The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-08-22
his ASS}E ER.
Governor McSwssney Replies 20
schargss Against Him.
HIS REPLY GIVEN IN FULL
Hs Defends His Administrator
and Presents His Claims tor
Rs. Election 20 the Office
of Governor.

and position, which is interesting. He
says:
Felloe. Citizens:-Ia presenting my
claims as candidate for governor
desire to thank you for your suffrage
in twice electing me TO the responsible
position of lieuteraut-g governor. In that
position | discharged my duties fairly,
fesrlessly and faithfully, ard received
the proud endorsement tf the body
over which I presided. My platform
has already been announced IL my
annual message and on the hustings, but
shall endeavor to give it TO you again,
for believe the people should hear
fully the candidates asking for their
suffrage. As You kaoU. oucceedtd the
lamenteG GoTerGor EIicrne 20 I'LL out
his unexpired term. and | come before
YOU 20 ask Your endorsement. am ore
of the people ard have fought ny way
through the world single handed and
alone, and | an not ashamed Of my re-
cord. Ever since have heen IN pubic
life bave continuously fought for the
people aDd heir rights.
l am an advocate Of an ecomlcal
government wisely and judiciousjy ad-
mipistered with as small tax as the
safe operation Of the government vii!
allow. My service has not been Up
service, big professions aud little deeds,
for have never yet let al opportunity
psss to help the young men sDd young
women upward and onward IN life, and
I have always endeavored to protect
and preserve the proud name Of MY
native state, for the proudest heritage
that I have is that am q Caro!lnian.
Nor have my services to the old soldier
been wasted in sympathetic speeches,
in public and private life | have silent,
II and q',;e;le ,in2e all in my power TO
smooth the road of the tottering Con
federate soldier on his 6oa! march to
the grave.
am a firm believer in common
schools. 1t is to them that owe my
advancement in life, My education was
limited to them; my heart is wrapped
up in them, and l would be as traitor
Gus to desert the common schools as
the college man would be to desert his
alms mater Starting out IN life as an
orphan and penniless. the only friend l
had was the free public schools. have
taken a special interest in them and
shall continue to do so as long as I can
be of service to them. I believe that
special attention should be given to the
education of children at our cotton fac
tories. When l appointed the state
board Of education some time ago | ap-
pointed as a member So able teacher Of
q school of manufacturing town IN
order that the interest Of the factory
children might have the benefit of his
experience, and that they should have
representative on the highest educa-
tional board il the state.
Likewise I am consistent friend of
the colleges, both state and denomina-
tionai. / glory in the Iroud record our
COLLEGES have made in the past and the
splendid unlimited future beform them.
School houses have done more for civi-
lizst;on and Christianity than all the
armies Of conquest have ever done or
can ever do.
The material prosperity OF our state
is exceedingly gratifying. While this
is not due to ny administration, for no
governor can stop our march Of pros
perity, yet I have done all in my power
to help the grand movement along and
to establish confidence in our enter
prise and in cur state government
My opponents have attacked me be-
cause ] subscribed fer the newspapers.
By such charges they expect to catch
the unthirking. Such charge IS an
insult to intelligence All Of my pre-.
decessors properly subscribed for papers
aud paid for them 10 the same way. 1t
is absolutely necessary for the governor
to know whether proclamstions, adver-
tisenents for supplies and SO fourth
have been publishei as al TO-. and TO
keep posted as to grand juey present,
ments, violations Of the law, coldue
of public officials, riots, lynchipgs and
SO forth. Only few weeks ago crine
vas committed il Florence county,
The prisoners were arrested, aud had II
not been that the governor was posted
as to the state of feeling at Florence, in
great measure through the newspa-
pers, crime would have been commit
ed that would have been foul blot on
the good name of our state and az in
suit TO Christianity snd a perversiou of
law and order. And, my friends, | say
here in this connection that so long as
! au governor that I will exhaust every
available means Of the state before |
will allow mob law OF lynch law to
dominate the government and rule the
lands.
But we are here to discuss measures
and not men. What is local option
and what would be the result of such
scheme? 1t is SO iupracticable that
neither Governor Tillnan, nor Evans,
nor EIlerbe, all stalwart friends of the
6ispensary, ever oRce thought of sug-
gesting such an idea aad no honest
prohibitionist can favor it for it allows
that which be believes to be inherently
wrong. The result of such scheme
would be a conglomeration of prohibi-
tion and dispensary counties, each
bearing the burden and receiving the
ill-eSect Of the other, with no benefits
to either. 1t is a patchwork, crazy
quilt, theory and could only result in
confusion, and simply lives as theory,
only upon the specious demsgogic idea
Of local self-governnent; for is it local
self government; you cannot limit it to
8 congressional district, for counties
may want it. You cannot limit it to
counties for particular townships may
want It. You cannot limit it to town
ships for the numerous towns of town
ship may want it. And then you could
not only have county full of bars or
dispensaries against the sentiment Of