The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-03-26


years. yet IL was marked by con-
spicous absence of bitterness and
heat.
The friends of the candidates work
cd hard. but no ill-will was engend-
cred and there was not the slightest
disturbance during the day. The re-
suit of the election. as we'll as the
manner In which ii was conducted,
should be satisfactory to everybody
The council elected is composed of
progressive citizens and the affairs
OF the city will be safe in their hands.
The chief interest of the election cent
cred In the contest for Mayor and the
general opinion was that the vote
would be close. Mr.. Jennings won
by a handsome majority-much larg-
or than many conservative observers
thought probable; but although de- |
feated Mr.. Boyle received a vote
which was the most striking testi- |
monial to his personal popularity and |
the esteem In which he is held by his |
fellow citizens that he has ever re-
coived. No man has ever been elected |
&c third consecutive term as Mayor
OK Sumter. and the fact that he was a |
candidate for third term, contrary
TO precedent, lost him many votes
that under other circumstances he
would have received. Besides this he
had as his opponent one of the most
popular and successful men of Sum-
ter. who was put forward as the can
didate Of the younger and more pro-
gressive business men of the commu-
nifty. Both candidates for Mayor
have reason to feel proud of the vote
received.
The Pittsburg grafters were such
cheap lot that one of them raised o
rough house when the graft distribu-
tor gave him ten cents less than his
share of one rake-off.
Clifford Pinchot is on his way to |
Naples to meet Roosevelt for a con-
ference on conservation and other
matters and the Ballinger crowd are
prodigiously worried. Taft and the |
whole bunch are apprehensive of |
what may happen when Roosevelt re-
turns.
Mayor-elect Jennings is pledged TO |
equalize taxes and IL ne succeeds I'm |
making good the pledge he will be de- |
serving of the everlasting gratitude |
OF the small property owners of Sum- |
ter. He is pledged to other progress
sive measures. but the equalization of |
tax returns. so that each property
owner shall pay his just share OF the |
cost OF government and no more, is |
full grown mans job by itself |
When he begins on this task there
will be howl from the tax dodgers
the big ones eapocially-that would |
make the blast of the rams horn of |
Jericho so"rJ ike penny whistle, If |
the t,.o could le brought into juxtal- |
posti-n. 4 Is bound to be painful |
process 10 good many citizens and |
the tig property owners will not be
the only ones TO suffer the anguish |
incident to paving what they justly |
owe the city. ior there arr as expert
tax dodgers arlc ngst the smaller fry |
as elsewhere. liut since all the tax |
dodgers. big and little. will suffer to-
gether there will be a community of |
Interest established and Mayor Jen-
nings and Council will be subjected |
TO pT- sure from all sides to let bad |
enough alone and not raise rough |
house with those who are perfectly |
content with present conditions and |
are not worrying because some other |
folks are paying a little more taxes |
than they should.
There are weather. men i'm South |
Carolina than Maj. j. l.. Coker, of |
Hartsville. but he has made better |
use Of his fortune than any of his
contemporaries and his work will live |
after him.
IL is not cred table to the politics |
and politicians of South Carolina that
when the Legislt ture had the oppor-
tunity. a couple of years ago, To honor
the State and one of the best and
ablest Of her sons by electing Maj.
Coker 20 the United States Senate the
opportunity was ignored.
The terrible tragedy that occurred
on a Baltimore e Ohio train at Will
mingtOn, Delaware, Wednesday i'm