The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-11-04
A Glance Over the Field
In South Carolina Before the
Battle of Ballots.

As the time for the general election
to De held al! over the Union diminish
es and becomes matter Of hours the
Interest," of the public in the Goai result
is becoming far greater than at any
time since the campaign opeuea There
is 90 esd of speculation as 30 what the
resuls will De and the outlook is being
fully discussed wherever two or three
men happen to meet oo the streets
The friends of nominee Bryan in this
Sta;e are more hopeful than ever before
Of his election and they will eagerly
scan the bulletin boards on the night Of
the election. Il. is safe to say that the
crowds will remain about the boards
nearly all night. Next Tuesday Is the
day. /; is interesting to uote the de-
gree of eas serness with which sbe peo-
pie are reading the reports of the 6nal
movements upon the national political
chessboard
South Carolina of all the States 10
The Usiou stands alone as being the
only one 10 which the general result of
the coming election can be given as ac-
cura.ely before The votes are cast as
afterwards. This is made possible
through the registration laws of the
State 10 The 6rse place, uuder which
only Is. 600 Reputl cars in the State
bold registration certificates and eau
vote, and in the second place by the
fact that the white voters of the State
are practically uait in their support
of Br5ao and Sswal. There are only
a few thousand ''sound money" Demc-
Gratis 10 the State and their vote will
not amount to drop 10 The bucket even
if it be cas. The organized State
Democracy ia free silver to sbe core
The Pal~er-Buckoer tickes APPEARS to
be merely in the 6eld as protest aud
for the sake Of The future There are
no men on she ticket who have any po-
litical aspirations
South Csroios's tosal registered
voting strength is abaui 1902 600; the
exact figures caonot be given as esti-
mates have to be made for the counties
of Atbeviile, Anderson and GreenViile-
State Caairmau Tonpkius estimates
that not more than 80 600 of these will
be cast
The Republican party in the State is
split iuto two factions and they are wag.
ing 40 interesting 6ghs to oudo ooe
anothrr op the number Of votes polled.
the object beiog that the winning side
can cIaic, recognition FROM .be na'iooal
Republican party aud settle once for all
fsctioral differences. O; course the
patronage in ,hi. State in case of
McKioley's election has good deal to
do wish the warmth of this fight. The
Republicans fully realize that i, is ab-
solutely impossible for them to even
make anything like show in the fight
for electors aud consequently 'hey have
taken the opportunity afforded by the
election to settle tbeir fight.
To the congressional districts they
have made an effort to fuse, bus so far
they have been successful 10 getting
single Republican candidate iu but one
dis,ric,-tbe second, represented by
Congressman Talbert. Iu this district
they intend to lay the foundations for
legal 6ghs against the suffrage clause
Of the uew Constitution Of the State
and against the pew election law They
propose to carry The matter to the
United States supreme court aud to COZ
gress Each faction has State ticket
10 the field against the regular Demo-
cratic ticket, but Beither stands the
ghost of a show.
The Republicans have no show what
ever in any of the counties of the State
save one-Georgetows-and in that
they have fused with the Democrats so
far as county officers are concerned.
This will give general assembly
which will have but one negro member
and be, of course will be Republican.
To summarize, the situation is SIM
ply this: The State will elect a solid
free silver electoral ticket beyond all
question; the regular Democratic State
ticket will 60 in by an overwhelming
majority; the Democratic county eff, i,ers
will beyond any question be elected
With the exception noted above, and
the Republicans will succeed in settling
their factional fight BY deciding which
is entitled TO the recognition of the
national committee, aud therefore the
patronage 10 case of the election of
Republican President That is all,
The announcement is made thst
George Washington Murray, the Mel
ton candidate for congress in the first
district. has been declared the regular
party nominee ia that district by the
national congressional committee II
this is true Cecil Cohen's candidacy
amounts to NOTHING