The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-25
THE CAMPAIGN MEETING.
MCLEOD WAS GIVEN AN OVA-
TION.
Made Thoughtful and FOrccful
Speeches-There Was No Spice to
The Meeting But That May Come
Latcr-Fraser Lyon Greeted With
Enthusiasm.

with all the candidates present save
two-B. b. Evans and j. M. Richard
son. The crowd in attendance was
not large, there being about IT'S in
the Court House when the meeting
was called to order at II o'clock and
later it swelled to about $50. The
Firemen's Tournament was too strong
an attraction to most Of the very
large crowd in the city and where
thousands watched the fire laddies
race hundreds heard the statesmen
crate.
just prior to the opening of the
meeting of the candidates met in the
jury room and organized for the
campaign by the election Of Thos. G.
Mcleod as chairman, and Chas. A.
Smith as secretary of the cam
paign party. 1t was agreed that the
candidates for Governor should have
twenty minutes each and the other
candidates ten minutes each.
The meeting was called to order by
County Chairman John H. Clifton,
who introduced Rev. w. T. Duncan,
who offered prayer
Chairman Clifton stated that he re-
GREETED that the candidates for State
offices had run into the Firemen's
convention, the Eastern Star and 9TH
er lesser comets. However, despite
the numerous counter attractions, the
audience was fairly large and the can
didates need have no fear that their
views will not be disseminated
throughout this section Of the State
by those present. 1t has been decid-
ed to allow the candidates for Gov
ernor twenty minutes each, the can
didates for other offices ten minutes
each, thus confning the meeting to
about three hours. He urged all
present to remain until the close of
the meeting so as to hear all of the
speakers.
Mr.. Cole L. Blease, Mayor of New
berry, candidate for Governor, was
introduced as the first speaker.
Mr.. Blease had a written speech,
to which he confined himself, not de-
crossing at all to make extemporan-
eous remarks. His speech is given in
another section of this issue.
Mr.. John 7. Duncan, candidate for
Governor, spoke next He is the same
John II. Duncan, who ran for the
United States Senate in 1896 against
John Gary Evans and Joseph II.
Earle. Today he spoke without
notes, but a synopsis Of his remarks
is given elsewhere. AS will be seen
he devoted his remarks to denounc-
ing conditions as he sees them in Co
lumbia. He received the first applause
OF the day when he hayed the men
higher up in the Seminole swindle
He did not mince words in dealing
with this subject, and with the asy-
lum deal that did not go through.
When Mr.. G. G. Featherstone was
introduced he was received with con-
siderable applause. Before going in
to his regular speech he said he want
ed to make love to Sumter for about
two minutes. He loved Sumter for
several reasons; first for the magni-
ficent support given him when he ran
Tor Governor few years ago and
single-handed and alone fought the
old dispensary and the liquor evil:
then because the people of Sumter
stand up for what is right and are in
dependent thinkers; also because
Sumter. through her mayor, is en-
forcing the prohibition law. He then
branched ont and discussed the liquor
question, education, taxation and 9TH
er issues following the line of thought
and argument outlined in the synop-
sis of his speech printed elsewhere.
lie was liberalT applauded at inter-
walls during the speech.
Mr.. f. II. Hyatt made a plain,
straightforward business talk and was
applauded when he concluded.
Liuet. Gov. Thomas c. Mcleod was
introduced by the chairman as one
who was known to practically all in
the audience and any words of formal
introduction would be out of place.
Mr.. Mcleod was greeted with en-
thusiastic and continuous cheers in
dlcating that his old-t time popularity
In Sumter has not diminished with
the passing years. He was given that
cordial greeting that Sumter always
reserves for one of her own sons, who
has been hOnored, trusted and tried,
weighed in the balances and not
found wanting.
In his speech he was at his best,