The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-17

Columbia Aug 14.-This CORES
pondent was discussing the guberna-
torial race with one of the most acute
and at the same time we'll balanced
political observers In the State today,
and his review Of the situation at this
stage of the campaign was so inter-
esting that 1t is believed that the pub
Vic will find II equally so. He SAID:
From present indications Sumter
county will be able to claim the next
Governor of South Carolina. AL
though now a resident Of Lee coun-
~, Thomas G. Mcleod Is a Sumter
man and dubtless when the votes are
counted on the night of Angst 80
IL would be difficult for a stranger to
tell which Is really the "home coun-
ty" of Mr.. Mcleod.
1T Is, of course. not an easy mat
ter to tell anything at all about
politics but there are certain things
in the present race for the governor
ship that point to Mr. Mcleod as
South Carolina's next gopernor.
with the never-ending liquor
question injected into the campaign
by the alleged chief proponent of pro-
hibtion because there would have
been no other plank for him to stand
upon. the campaign has again been
full of whiskey talk. Since the open
ing day in Sumter there has been
more said upon the topic of liquor
than upon any other question fac
ing the people of this State.
"Those who have followed legisla-
ton of the last few years know that
Statewide prohi hittion has met de-
feat In the State Senate, although the
session before the last, the referen-
dunn was the compromise in the up
per branch of the general assembly.
IL has been only a short while since
both branches of the Legislature voted
to let the people say what was want
ed in each county as a sort of
wholesale election on the liquor
question. This plan was called the
reverse local option" and 1t was
advocated by the present Governor,
Martin +. Ansel, although others
have claimed the credit. AS a result
OF this act of the general assembly.
fifteen counties voted out whiskey.
The election took place in August,
1909. yet at the 1910 session Of the
general assembly the House passed a
Statewide prohibition bin. This, in
the opinion Of local option men and
Of many prohibitionists, was breach
OF faith. In the Senate the State
wide bill met with defeat on the very
first vote taken on the measure.
"An interesting feature Of the at
tempted prohibition legislation at the
last session of the general assembly
was the fact that those who call
themselves the leaders among the
prohibitionists did not press the bill
very strongly. Had they done so and
had the bill, by any reason. passed,
what platform would Mr.. Feather
stone or Mr.. Richards have on the
liquor question? 1t should be men,
toned that Mr.. Hyatt Is also on the
prohibition platform as he has advo-
Gated prohibition for twenty years but
he is not making the whiskey ques-
tion his main subject of discussion as
Is Mr. Featherstone. 1t was an open
secret In legislative circles in Column
bia last winter during the session of
the general assembly that the pro-
htbition bill would not be pressed and
this. of course. was for campaign pur-
poses.
ITO many men who have absolutely
no Interest one way or the other in
the present campaign except the in
terest that every good citizen has in
hoping that the State will have the
best man for Governor, the stand
taken by Mr.. Mcleod on the whiskey
question appears to be the most logi-
cal. Mr.. Mcleod do not stand for
the sale Of whiskey as many people
have wrongfully attributed TO him.
He stands for allowing the people in
each county to say whether or not
they wish the legalzed sale Of liquors
or prohibition. In Sumter county the
majority Of the people voted in Aug
ust 1909 to do away with the county
dispensary-rather. TO not vote It
pack I'm. so that so-called prohibition
prevails i'm Sumter county now. In
Lee county which Is Mr.. McLeod's
home county now. the same state Of
aitairs exist. 1t is said that Mr.. Nc
Lood took off his coat, as the express
sion goes and worked for rrokU,ition