The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-06-25
IT was QUITE LIVELY.
Features Of the State Campaign
Meeting at 0rangeburg.

The candidates for State Offices ad-
dressed the voters Of Crangeburg at
the court house on Wednesday, June
lS About 800 people were present.
Almost all the speakers were greeted
with applause.
= It was a field day for Candidate
Hayward, his reception being genuine
ovation. Col. Talbert told good Jokes
and got applause. Col. Sloan got the
first persuasive cheers, warmed up to
his work, made a fine impression,
winding up with not cool colloquy
with Mr.. Blease, who skilfully turned
some of his opponents thunder. Many
tits were lively. but Col. Gunter and
Mr.. Stevenson furnished almost the
most exciting episode of the day in a
spirited, rather personal controversy,
slightly tinged with acrimony.
Mr. Stevenson said he wanted the
Office of attorney general and not the
Office held by Mr.. Gunter. He referred
to his record and practice, reaching
from the highest to the lowest courts of
the land. He again vigorously antici-
pated Mr.. Gunter's speech by saying
that he was not running for assistant
attorney general. Mr.. Stevenson was
interrupted by Mr.. Gunter, who
stated his position briefly. Mr.. Steven
son then referred to Mr.. Gunter's
record, making correction at the fat
denial of Mr.. Gunter. Mr.. Stevenson
said assistants, as rule, should not
necessarily be promoted.
Mr.. u. x. Gunter was greeted with
cheers, applause and cries of "Gun-
ter He was running on his merits
and not because of the distorted reasons
given by his opponent. Stevenson
could distort-it was all be could do.
He sumitted his record and was inter
rupted with "hurrah for Gunter." !"
Gunter seemed to have the crowd.
Stevenson denied the statement that
he received a salary from S. A. L.
Gunter retorted that if he did not then
Stevenson was bigger fool than he
ever thought him. Mr.. Gunter made
the charge that the court at New berry
was adjourned because lawyers would
not try a railroad case before Steven
son.
Mr.. Gunter further charged that as
speaker Mr.. Stevenson appointed a
railroad commit ttee before which he
subsequently appeared as attorney for
the Seaboard Air Line.
The clash here was vigorous and
intensely personal, cries of "Gunter'
and Stevenson mingling with much
confusion. MI. Stevenson denied the
charges and Mr.. Gunter pressed them
with strong reiteration. The scene
was lively.
Col. James II. Tillman assailed Hey
wards farming interests and also pald
his respects to Talbert, who had held
Office % years. Cheers and laugh
ter. There are boys in this audience
who can vote who were born since Tai
bert had been annually drawing
salary from paying Offices.
Col. Tillman also stated that
through the alliance Col. Talbert de-
feated his father. Why had he left
congress for the Office he sought? He
would never be elected-he was dead
and gone now. The coon Talbert said
he caught would smell like a musk
rat. Col. Tillman crowded Col. Tai
bert closely, amid some cheers for
Tillman'' and much laughter. He
said "some of the slanders that have
been printed against me are false"
making no further reference to this.
During Col. Tillman's speech some of
the long patient audience began to
leave. Continuing and holding a
large number of the audience, Col.
Tillman discussed issues.