The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-07-29
Meeting at Florence.
A VERY SAD SPECTACLE
But a Natural Consequence Of
Campaign Methods for the
Past Six Years.
Special to The State

TLOhANCE, oui IL - w S!l, tu0 SlaS
has sou,e 1t has almost seemed
,, miracle that iu the campaigns Of -
'92 and '94, when there were candi
didates OF opposing factions on th
stump, when party bitterness ran big
aud there was every cause for the ex
citement of passion, there we're D
personal encounters upon the stun D
In those years the mark was toed man,
times. but no one crossed the line.
has been reserved for this campaign o
education, in which there was no fac
tional lines, for men holding the mos
distinguished Offices in the State tt
engage in free fight upon the stump
worse than the stump. it vas actually
upon the judges bench in a cour
house.
1t was shocking scene for Soutt
Caroliniau to contemplate, but it was
the oulwiuation of practices upon tbs
stump that have heretofore been dis.
graceful. Perhaps ii dozen meu had
been killed to-day it would have been
a blessing to the State 1t might have
SO shocked her people as to awaken
them fully to arealization of the degen'
GRAFTON OF her public men. Those who
have followed the cam paign closely are
as we'll qualified to judge Of who was
responsible for the unfortunate afTai.
to-day as those who were eyewitness
Of it.
Governor Evaps alluded to General
Earle as fee dog with its tail cut
General Earle resented that by at
tempting to slap the governors eace
Blows we're exchanged and they "ere
separated. Ii really makes little dif
ference as to who struck the most tell
ing blows. Judge Earle has bruised
tace, and claims, together with 6aif
d,zeo meo, to have been struck by a
snau who ran 10 wheS they cAaoucd
Governor Evans, | believe, claims 70
have LANDED With bis right" and to
have received q blow OF the back o.
his head.
The attack was made with great
quckness, and the 400 men VINO were
packed 10 the court house were fer the
moment too astonisbed to realize wba:
had occurred. Then it was that one
ipjadicious act by too excited man
with a pistol would have resulted 10
red carpet Of blood on the court house
and most of it would have been from
the hearts of men who had coue here
to be instructed in grea, State and ma
topal issues.
This was not the only extraordinary
incident Of the day. The charges pre-
ferred by General Watts against his
opponent. General Richbourg, we're of
character not brought upon the stump
since Democratic rule. This matter
will hardly rest where it uow is.
The attack made by MIR. Duncan on
Governor Evsus was particularly vehe-
mept and scatbiog
Mr. Whitman also seemed to be 10 a
fighting mood, making heavy luuges at
Mr.. Elerbe, who refused TO notice
bin.
A collection Of the choice word- and
phrases used to-day will be interesting
years hence.
JUDGE EARLE.
Judge Earle was received with cheers
aod applause. He regretted exceeding
ly that candidates could cot come be-
fore the people on issues instead Of
personalities He thought it would be
better if they would 60 out, form a
ring and fight it out After they bad
settled their differences they could come
back to the people But he would
assist that if shere was meeting be-
tween the candidates for adjutant gen
eral. Gen. Watts should be mounted on
AT, elephant This vas by way Of
pleasantly, but really the people did
not care about these personalities; they
wanted 10 bear issues discussed.
AS TO EDUCATION
He approved 81 wba, Candidates
May6eld and Robinson had said about
tie i,u upor,ance Of education. The edo-
cation OF the nasses was of the u>nost
The last United States
census showed that 45 per cent. Of the /
people in :h!s State over l6 years Of
age could GOT read. 1t was claimed
this was because of the large negro I
but the same report showed
that II per cent Of the whites could
90; read. aud 81 per cent oS the ue
groes.
As to taxes, they might figure as
much as they liked aud read The comp
troler's books as much as they pleased, .
but they could 60: ",ake taxes aDy
lower--tne figures might seem 20 make /
sheE SO. but they were harder to pay
and it took more products to pay them