The Washington herald., 1908-03-06
SIMPLE LITTLE sums
WhOGotSOuth Carolina Dele.
gates Easy Problem.
BUT IT MUST BE COMPUTED
Speaker Cannon Heard that He
Caught Republicans from First
Say He Didn't-Mr. Capers Figures
that He Knows Who Did Get Them.

Whether A. p. Prioleau. who got twen-
ty-six votes as candidate for Congress
IN the First district Of South Carolina
in the last elections or T. l. Grant, who
polled one vote in the same district at
the same time, is the regular" Repub-
Carolina. is a question that is agitating
political Washington.
The Taft and Cannon forces are par
ticularly concerned. On Tuesday last
Speaker Cannon was informed by tele-
raph that the Republicans OF the First
South Carolina district in convention as
sembled. had instructed its delegates TO
dental nomination. The telegram was
signed by Prioleau. who is eminent in
black and tan circles.
The Cannon people swore by the beard
Of Uncle Joe that Prioleau and the Re
publlcans who indorsed Illinois favorite
son. were the regulars OF the First South
Carolina district. Taftites replied that
the "sure-enough." OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
regular of the First South Carolina dis
trict was Grant and Grant only.
Grant himself comedies this.
John G. Capers. OF South Carolina, who.
a month or so ago was winding the
horn for a third term for Roosevelt. has
filed Grant in evidence, In an effort 10
sustain the claim Of the Taftites as to
the regularity OF Grant and his friends.
Capers is now winding" il for Taft. the
oov,-f..so,, 30 -s,,s eo.sfo1 g., rFe ,,g,,d sbo
the Secretary OF War occupies the drlv-
er's seat on the Presidential band wagon.
Capers Sees the News.
Mr.. Capers is not overlooking any bets.
When he picked up the newspapers and
read the announcement that the First dis
trict of his native State had instructed
for Cannon. he was very much provoked.
Re wired Grant for particulars. Grant
replied instantly. He charged, among
other things. that the Prioleau convention
was Irregular. the most irregular thing
OF its kind that had ever been assembled
in the United States.
Anyway. he said, Prioleau should not be
taken seriously Judicially addressing
himself 20 the merits Of the case, Grant
said that Prioleau was in jail when he ran
for Congress last year. In that contest.
as already stated. Prioleau poiled twenty
six votes. while Grant. who was not in
jail. polled but one vote
Just how many votes PriOleau would
have captured had he not been in Jail. is
detail that Grant does not touch upon.
For the sake Of accuracy. Grants tele-
gram TO Capers is herewith given in full
as il is an important contribution TO con-
temperaneoUs political history. lie wired.
Without the remotest intention Of re-
flecting upon Speaker Cannon. for whom
J have the highest possible regard, I think
that. In answer 10 many inquiries / hare
received. / should say there has been no
district convention in South Carolina up
20 this time. and the alleged convention
in the First Congressional district was a
small private party. which assembled az
the invitation OF one A. p PriOleau, the
colored contestant for Congressman Le-
gares seat IN Congress.
A sad. sad Tale.
This fellow Prioleau was in Jail at the
time he alleges he was nominated for
Congress. and was still serving his time
when he claims 70 have been elected. He
was convicted by you when you were
United States attorney. for ro0bing the
mails at Charleston. S. c.. after a fair
trial. and by jury upon which there
were two colored men sitting.
1T Is really an insult 10 a great man like
Speaker Cannon for this fake contestant
for a seat in Congress to think he can in
gratiate himself into the good will Of the
Speaker by such false and absurd pro-
ceedings."
To bolster up their claim that Prioleau
is the real thing IN South Carolina politics
the Cannon folks lug In some statistics.
In 1904. they say. $500 Republican votes
were polled in South Carolina. In 1906 the
leading candidate for governor against
the Democratic nominee got thirty-twC
votes.
The same year Priolsau and Grant
made the race for Congress in the First
district as aforesaid As aforesaid. also
Prioleau got twenty-siX votes and Gran;
one. PYfoleau polled within six votes OF
the total number cast for the leading op-
position candidate for governor two years
| previously.
IT'S easy said Cannon man. "Prio-
I lean is the regular. and not Grant The
vote shows IT, PrioleaU made a wonder
/ ful fight for Congress. It's really mar
velous. He sci twenty-six votes anC
/ Grant but one. How Grant can make his
claim in the face Of these figures We can
not understand
ro- c1rvo-, -