The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-07-15
The State CampaIs5i!.
The Candidates for State OFF,
ces and United States Sen
ate Speak here To-day.
VERY TAME AND UNINTER-
ESTING MEETING.
From the Daily Item, July l3.

From the Daily Item, July l3.
The candidates for State offices
and the United States Senate, or at
least a part of them, spoke here
today TO crowd of not more than
three hundred and fifty to four hun
dred at the maximum, while before
the last speaker concluded his re-
marks there was scarcely corporaIs
guard of white voters left in front of the
stand. 1t was dull, monotonous,
tame, dry and wearying to the crowd
There was no enthusiasm in the
crowd, uor magnetism in the speak
ers. There was but one definite
idea to be gained from the speeches
and that was that the men who were
making the speeches wanted the
Offices. They want the Offices and
want them badly, and do not hesitate
to say so; whatever else shey
say. is merely to repay, in a measure
the crowd for turning out to hear
them. IfSumter had to have another
bose of the same sort, we would all
unite in saying call off the campaign.
but as we have gotten bravely over
our affliction we shall view with a
degree of satisfaction the suffering of
our sister counties. The, candidates
are all clever gentlemen, and Sum
ter will always be glad to have them
visit the city if they will refrain from
making speeches. Its the speeches
not the man Chat are objected to-
There was but one new feature in
troduced into the campaign to-day
and the meeting was not different
from others previously held and re.
ported This new feature was Judge
Earle, who appeared on the stump as
a candidate for the US Senate. He
made forcible speech that was
heard with attention, but that elicit
ed no applause, save when he de-
cIared that he had absolute faith in
the honesty of B R. Tillman, and
when he sat down there was a slight
attempt to raise cheer.
The greater part of the speech
was devoted to a discussion Of
the financial question, on which he
took strong. grounds. He is for free
silver at 16 to l !; and to the demone-
tization Of silver attributes all the
industrial distress Of this country
and the civilized world. Taken as a
whole Judge Earle's speech was the
best of the day and appeared to make
a more decided impression, than any
of the others, but the same speaker
has made much better speeches from
the same spot
Gen. John Gary Watts received a
q small quota applause when he
told about getting drunk in Washing
ton, and this frank admission seemed
to please some of the hearers The
remainder of the speakers were lis.
tened to respectfully but had to be
content with hearing for they got
nothing more.
Mr.. Duncan would have nothing to
say about the bond deal owing to the
absence of Gov. John Gary Evans,
who with Mr.. ". H Ellerbe, candi-
date for Governor, and NJ. B. Nc
Sweeney, candidate for Lieutenant
Governor, did not reach home from
Chicago IN time to attend this meet
ing.
G. Walt Whitman made an exhibi-
tion of himself and shouted himself
hoarse
The meeting was called to order at
IL O'Clock on the stand erected in
the rear of the Court House. The
meeting was opened with prayer by
DR.. N. W. Edmunds. Mr.. R. 0.
Purdy, county chairman, presided
and introduced the speakers, who ad-
dressed the crowd in the following
order
W. h cooper, can0luate l0t LIEU
tenant Governor. Altamont Moses
aud J. VIM. Stokes, candidates for
Congress Joseph b. Earle and j.
T. Duncan, candidates for q. S SEN
ator G.. Walt Whitman and John R
Harrison, candidates for Governor !;
R n. Richbourg and John Gary
Watts, candidates for Adjt. and In
spector General /; W. D. May6eld
and T. G. Robinson, candidates for
Supt. of Education.
The candidates for Secretary of
State, Attorney General and Treas
urer were not present.