The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-07-01
THE CAMPAIGN ATCONWAY.

THE CAMPAlGN ATCUNWAY.
FEW PRESENT AND BUT SLIGHT IN.
TEREsT WAS MANIFESTED.
The Governors Brother Creates Quite a
Ripple In Prosaic Meeting by Depou
ing Certain Statements as Lies.
CONWAY, s. c., June 25.-The cam
paign meeting here to-day was held in
the court house and there were not
more than 200 citizens OF the "lnde'
pendent Republic" present. The day
was fearfully hot and the court house
being crowded it was anything but
pleasant to the speakers or audience.
The gubernatorial candidates had
the call today. Mr.. John R. Harri-
son was the first introduced. He was
gratified at visiting the capital of the
independent republic of Horny. Mr..
Harrison made reference to an alIeg-
ed political combine in South Carroll.
ma. He did not say there was such a
combine nor that it was not. He
would only say that such combine
could not be successful if the people
did not permit it. Mr.. Harrison
maintained that taxes had not been re-
duced and said that while the levy
might be the same as 10 years ago
$s6;4OO 900 had been added to the tax
able Pfoperty on the books.
Mr.. EQsrbee began by saying there
were insintStions made about a ring:
He wanted tasay, once for all, that
he had never made any combination
with any one, nor promised as much
as clerkship. If he had to barter
and trade to get the great office OF
governor of South Carolina he would
20 back to his plantation in the sand
Mills of Marion before he would accept
it. In reference to abolishing the col
leges, Mr.. Ellerbee asked the people
not to listen to the arguments of the
demagogue who came before them
promising to reduce their taxes by so
doing. If the higher institutions of
learning were not doing efficient work
tear them down, but do not attack
them on the ground of economy. 1t
would reduce taxes but a few cents
per capita to tear down. the South
Carolina college and the citadel.
Mr.. G.. Walt Whitman was the
third and last candidate for governor,
and he made the crowd laugh by his
peculiar style. He had asked yester.
day that this campaign be conducted
on decent basis; now was it decent
for man to get up here and call him
a demagogue2
He felt more at home here; George
town had been too much like an ice
berg. 1t was made up of aristocrats
and niggers, and, with all due respect,
he didn't like either of them. Return
ing to Mr.. Ellerbe's speech, he said
That calf calls me demagogue.
Now let me tell you about him. He
sucked pap four years ago, has been out
of it for two years now and wants to
get suck again."
Col. M. B. McSweeney, candidate
for lieutenant governor, referred to
the absence of his competition and
friend, Mr.. Cooper, who had been
called home on important business.
lie said that it was a source OF great
pleasure for him to meet the good
people OF Horny county, whose histo'
ry for white supremacy and home
rule was known throughout the State.
Even during the dark days OF Radical
misrule this proud little county was
controlled by her own sons, and the
negro and carpetbagger were kept In
the rear. The Office to which | aspire,
said Col. McSweeney, is one of honor
and dignity. There is no profit in it
in fact, the expense of the campaign
will amount to more than the entire
pay during the session Of the legisla-
ture, but any man in the State might
feel proud to be lieutenant governor
of this grand old State. If elected, he
promised to impartially discharge
every trust and do his duty. Col.
insolvency believed in giving every
poor boy and girl in the State an op-
portunity to procure an education.
He wants better school houses, com.
petent teachers and greater opportuni
ty for educational advantages given
to children living outside of incorpo
rated towns. Let the institutions OF
higher learning alone. Let us build
up, and not pull down. He hoped the
day was not far distant when the peo'
ple would be united, all bitter feeling
pass away. and character and compe'
tency be the first consideration for
official position.
Mr.. Duncan, for the Senate, made
his first appearance before the people
of Horny. He would, he said, as his
record had been attacked at Kingstree,
giving brief sketch of his career
saying his public and private life was
open to the world from the cradle to
the present time. Was sorry he could
not 20 into national issues, the most
vital of which was the issue OF bonds,
an issue which must be stopped.
AS to State bonds, he referred to
their refunding, and said he had no
proof, nor had the people, OF crooked
transactions, but the people of the
State had the right to have the proof
that there was no crookedness. Only
the governor and Golden Rhind knew
these things. He had asked the gov.
ernor again and again to answer
whether or not he had an agreement
with Rhind to divide the commissions.
The governor had not answered; he
might do so satisfactorily at some fu-
ture day. There was plain question.
and when it was answered he would
have more to say.
The governor he held responsible
for the carcelling of insurance on all