The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-07
THE CAROLINA SENAToRsHIp,
Ex-CoNGREssMAN j. j. HEMPHrLI
MAY MAKE THE RACE.

VIA NroDaDly Put Himself Forward
as the Candidate of the Gold De-
mocracy-He Took "A High stand in
congress and Is a Man of Brilliant
rts-He May Be McLaurin's Most
formidable OppOnent-The Execu-
tive Committees Action Proves a
boomerang and Makes Friends for
McLaurin.
Charleston, S. c., Aug. 6-Items Of
interest in the political situation in
South Carolina occur so frequently
nowadays, and with such persistence
that it is difficult to keep track of all
OF them. The one which is attracting
the most attention in the low-country
just at the present time is the evident
intention of former Congressman John
j. Hemphill to become a political fac
tor in the senatorial race of next
year. 1t is generally believed that Mr..
Hemphill intends to put himself for
ward as the representative of the Gold
democracy He has been out of the
state for nearly ten years now. but he
mas always kept more or less in touch
with South Carolinians and South Car
DINA politics, and it is known that on
more tnan one occasion in the past he
had serious intentions of abandoning
MS law and lobby practice in Wash
ington to return here with political in.
tent. The Gold Democracy has been out
Oh the political game for so long a time
IN this state that it's strength is de-
cidedly an unknown factor, of course
put with free-to-all fight, such as
that Which is to take place next sum
mer, and with the host of candidates
VINO are to be in the field it is entirely
probable that 1t may be able to make
very creditable showing for it's man.
Ihat Mr.. Hemphill is a man of abil.
ity no one has ever questioned. He was
the congressman from the Fifth Con-
gressional District of this state for a
number of years, and his record on
the floor of the House
was more than creditable one
me fact is that when the late Speaker
crisp was elevated to the chair in the
mouse his mantle as leader of the
democratic faction fell upon Mr..
Hemphill, and he discharged the ardu-
GUS duties which develoved upon him
at that time with brilliancy that
attracted national attention. He is a
man or extremely progressing person
al appearance and great mental fitness.
Either in set Grafton, or on the stump
he is fine orator. and his reappear-
ance in the political arena here may
possibly be fraught with important
consequences. He was supplanted in
the House by Hon. T. ]. Strait of Lam
caster, who had not been heard of in
hAf ~
ion in politics. He rose upon the crest
of the wave which the Alliance sent
over the state, and after having lived
brief and uneventful public career at
the national capital, he subsidized into
innocuous desuetude with the same
suddenness that had marked his ad-
vent upon the political horizon.
1t would be of little use for Mr..
Hemphill to attempt at the present
time to rehabilitate himself politically
in his old Congressional district owing
to the fact that the present incumbent,
Congressman Finlay, is a man of more
than ordinary ability. and of vast per-
sonal popularity in northern South Car
DINA. He is, furthermore, 1t is un-
-derstood generally something of a
friend of Mr.. HemphilPs,' and for that
reason a contest between them would
probably be entirely beyond the bounds
of possibilities. AS a dark horse, how
ever, in the senatorial field the posi-
bilities of Mr.. Hemphill as candidate
are unquestionably not to be despised.
He is widely known throughout South
Carolina personally. He has a record
in public life behind him to which he
can turn with more than passing pride.
and he is. Furthermore, member of a
large and influential family. All
things being considered it is entirely
possible that he may be one of the
most dangerous, if not the most dan
gerous, opponent whom Senator Nc
Laurin will have to meet on the stump
next year.
One hears, of course, from time to
time a great deal of talk of Mr.. d. S
Henderson, Col. Wylie Jones, Congress
man Latimer and Col. George john
stone, but even now 1T is apparent to
most fair minded men that 1t is a case
of McLaurin against the field, and his
enemies are casting about with solic-
itude which is entirely f1attering to the
junior senator, with view to f1nding
some one with whom they will be able
to beat him. There seems to be no
doubt, whatever, any longer in the pub
lie mind of the fact that the recent
precipitous action of the State Demo-
cratic Executive Committee in attempt
ing to prejudice the public mind by call
ing for Senator McLaurin's resigna-
ton is a card in his favor, rather than
a disadvantageous circumstance. 1t
has proved, in fact, a veritable boom
erang to the people who hurled 1t, for
South Carolinians eminently loye fair
dealing and fair play and they had
made up their minds fully that the SEN
atorial race next year should, and
ought to be, fought out solely upon its
nx.I kA,at int
ence or dictation from unauthoritative
sources. Taken all in all 1t might not
be a bad idea for McLaurin to keep
more than an ordinarily close watch
upon former Congressman John J.
Hemphill from this time on.
CHARGE BRIBERY.