The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-07-04


ton forms a shame on our his
tory and if we abandon the
disnensary as hopeless We will have
a dark spot on our history for our
children. We would thus say to the
world we are unable TO expiate rotten
ness and corruption and that to save
ourselves we must turn away. He be-
lieved the State should demonstrate
that we caa find honest men to con-
duct this great business. He is op-
posed to the humbug Of local self-gov-
ernment as talked these days. 1t is
demogogic theory to boil everything
down to county or town control. The
pride of South Carolina will not con-
sent to abolish it.
Mr.. Sloar! was for the State dispen-
sary. He criticised Mr.. Ansel for
irving to ride two horse at once, one
the white horse of prohibition, the
other bay called Rye, and unless he
gets off one he will break his political
neck. The time has come when men
must declare unequivocally whether
thew are for or against the dispensary
or prohibition. I ask him to tell me
where he stands. One breath, he
blows prohibition and in another dis
pensary. Col. Sloan was proud he had
voted for 1illman for senator.
He detailed his efforts in behalf OF
the Citadel, Clemson, Winthrop and
South Carolina college.
Mr.. Ansel said as solicitor of his cir
cult he had stood twelve years for
law and order. He thought he had
made himself plain on the liquor aues-
ton. He is opposed to the State dis
pensary ard in favor of county option,
eliminating, any choice of high license
leaving it to each county to have its
own dispensary under control OF a
county board or to have prohloltlon
officers. AS far as he was personally
concerned he would always. vote dry,
but believed every county and every
individual should have its own way.
Messrs. Ragin, McCown and Nor
rison, for secretary Of state, spoke as
usual
Messrs. Walker and Jones for comp
troller general, and Messrs. Boyd and
Haskell for adjutant general con-
sumed their five minutes.
Railroad Commissioner Wharton,
who has warmed the seat for six years
Summers att, the irrepressible Cansler
Sellers and Sullivan, had their usual
brilliant encounter of wits.
Mr.. Lyon reiterated his unalterable
opposition to dispensary. His oppon-
ents. Youmans and Ragsdale, were
not esent.-Colunbi Recor5.
Lexington, June 3O.-The first series
of meeting Of the State campaign
ended here today. It was a very good
meeting. There was much more snap
and life in the proceedings than usual
A. C. Jones, John McMahan and r. L
Manning broke away from their even
tenors and made things lively. But
the sparkle of the meeting g>was fur
nished in the speech Of Mr.. j. Willard
Ragsdale, who is opposing Mr.. Fraser
Lyon for Attorney General.
Mr.. Fsagsdale arrived here late and
spoke after the Gubernatorial candl-
dates. Mr.. Lyon had spoken early and
had kept close to the usual lines of his
previous speeches, but Mr.. Ragsdale
literally lit into Mr.. Lyon with gloves
off. He jabbed him wherever .he
thought there was an opening, and be-
sides trying force, tried to ridicule his
opponent. Three or four times he rose
on his feet, and with arcned fingers
pointing to his bosom, exclaimed: Z
am J. Fraser Lyon, the great pursuer
Of grafters.n"Then he would tiptoe and
exclairn: 81 am the great Fraser
Lyon who was going to do this or
that.
It amused the audience because it
was roasting the other fellow brown,
and the average crowd enjoys finish
cd roast no matter much who is roast
ed
Lyon Denied a Reply.
Mr.. Ragsdale wanted Mr.. Lyon to an,
swer him categorically, but Mr.. Lyon
declined to do this, and begged to re-
ply at the conclusion Of Mr.. Ragsdale's
sptech, but Chairman Efrd declined to
make any exceptions or to change the
original programme, and Mr.. L ,'on
spoke briefly at the very end of the
meeting.
Nd