The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-08-07


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 go to distant
parts of the State at great expense and
hardship. At present the State is dl-
vided 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 Bu-
chanan's criticism of his protection
ideas at some length and Judge Bu-
chanan spoke few minutes in reply
to Mr.. Brantley, both throwing consid-
erable heat and feeling into their re-
marks.
Hon. NJ. P. Howell, of Colleton,
spoke next. In his Introductory re-
marks he spoke pleasantly of his ac-
quaintance 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 op-
portunity to be better acquainted with
the people of Sumter County. He
hoped to be better acquainted in fu-
ture and to be in a position to serve
the people not only of 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 cotton
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-tarif
Us and the cotton farmers 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 democratic
traditions and principles warrant, he ia
vors. The ship-subsidy is gigantic
steal, pure and simple, for the benefit of
the rich and the trusts and he would
fight such scheme to the utmost OF
his ability.
The great question of the day is the
trusts, the heartless, soulless aggrega-
tions of capital in the hands of men
who use all the tremendous powers of
money to take from the mass of the
people their hard-earned dollars to
give to the greedy rich. This is the
danger that we must meet and the
evil that we must combat if we are to
remain free people and to continue
to own our homes.
Hon. A. F. Lever, Of Lexington,
stated that he had been the private
secretary and confidential friend of the
late Dr.. Stokes for five years and for
the past five months had full charge
of all his public business, therefore be-
lieved that he is better fitted than any
other man in the race to complete the
business left unfinished.
In outlining his position he declared
his allegiance to the democratic plat
form. He is opposed to the ship sub
sidy-the rankest OF class legislation,
favored the repeal of the navigation
laws which had destroyed the Ameri-
can merchant marine, while benefit
ting the manufacturers he will work
for the early construction Of the Mica
raguan canal by the government
which shall own and control it for all
time. The expansion and imperial
ism of the Republican party will be
opposed as we'll as the undemocratic
and ruinous policy now being pursued
in the Philippines where we are en-
deavoring to take possession of mil
lions Of negroes and mongrels.
He corrected the statement of Mr..
Brantlev that Senator Tillman advo-
Gated tariff on cotton, when Senator
Tillman had really favored bounty
on cotton.
He closed by making strong appeal
for the support of the people, on the
ground of his experience as DR..
Stokes secretary, his fitness for the
position and as the representative of
Lexington that had always been
true to the party, had never before
asked for anything and had never re-
ceived the recognition to which it is
entitled in the distribution of honors.
He pledged himself to indulge in no
mud-slinging: if elected to do his full
duty: and if defeated to take his medi-
cine like man.
Mr.. E. D. Smith when introduced
stated that for good and sufficient rea-