The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-05-29
SENATORIAL POSSIBILITIES.
Gossip About Latiner and John Gary
Evans as Candidates.

Gossip About Latimer and John Gary
Evans as Candidates.
Columbia, May .22-The race for
the United States Senate is the next
political attraction before the people
Of South Carolina. It will be pulled
off next summer and is likely to be
the only race of much interest, since
Governor Ansel will make the race
for reelection without any oppos:tlca
if he keeps up his record Of business
like administration and careful atten-
ton to the duties Of his Office. 1t is
custom to give the Governor a third
tern, when there are no issues upon
which he can be opposed by ar an
tagonistic faction, and at tais ssi1.ie the
people of the State are ret divided,
not even upon the wiisl1ey .ss.e. So
that the race for Senator VII be the
most important contest to be settled
next year, and whenever possible
candidate comes 70 Columbia the
matter is mentioned. among those who
keep up with politics. A visitor to
the Capitol tosay was the Hon. John
Gary Evans, formerly Governor OF
sou..t. Caroina, who is attending the
Supreme Court The former Cover
1ia rot have anything to say
.,opt his intention to run for the
Senate, and left the impression that
he was not thinking about it seriously
at this time He has made the race
three times, once when he was de-
feated by Joseph H. Earle, in 1896;
again in 1897, when the candidates
were sMcLaurin, by and others, and
again in 1902, len Latimer was elect
ed, Evans being in in the second race
in 1902, as he was in 1895. Governor
Evans has a large law practice at
Spartanburg, and is extremely inter-
ested in other. business matters in the
Piedmont, and it is thought by his
friends that it will take good deal to
pull him into politics again, but as
state above, he had nothing TO say
today.
One Of the best politicians in the
State remarked a few days ago that
in his opinion Senator Latimer had
displayed remarkably poor political
judgment in going to Europe this
summer with his campaign for re-
election just one year off. He said
according TO his ideas Of politics it
would have been good policy for Lat
inner to have been present at the T.
P. A. Convention in Anderson a few
weeks ago, that he should have been
mixing with the crowd at the Confed-
crate reunion in Columbia week ago,
that he should have shown himself at
the Schuetzenfest in Charleston and
prepared to get acquainted with the
crowds next month.
This gentleman who has played the
political game very successfully seem
ed astonished that man who is sup
posed to be candidate for reelection
should leave the State and go abroad
at the time when his political fences
need to be looked after. Another gen.
tleman equally. successful at the same
game recalled that three years ago
Latimer was defeated for delegate-at-
large to the National Democratic Con-
vention when Senator Tillman, Cover
nor Heyward, Mayor Rhett and 9TH
ers had a walkover. Senator Lati-
mer did not attend the State Conven-
ton at that time and the delegates
thought he was Indifferent about it.
But there are others who say that
Latimer's strength before the people
has been underestimated and that he
is not going to be an easy man to
beat by any means. The man in Of
fee always possesses the advantage, it
is argued, and while Latimer has not
made brilliant record in the Senate
he has not done anything on TThich
he can be attacked. And the fact is
that the State is not likely to send a
brilliant man in his place even if Lat
inner should not be re-elected.-News
and Courier.
*"Here's to your health and hap