The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-06-22
LYON AND RAGSDALE.
Lyon Says he Will Withdraw if Rags
dale Will-Only Spice of -.
Second Meeting.
A. II. Seats in State.

A. II. Seats in State.
Charleston, June 20.-About 400
people attended the meeting in Hi
bernian hall today and listened patient
ly to the speeches of the candidates.
There was very little enthusiasm and
once only was there anything like q
sensation. After Mr.. Ragsdale had
made his speech, in which he said that
the Office of attorney general belong
ed to General Youmans if the record
+ was taken, according. to an editorial
in the Charleston Evening Post, in
which it was stated that the office
should so to Mr.. Lyon. When Mr..
Lyons turn came, he promptly Of
fered to retire if Mr.. Ragsdale would
do the same and leave the office to
Gen. Youmans.
There was whole lot of enthusi-
asm right in the midst of both of the
speeches and many Of those present
were in doubt as to exactly what was
said. Both Mr.. Ragsdale and Mr..
Lyon were. asked for statements af-
forwards and they were furnished as
follows:
Mr.. Lyons Statement.
Mr.. Lyon said: "Having gathered
from Mr.. Ragsdale's speech, part, Of
which I heard with much difficulty
and parts of which I did not catch at
all, that his entering the race for at
torney general was caused by the fact
that I first entered as the opponent
Of Mr.. Youmans, which he did not
think quite proper. I suggested that
did not wish to force him to do any
thing which he thought improper and
proposed that would withdraw from
the race, if he would do likewise and
Jet Mr.. Youmans have the Office with
out opposition. I would not say that
I caught the exact idea Mr.. Ragsdale
intended to express, however. My
proposition was based upon the inn
preston made upon me-
Mr.. Ragsdale's Statement.
Mr.. Ragedalc, after the meeting
gave out the following statement: 81
quoted the Charleston Evening Post
which stated that Lyon deserved the
office Of attorney general for services
rendered to the state and I said, if
you will turn back to the day, when
the young men of South Carolina
went forth to do battle for their coun-
try, if you will recall the services
performed in Hampton's splendid
campaign for white supremacy in the
7O's, and the work then done by
Gen. l.. +. Youmans and compare it
with the work that Mr.. Lyon or my
self has performed or eyer will do,
then You must agree that to Youmans
and TO neither of us, must the office
be given, if it is to be as a reward
for services performed. But I take it
that mans integrity and a mans
ability shall be the standard by which
he should be judged and the demo-
Gratis of South Carolina should go to
the polls with due determination to
select that man in the race who will
most ably, discharge the duties that
must devolve Oh the next attorney
general. Whether or not a man has
been for the investigating committee,
whether he be for or against the dis
pensary, any lawyer of ordinary i'll
tegrity if elected attorney general
must stand for punishment of graft
and must stand for enforcement Of
law as his duties under the statutes
may arise. The real friends Of the
dispensary are opposed to graft and
stealing and no man can try harder
than I will to bring the guilty to the
bar Of justice, to remove graft and
stealing from Offices and to vigorous
ly prosecute those whom the governor
Of South Carolina may think should
',be made to answer in criminal
courts.'. s, .. ,...'
These statements practically settl-
ed the matter and it safe to say
/. that there will be no designations and
that hereafter General Youmans will
not be discussed as the only rightful
candidate. tts,
The statements made by Mr.. Lyon
and by Mr.. Ragsdale created about
the only excitement in the meeting
and the Charleston people listened
patiently to the platforms as already
,,nhlscbo1 Truo Vinnant rl,;ooo .l;e