The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-07-22
The Edgefield Meeting.

The largest and liveliest meeting OF
the campaign was held here today. Be
tween 400 and 500 people were present:
McLaurin took up the Congressional
Record and jumped on Irby's record IN
not voting, and in not attending to his
work. He also jumped on 1rby for
crowding Evans down the people $
throat, and said that was the cause OF
Evans defeat.
Evans said McLaurin defeated Wal
lace for the supreme court bench be-
cause McLaurin wanted Pope's job as
Attorney-General.
Irby repeated his charges as to com
bination.
McLaurin said Billy Ball seemed to
be Irby's daddy, and this Ball resented,
saying be favored neither McLaurin or
Irby.
McLaurin's hand primary resulted in
about half the audience, four hundred
or five hundred voting in his favor.
1t was a very long-winded meeting.
The Saluda Meeting.
The audience at this place numbered
about 400 people. Senator McLaurin
opened the debate, replying to the an
ticipated attacks of Irby and Evans on
his adherence to reform principles and
his desertion of Democratic tenets. He
then proceeded to e1pound his tariff
views, and closed amid applause.
MIR. S. Mayfeld began by declaring
his opposition to trusts. Then, touch
ing the financial question he said he
believed in q more expanded currency.
He was opposed to its expansion by
means of State banks on the ground
that the multiplicity and varying value
of the currency of the different States
would be confusing. He believed that
the national banking law should be 30
amended as to permit banks to issue
notes not to exceed so per cent OF their
capital stock. In brief, he favored the
Baltimore plan. He opposed McLaur-
ms tariff policy, and spoke for tariff for
revenue only.
By a number of figures he showed
that the dispensary profits, either from
mismanagement or dishonesty, fell
$500, 900 short of what they should be.
He only supported the dispensary in
the past because he believed it the best
solution of the liquor question. Now
he believed in local option for the same
reason.
Mr.. John Gary Evans was greeted
with applause He asserted that he
owed his elevation to the gubernatorial
chair to his own merity, and not from
being coat-tail swinger. Ii he were q
coat-tail swinger, however, he asserted,
he had never stabbed his benefactor In
the back as others had. Mr..
Evans then proceeded to show up
what he termed McLaurin's Repub-
licanism. Toward the conclusion OF
his speech he said this was no factional
fight. The tariff bore as heavily on
the Conservatives as on the Reformers.
Now was the time for the two factions
to unite, if they ever were against such
eyangels of Republicanism as Nc
Laurin. McLaurin's Marlboro mill
was using Egyptian cotton, and Nc
Laurin was having it bought up for
political purposes, declared Mr.. Evans:
On request of McLsurin he reiterated
this statement. He was cheered mild
ly when he sat down.
Colonel Irby opened his speech with
his usual pleassntries about the polltl-
cal daddies of his opponents, which ex-
cited laughter that broke into yeils OF
delight when he declared the devil was
the political daddy of Duncan. Colonel
Irby attacked the suffrage clause OF
the Constitution. 1t was all
right now, he said, since
the commissioners of registration
were honest men. The time would
come, however, when the white people
would divide; then they would see the
evil operation of the suffrage clause. 1t
was giving the party in power weapon
to destroy the honest yeomanry of
South Carolina, he asserted. Colonel
Irby declared that he brought about
the constitutional convention and
helped to remove the negroes from poll
tics. He charged that while he was
doing this McLaurin was plotting with
Gonzales to run an independent ticket
for delegates to that convention.
McLaurin-''Well,I 1 deny that.
Col Irby, reverting to the statement
made by Mayfeld that Ellerbe was
going to form a new party in
the State, declared that the Governor
was ashamed of the humble farmers
who elected him to Office. He had to
get new perty. This statement he
Seld to be substantiated by the charges
of Bose Crews. Col. Irby COM
manded close attention, and was ap-
spplauded at the end.
John T. Duncan sent letter of re-
gret at his inability to be present.