The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1902-10-01
Thurmond's Defeat-and His
Worthiness.
Edge field Chronicle.

Edge6eld Chronicle.
The first primary eliminated our
honored and beloved fellow citizen,
Solicitor Thurmond from the race for
Congress, and leaves the coveted
plum TO be fought for by Gen. Bel
linger and Col. Croft.
II is seldom that three such men
ever enter the same race; and it is q
pity that any Of them must be de-
feated. However, there is only one
place sought after by the three; hence
two must be disappointed.
All three men have character, aoil-
ity and tact and know how to take
care of themselves on the stump.
Mr.. Thurmond is by many years the
youngest of the three; but perhaps lie
the most vigorous and aggressive in
debate. He is, however, always
courteous and considerate.
These three men made a clean race
on high plane.
Mr.. Thurmond's race under the
circumstances was remarkable one
There were nearly twelve thousand
votes polled in the End district. Bel
linger was 145 ahead of Thurmond
and Croft was 122 ahead of Bellinger.
Thurmo2d had 3,400 up here to draw
from while the other two gentlemen
had about $500 in the lower counties
to draw from, giving them a decided
advantage. Besides, all of said low
country vote was in the old Judicial
Circuit of Gen. Bellinger, where he
had acted as Solicitor for years be-
fore being elected Attorney General;
and Col. Croft had strategic posi-
tion, his large county lying between
the territory of the other two. Aud
moreover he had law office in Edge
field, and practiced in Saluda. He
also practiced in Barnwell and BAN
berg. Mr.. Thurmond was stranger
outside of the counties of Edgefeld
and Saluda- Then add to these disad-
vantages, the fact that Edgefeld has
had the Office for 26 years, and the
further fact that the argument was
persistently pressed that Mr. Thur
mond ought to resign as Solicitor be-
fore running for Congress. And
still further, the lockout in Horse
Creek Valley, which gave Col. Croft
a strong hold on the cotton mill op-
eratives, who usually stand by the
Edgefeld man. And again, the Re-
districting Bill, which put Beaufort
in this District at the last session,
without which Mr.. Thurmond would
have been in the second race. Con-
slider all these, and the conclusion
cannot be resisted that Edgefeld's
son and favorite made remarkable
race. He carried three out of four
OF Gen. Bellinger's counties over Col.
Croft, and carried Col. Croft's county
over Gen. Bellinger.
Mr.. Thurmond's home and other
friends would like to have seen him
in Congress. He is able and active
and has much "get there" about him,
and We think would have made a
very useful member. Fourteen years
ago Mr.. Thurmon' came to our town
from his Shippers Georgia home and
from the farm. He bad only a good
name, health and vim, but he has
been successful in business, stands
high in his profession, has a clean
record; and his judgment has saved
the taxpayers of the State thousands
of dollars and helped to save this
town and community thousands OF
dollars. The laboring people of this
State have no truer friend than Solici.
tor Thurmond.
Edgefeld's honored son is out OF
the race; but such deserving man
with clean record from struggling
boyhood to successful manhood, a