The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1901-08-14

nounced and rural delivery OF mail
endorsed. he also expressed the
hope that he might secure hand
some post Office building for Sumter
In concluding his speech he enlarged
upon his protection ideas as the tariff
could be made to apply for the bene-
fit of cotton planters who are in dan
ger of competition from the cheap Ia
Dor of the East.
Judge Buchanan was the next
speaker and he began by saying that
it was with profound regret that ne
heard his friend, who had just spok-
en-, close with an argument for pro-
lection, system that is contrary to
Democratic principles and utterly an
tagonistic to all the traditions of the
party. To advocate such ideas was
to hold out to the people an induce
ment to sell their birthright for a
mess of potage; the same thing as to
offer q free people ''forty acres and a
mule"-the same old "forty acres and
a mule! No such doctrine is Demo
cratic, it is nonsense, nonsense!
On national issues he gave reasons
for opposing the war in the Philip
pines and career of war and i'm
perialism in general, and pictured the
ultimate result, for as Napoleon once
said, ''war is hell" This republic
was never instituted for the negro
and he was opposed to extending it
to include the millions of negroes,
Chinese and mixed races in the Philip
pines. To the ship subsidy bill be
is strongly opposed, and he is in full
sympathy with the platform of the
Democratic party.
Referring to the fact Senator Till
man had by his influence secured an
appropriation of $25o,OOo for the
opening of canal at Columbia, he
was proceeding to show how the
State would be benefited by internal
improvements of this character,
when he was interrupted by Mr.. E.
". Dabbs who asked what canal he
referred to, Mr.. Dabbs. not having
heard his preliminary remarks. The
speaker replied in very sarcastic
tone and manner that he referred to
the Congaree canal, IS it would be
known when completed, and that be
would also inform his questioner that
the CoDgaree and Wateree formed
the Santee.
He favored rural mail delivery and
the Improvement and extension OF
them, and also he would have the
government 60 a step further and
provide good roads on which to carry
the mail.
He also would advocate the estab.
lishment of United States Court
House in Sumter for the convenience
of the people of this section Of the
State who now have to 60 to distant
parts of the State at great expense
and hardship. At present the State
is divided into the Eastern and
Western districts, but the people
living in the Eastern district have to
attend court in the Western district.
Mr.. Brantley replied to Judge
Buchanan's criticism of his protec
ton ideas at soue length and Judge
Buchanan spoke a few minutes in
reply to Mr.. Brantley, both Of them
throwing considerable heat and feel
ing into their remarks.
Hon. Nj. P. Howell, of Colleton,
spoke next. In his Introductory re-
marks he spoke pleasantly of his
acquaintance with the public men of
Sumter county with whom he had
been associated in the Legislature,
and his regret that he had not had
the ppoltunity to be better acquaint-
ed with the people Of Sumter county.
He hoped to be better acquainted in
future and to be in position to
serve the people of not only Sumter
but Of the entire Seventh District.
On national issues he declared that
the platform of the Democratic party
is his platform and that he would
stand on it and support it at all times
and places. As to the tariff on cot
ton he had but one thing to say, that
if we go in for that sort of thing,
We will find that the Yankees will out
tariff US and the cotton planter will
wish to the Lord that they had never
heard of it. The kind of expansion
the Republicans advocate he opposes,
the expansion of trade and commerce
and intelligence, such as the Demo-
cratic traditions and principles war
rant, be favors. The ship subsidy is
gigantic steal, pure and simple, for
J tbo bo,eEt If tho fruets aD6 he