campaign, a general desire to erase factional lines and bring about a clear-cut discussion of the issues has been repeatedly expressed by anti-ad? ministration candidates for governor. It is generally thought that this con? certed action has a veiled purpose. Administration candidates claim that elimination of factionalism would re? sult in greater benefit for the anti-ad? ministration forces, offering their ex? planation of this effort. The adminis? tration candidates dec lare they desire the erasure of factional lines only because they believe it would make possible greater development and ad? vancement of the State. Despite these pleas, a partisan ten? sity is noticeable at every meeting, though the lines are apparently far less closely drawn than in 1912. Whether or not this continued plead? ing for elimination of factionalism is responsible for this marked e-uietude at the campaign meetings is a matter of personal opinion and of consider? able doubt. In three instances only in the 23 meetings of the State campaign that have been held have audiences cre? ated factional disturbances. In each instance it happened that a Dlease candidate for governor was the cen? ter of the short-lived storms. The most stormy of these disturbances occurred last week at Aiken when John G. Richards directed an attack at Fnited States Senator Ellison D. Smith, an opponent of Oov. Dlease, whom Richards is championing in the State campaign. Richards was also troubled during his recent speech at Columbia wnen the crowd expressed with loud yells and interruptions their disapproval of his factional ut? terances. Charles Carroll Simms was the center of a mild disturbance at Camden, provoked when a boy threw a glass of water on Simms. With the exception of Richards at the Aiken meeting, candidates for lieutenant governor attracted par? ticular interest at the meetings last week by their stinging attacks on their several opponents. R. Frank Kelley, of Lee. in this race and a Blease sup? porter, was prodded at Hampton by his opponents into making a bitter and personal attack on his opponents and the anti-administration faction. [There are many like eases, but what's tln> use of talking to a man who comes with sin ii rot as this, who is actuated by some unknown motive in opposing me. There are some people so leal* oue, that they would rather lose a dollar than see another make one. Krom all euch may we he delivered. Now gentlemen, if you want an open town, where vice is licensed, where the employees run the coun? cil, ami the aldermen are afraid to do their duty, where the blind tiger is allowed to go at laiue with its awful debauchery, do no! cote for me. I do not believe the ten commandments and golden rule are obsolete, ami if elected I expe< t to a< t on my own judgment and' do what i consider for the best Interest of all of our people,! iml whether elected or not, you will always find me drawing tin- traees light, in the interest id' the city's good. I have served you for the post two year?I have attended all meetings, possibly with one or two exceptions, when out of town, 1 have neon honest and fearless in the performance of the duties intrusted to me. If I am not re-elected, it should he from failure to perform my duty, and if there he auch c harges they should he made Known to me and now is the time to do it. And in conclusion, I am on the council now. standing for re-elec? tion. 1 have nothing against my friend and opponent, Mr. Levy, you know hin possibly as well or better than you do me. He has been here for many years and 1 hope may be for many more. He aspires to the po? sition which I now hold. It's up to you to say which one will he elected. Georgia's First Bate. Savannah. Ga? .Inly 17.?The first hale of Georgia cotton was sold at auc? tion in front of the cotton exchange here today, it was graded middling and bought by G. Gabhart at IS cents It is the earliest brst bale ever receiv? ed in Savannah,