The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-06-20
CANDIDATES BEGIN CANVASS.
Blease and Jones Join Debate in
Court House at Sumter.

Sumter, June 18.-Candidates for
State offices to-day began their weary
grind, the county-to-county canvass
opening in the court house here this
morning. Gov. Blease was the first
speaker, John r. Duncan the second
and Ira B. Jones the third. The can
vass continues through August %,
ending at Greenville. The party ap-
pears in Charleston on July 5.
Blease and Jones met for the first
time in political campaign debate.
The crowd was assembled from four
counties and interest in the speeches
was keen. The keynote of Gov.
Blease's speech was that Of the rule
for the people, while Judge Jones
made the same claim and appealed
for good government. He assailed
many features of Gov. Blease's ad-
ministration. Second interest was
centered in the race for attorney gen.
eral. The last part of the meeting
was held inside the court house,
whereas the candidates for the gov
ernorship were heard in the open.
Gov. Blease prefaced his speech
with the statement that two years
ago, it was predicted his administra-
ton would bankrupt the State, but
that yesterday he had signed notes to
the amount of 100000 at the rate
of 8 per cent. He then started his
regularly prepared speech. The. gov
ernor started to speak shortly after
II o'clock and was greeted with
cheers in his speech. Gov. Blease
called upon the voters to elect gov
ernor of the people as opposed to a
candidate brought out by the news
papers.
Gov. Blease referred to the State
Democratic convention and mentioned
Lewis G. Parker, his attorney, H. j..
Haynsworth, zone w. F. Stevenson" :"
corporation attorneys and other f.
nanciers, who, he said, controlled
the convention against Cole L..
Blease." He said the farmers and
common people were not represented
in the convention. ''Three cheers for
Blease!" rang out voice in the
crowd and it brought cheers. He said
the newspapers and corporation
ring" were attempting to wrench
from the people their right to express
their choice for the governorship.
Won't Weep, IF Defeated.
Gov. Blease stated that his desire
to be governor had been fulfilled, and
that if he were defeated this year, he
would have no tears to shed; that he
"was governor and had been govern
Or" (Cheers again. Newspapers
and corporations" the governor fire.
quently referred to as his bitterest
enemies. The governor took up the
matter of taxes and spoke Of his op-
position to spending so much money
for the State educational institutions
and so little on the common schools.
He touched on the education of ne
groes and expressed his opposition
to negroes being taught by white
teachers.
Gov. Blease expressed his opposi-
ton to employing an attorney to go
about over the State managing his
campaign, and he said he had no cor
poration or large money interest back
of him. Newspapers were frequently
asailed by the governor, and he want
ed to know who was paying the
money" to finance the campaign OF
his opponent He said he had proof
that money had been used to buy
votes against him and he said he had
QGdrQ II SdlQ IudI LuS OouOo SioUo
had boasted that if it could not beat
Blease it would count him out. :" Il
promise to be a governor of the peo-
pie, for I am one of the people, end
ed the governor, and he took his seat
amid cheers. He spoke half an hour.
Duncan Also Attacks Press.
= John T. Duncan was the second
speaker. He referred to the commit
tee Investigating the dispensary af-
fairs, and said it had resumed It's
probing on the edge of the campaign.
Reduced graft expulsion were the
themes of the second speaker. He
asasiled newspapers and charged
narrow partisanship.
Mr.. Duncan could hardly speak for
the shouts hurled at him, and several
times the crowd had to be called to
order.
Judge Jones's Platform.
Former Chief Justice Jones was
the next speaker. He started his