Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-07-15
CANDIDATES At Y0RkY|LLE
SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN PARTY
AT YoRKv1LI,E YESTERDAY.

Chief Interest III Meeting Seems to
Have ceatered in the Gross Fire
Between Mayor Rhett and Mr..
Grace, the Former Alleges that
he Had Been Approached with a
Proposition that if he Would Sup
port Certain Candidate for
Sheriff Of Charleston Grace Would
not Enter Senatorial Race.
Yorkville, Special.-'Ehe Senatorial
candidates spoke to representative
audience Of about three hundred vot-
ers in the Court House here. County
Chairman Wilson presided.
The only incident Of special mo-
ment was an attack on Mayor Rhett
by John P. Grace and it is generally
conceded that the onslaught was in
effective.
Messrs. Evans, Smith, Johnstone
and Grave devoted much of their
time to criticisms of Mr.. Rhett and
his platform, and this was construed
by many Of the auditors to mean that
they believed him to be the man in
their way
The first speaker was Hon. o. B.
Martin who devoted himself to the
subjects heretofore discussed by him.
Mr.. R, G. Rhett was next intro
duced. He outlined his platform as
to the needed changes in the financial
system of the country and the Heed
of such legislation as would correct ths
evil of discrimination in freight rate.
/ between different sections of tht
country, and made clear the fact that
he was opposed to so hampering the
roads that they would not be able tc
properly maintain their tracks, roll
ing stock, pay their employees ade.
quate wages and the stockholder:
reasonable dividends OF their invest
ments. In conclusion he asserted
that he was life long Democrat and
said that while this fact was fully
recognized in his home town, party
from there, who was posing as g
candidate for the same Office as him
self, would follow him and attempt
to impugn his Democracy. He stated
that the only charge the party would
make against him that was true was
that he did not vote for President
in the general election in 1896, but
did vote for Bryan in 1900 and FOR
Parker in 1904. Mr.. Rhett stated
that after he had announced as e
candidate for the Senate he was -ap-
preached by a party in Charleston
who evidently spoke with authority
and assured that if he would support.
q certain candidate for sheriff that
Mr. Grace would not be a candidate
FOR the Senate, and that otherwise
II.shes would, and that he refused te
i-srats piracy
Rhett. BE devoted sils.sa 6f II "a Il
to reiterating his well-known plan
for throttling Wall street gamblers
and securing for the down-trodden.
starved, naked and ignorant cotton
raisers Of the South their share of
the necessaries, comforts and luxu-
rics of life, evidently oblivious of
the fact that the people of York
county, where the farmers are the
most prosperous class, were utterly
unable to appreciate the conditions so
elouuently set forth.
Mr.. John Gary Evans followed and
devoted his time to an attack On the
financial system outlined by Mr..
Rhett an'1 also to the need of revising
the tariff.
Mr.. J. P. Grace was next intro
duced. He spent his thirty minutes
in en- attack on Mr.. Rhett, seeking
to impress the audience with the idea
that Rhett's entire career was one
of treachery to the State, to Charles
ton and the Democratic party. He
sought to engage Mr.. Rhctt in col
loquy, but that gentleman stated that
after Grace had finished he would
have a few words to say in reply.
When Grace closed he received little
applause.
Mr.. Rhett arose at his seat and
stated in a few words that absolute
ly every charge Grace hai made ir
his attempt to wash Charle6ton dirty
linen before a York county audienc:
was false, except that he had no
voted in the general election fol
President in 1896. This was follow
ed by long and general applause. and
when it had lulled Grace attempted
to say something. The appi.s,e was
renewed, and for several minutes hi
stood and attempted to speak, and il
was not until the chairman appealed
TO the audience that he was allowed
to say anything, and then his state
ment fell on apparently deaf cars.
Col. George Johnstone was th'
next speaker, and by reason of hi
well known ability as a blender o:
| VIII ana sarcasm ne nad the audience
in a good humor. He devoted som'
time to eriticising Mr.. Rhett ami the!
took up "Smithy" and kept tn
audience convulsed for time witt
his recital of the dire calamity tha
awaited the cotton raisers of tn
South in case the people should b
so foolish rs to elect the man wh'
had accomplished so much single
handed in so short q time, not onl.
for South Carolina, but for th
whole United States in forcing Eu
rope to pay for cotton what it wa
worth.
Mr.. W. W. Lumpkin was The las
of the Senatorial candidates to speal
and confined his remarks to subject
on which he has dwelt at previou