The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-03

lerbc, Smith, Moore and Scar.
borough Win Warm Applause.
Florence, July 30.-It was a unique
scene from a political standpoint,
that was enacted in the State cam
paign meeting at Florence today.
Unique, and with a peculiar interest
to those who keep record Of the trend
Of political events in South Carolina.
"A situation in which cheers for Lyon
and Ragsdale" are commingled, and
when the Hon. Jas. E. Ellerbe rises
In his seat and with the enthusiasm
of his strenuous nature leads in a
round of applause for J. willard
Ragsdale, is indeed tense and Of pe-
culiar significance. Lyon. Ragsdale
and Ellerbe! The heated campaign
Of 1905 between Ragsdale and Lyon
for the Attorney Generalship, when
bitterness almost reached the acute
stage and the lines were so clearly
drawn, Is fresh in the minds of the
people. The yeomanry of the 9Th dis
trict vividly recall the race for Con-
gress two years ago, when Ellerbe
and Ragsdale were pitted against
each other; when every inch of
ground was contested with a resolute-
ness and vigor such as only these
two combatants could inject into the
campaign. Hence, when today in the
Opera House at Florence this remark
able place. the savants nodded their
heads (that is. after the excitement
of the moment had subsided.) and
mentally pondered: Verify. what
hath the day brought forth"
The Lie is Passed.
In was somewhat in this wise: At
torney General Lyon flung into the
teeth Of his opponent, Barnard B.
Evans. an accusation or Charge cal
culated to precipitate trouble; the
epithet 'liar" was passed. Infamous
liar" was applied to Barnard B.
Evans Of Columbia, candidate for At
torney General. The tense and ex-
citing situation was not produced by
an effort on the part Of the accused
to resent the charge; it was merely
his effort to have a last word with the
audience, and the audience would
have none of him. They howled him
down. For nearly two minutes Bar
nard B. Evans faced the audience
of four hundred souls, endeavoring
to have his say; each attempt met
whit rebuff on the part of County
Chairman Ragsdale, whose hand,
when raised in warning seemed to be
the signal for the audience to break
into widest uproar, thus effectively
accomplishing the utter crushing Of
all Evans essays. Finally, and when
he did 1t. the audience gave vent to
terrific cheers, Chairman Ragsdale
showed Barnard B. Evans off the
stage and behind the scenes at the
side exits.
Then broke forth the wild yells:
"Hurrah for Ragsdale." "Hurrah for
Lyon" and then Congressman ]. f..
Ellerbe rose from his seat in the
audience, not far from the stage, and
emitted one of the heartiest health
lest cheers that ever sprang forth
from human throat. Ragsdale, Ell
lerbe and Lyon! The scene will not
soon be forgot.
What produced the scene is by no
means of secondary significance. For
the first time during the campaign
of 1910. the absolute and unqualified
term "liar" has been used. Evans on
previous occasions and again today
has said: II will not say he Is a
liar, for that would be unparliament-
ary; 1 will not say he is a thief, but
-
Salary and Fees.
Attorney General j. Fraser Lyon
today said: when he (Evans) says
that 1 received $4,000 in addition to
my salary, he is an Infamous liar"
This was Immediately at the con-
clusion of Evans speech, who had
the reply today. Before another
word could be uttered Chairman
Ragsdale was on his feet, his hands
uplifted for order. Exams advanced
to the front, endeavored to speak, but
the audience was wild, and the deter
ring hand Of the chairman was in his
face, almost. Meanwhile, after ap-
plying the epithet Lyon, arms akimbo