The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-07-25
CANDIDATES AT FLORENCE.

The Audience Was Not Large, but the
People of Florence Treated the
ffice-Seekers Most Hospitality.
Florence, July 17.-The campaign
meeting here today was not well at
tended. The meeting was held in the
city Opera House and was attended
very largely by ladies'. The real spice
of the meeting was ir Mr.. Lyons ad-
dress. He insisted that there was evi-
dence enough for people who wanted
to prosecute to take action. He had
the admission from an Atlanta liquor
house that they had sent to Hub
Evans a car load of furniture. That
was direct enough for anybody. He
also declared that the houses which
are now being paid off by the State
board, and which they had tried so
hard to get paid off in spite of the pro-
tests Of the committee, were those
represented by Farnum and Director
John Black. How did they dare, he
asked, to carry on such iniquitous
business?
Beyond this the meeting was un-
eventful. Mr.. Lyon got the most pro-
nounced applause here that he has
had on the campaign yet, in the opin-
ion of one Of the party not favorably
inclined to mis- candidacy.
The candidates were entertained
at the Central Hotel by the board OF
trade and the citizens Of Florence, and
have really enjoyed their day here.
The candidates for governor, as usual,
poked at Mr.. Ansel for his India rub
Der platform, but when he spoke as
if he had as fixed platform as any Of
the party. He would give each county
the right to say whether they wanted
prohibitions or county dispensary, and
hoped eventually to achieve prohibi-
tion. He pointed out the success OF
the county dispensaries Of certain
Georgia and North Carolina towns,
which had paid their whole taxes.
Mr.. Manning got Mr.. Blease's ad-
mission that he was for the dispensary
as it now stood, and then showed that
the bill which carried his name had
been agreed upon by the committee
and friends of the dispensary as nee
essary. that Mr.. Blease had tried to
have the dispensary bill amended and
failed, and that the present bill repre-
sented the sentiments Of the friends
of the Institution, who wanted to see
the opportunities for graft removed.
If, then, Mr.. Blease was satisfied he
cid rot stand with the friends of the
oispensary and had been inconsist-
ent.
In his,reply Mr.. Blease read the re-
cords, showing where Mr.. Manning
had been, declaring. that what he said
was very inconsistent from tline ~
time. and charged that he had taken
Up the dispensary because it looked
as if It was the road to the Executive
Mansion.
The other speeches were about as
usual. In the speaking Of the candi-
6.ates for railroad commissioner Mr..
Cansler said that he had used a mat
ter, presumably the charge Of giving
free passes TO rural free delivery dele
gates, which had been shown him TO
be a scheme Of an opponent of Mr..
" narton, and he withdrew it, because
ne did not wish any unfairness in the
campaign. He thought that the mat
ter ought to be proved.
Messrs. McCown and Ragsdale only
announced themselves, being at nome.
but both were heartily applauded.
The meeting was good tempered and
liberal in its applause to all the canol-
dates-News and Courier.