Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-08-07
and
PLEASURE.
They Were the Features of
the Filbert Picnic.
BIG RALLY OF THEWOODMEN.

Congressional Candidates Insist on
Their knowledge Of the Correct
Trail, and Advise Adherence to
What They Claim Is the Beaten
Path-Interesting Speeches by Mr.
Hemphill and Mr.. Finley.
There were between four and five
hundred people at the .bicnic held at
Filbert, five miles north Of Yorkville
last Saturday, under the auspices OF
the local camp Of the Woodmen Of the
World. They were gathered principal
ly from radius Of seven or eight
miles, with a number Of individuals
from greater distances. Yorkville was
very well represented, a number OF
people having gone up on the train and
others by private conveyance.
From the general character Of the
crowd, it appeared that large portion
Of 1t had gathered under the impress
sion that the function was to be social
rather than political. There was pres
ent quite large percentage Of young
folks, including many ladies and gen.
knows no greater delight than that OF
sitting in the buggies on the outskirts
Of a crowd, or Of taking drives through
the quiet solitudes afforded by the
country roads that wind through the
pines. But the strictly political ele-
ment was also we'll represented, and
besides the young people referred to
there were quite a number Of older
folks who were as ready to while away
the time listening to more or less tire
some speeches. as they would have
been to join the pleasures Of the young
people had they felt as strong a well
come.
The picnic grounds are in a clump of
pines about 200 yards to the west Of the
railroad station. Their centre Is mark
ed by rostrum, before which there
are enough seats to seat some 300 peo-
ple About fifty yards away Is the in
evitable lemonade stand, which drove
good business during the day. A
thick carpet Of pine needles covers the
entire surroundings, and notwith-
standing the reminiscent remark Of a
Woodman to the effect that the place
"abounded with seed-ticks and CHG
gers, and enough blacksnakes to fence
'em in," 1t must be confessed that 1t
would be difficult to find a more ideal
spot for a Woodmen's picnic.
Although elsewhere the picnic had
been looked upon as more political than
otherwise, so much so as to give rise
to a common observation to the effect
that the Woodmen of the World is to
be diverted into a political organiza-
tion, it is fair to say that no such no
ton prevailed in the local camp. In
fact, some of the members were sur
prised at developments so out of har-
mony with the preconceived notions of
what was intended. 1t was generally
understood that Congressman Finley,
who Is a Woodman, was to make a
non-political address; and while all the
Woodmen were in for as big a time Is
possible, but few of them were expect
ing the occasion to take on such a dis
tinctively political flavor as afterward
developed.
1t was about II o'clock when the po-
litical feature Of the picnic was
launched. After the people, including
many ladies, had filled up the seats op-
posite the rostrum, Senator Brice step
ped forward and called the meeting to
order, after which he delivered the fol-
lowing Introductory remarks:
Ladies and Gentlemen: We have
here under the auspices Of this chapter
of the Woodmen of the World, distin-
guished speakers in the persons of our
present congressman and our ex-con-
gressman, who have consented to en-
tertain you today, and who, I have
no doubt, will be able to hold you
down. Among other things they will,
no doubt, tell you how to ride q wood
en- goat without incurring any danger.
And speaking Of goats, reminds me