Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-29
WANT LA7IMER'S TOGA
Six Candidates scPamblIng 10 Sue.
ceel Dead South Carolina Senator.
TIlLaAA HOLDING AlOOF
Legislature Adjourned TWO Days AZ.
ter Receiving Notice OF Vacancy =
struggle for Short Tefm-sltua-
ton Decidedly Strange lin Some Re.

|
WASHINGTON. Feb. as.-Tho
death of Senator a. c. Latimer. OF
South Carolina. has caused a pollti-
cal scramble In South Carolina, the
since the days when Senator b. II.
Tillman. then making his campaign
for governor. was stamping the state
in the interests of the wool hat boy. =
Not less than six candidates sign
fed their intention Of entering the
field against Senator Latimcr long
before he was taken III, and weeks
before any one thought OF his death.
Those candidates arc: Ex-GoYcrror
John Gary Evans, of Spartanbslrg,
twice governor of South Carolina, and
The successor of Governor Tiliman In
the gubernatorial chair; George john
ston, OF Tewberry, a former candidate
against Senator 1>atimcr When the
latter won out in 1903; d. S. Hcnder-
son. of Aiken, likewise defeated
candidate in 1908: Joseph McCul-
Tough. an attorney of Grcenville; ]. j.
Dargan. OF Sumter county. one OF the
leading educators in South Carolnn.
and o. B. Martin. tho present state
superintendent OF education. Some
of tho candidates have already.
through the newspapers OF tho stn,o
and otherwise, given the main issucs
In their platforms, Immigration, the
whiskey question aud the race qucs-
ton boing prominently in the fore
ground.
OF these candidates three-John-
ston, Evans and Hendersou-haye. as
already stated. made one successful
campaign against Senator Latlmer.
The other three-McCuiloug Dar-
gan and Martin-have never taken
part in politics outside OF state is
sues. aa
The situation In South Carolina is
peculiar. The Legislature OF that
state adjourned Saturday after being
In session the forty days 1t Is allow
ed to sit with pay under the law of
South Carolina. NO election can be
had. under the revised statutes OF the
United States. for a successor to
Senator Latimor until tho second
Tuesday after tho state legislature
has been officially notified" OF the
senator's death; that was done
Thursday by Senator Latimer's coll
league and Vice. President Fairbanks.
The situation is such that the mem-
bers of the legislature will have 10 re-
main in Columbia, tho capital OF the
state, until March 3. on their own ex-
penses or return there at that time
and ballot for n senator to tako La;i-
mer's place. The law of South Caro-
lima allows no pay for members serv-
Ing after forty days, so whether they
remain in Columbia until March 3, or
returned there from their homes on
that day. they must do so out of their
own pockets. The governor can make
no appointment while tho legislature
Is In session. the vacancy having been
created while the session was being
held. Should he make such appoint
meDt. the senate would not recognize
the credentials of the man who pre-
scented them, and many presidents
have been established for such ac-
ton.
The situation is decidedly strange.
IL Is understood that some OF the can
didates desire TO construe the law to
mean that under these circumstances
the governor may take an appoint
mont. while those who believe thcy
would have a better show OF being
elected by the legislature stand bv tho
Federal statutes.
Senator Tillman. who probably
knows as much about such matters
as any other man In the senate, do
clarcs that there Is no question but
mat all Tho candidates must go be-
tore the legislature when It meets on
March 8. and abide the result OF liz
choice. No appointment by the gov
ernor. he says, would be valid under
the Federal law
That. however, is only for the un-
expired term Of Senator I.atimcr,
which would run out March 4. 1909,
inc candidates must again line up
aud take the field for a campaign for
the long term beginning next March.
BUYING FOR SPRING Trade
is SLOWLY INCREASING