Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-04
COMMITTEE DECLARES
ELECTION RESULT.
Cole L. Blease The Nominee For
Governor.
SECOND PRIMARY OCT. 18TH.
Report of Committee Tells Story of Unsuccessful Efforts to
Uncover Enough Evidence of Fraud Vtate the Results
Recommendations as to Changes of the Rules of the Primary
State, Wednesday.

Columbia State, Wednesday.
The state executive committee OF
the Democratic party, meeting yester-
day at the state house, canvassed the
returns of the primary election held on
August 81 and declared the nominees
of the Democratic party IN South Car
olina.
Following the report of the sub-com-
mittee, named to investigate the
charges of illegal voting, that there
was no proof which would reverse
the face of the returns as published,
attorneys representing Ira b. Jones
withdrew the contest and Cole l..
Blease was declared to be the nomi-
nee Of the party for governor.
The committee ordered second prl-
mary to be held on October 10 tor
attorney general The committee will
meet here on October IS to canvass
the returns of that primary and de-
clare the result. The candidates de-
clared in the second race are j. Fra
ser Lyon and Thos. H. Peoples.
A resolution by r. M. Jeffries pro-
yiding for a state convention or the
party to be held next August to change
the constitution and safeguard the
primary system met with general dls-
cussion but was finally withdrawn. j..
Il,
resolution to memorialize the general
assembly to place the same restrictions
around the primary as govern the state
elections. At a meeting OF the state
committee several months ago 1t was
decided to appoint a select committee
of six with the state chairman as ex
officio member to prepare report on
proposed changes in the constitution OF
the party. The Park resolution will be
considered by this committee and the
question Of safeguarding the primary
system will be left with the state DEM
ocratic convention to be held in 1914.
The contestants failing to appear
the committee dismissed the contest
brought by n. B. Dial and w. j. Tai
bert against Senator Tillman on the
grounds that he did not properly file
his expense account. The contest
brought against Wyatt Aiken by F. S.
Evans was also dismissed by the COM
mittee.
Recommend Primary Law.
The following resolution by T. B.
Butler was adopted by the committee:
Resolved, That the committee to be
appointed by the chairman to revise
the rules and the constitution be au-
thorized to draft such a law that will
embody their recommendations as Will
throw the necessary restrictions around
the primary that will prevent fraud
and provide for punishment Of all vio-
lators and the same to be submitted as
part of this report.
Prosecute illegal Voters.
w. F Stevenson introduced reso-
luton which was adopted, requesting
the solicitors of the state to prosecute
all charged with illegal voting In the
recent primary The testimony gath
cred by the sub committee will be fur
nished the officials.
Elected Presidential Elector.
At the session of the committee yes
terday afternoon John ]. McMahan Oh
Columbia. who was acting as repre-
sentative of Beaufort county, was elect
ed as a presidential elector at large to
take the place of ]. E. Mcdonald or
Winnsboro. who was disqualified be-
cause he Is a member of the board of
public works of the town Of Winns-
boro.
Recommendation
The su committee yesterday made
the follow ing recommendations to the
state Democratic executive committee:
I'VE recommend that the state eX-
ecutive committee call convention OF
the state Democracy late next Au-
gust when no political campaign is
on to construct a new constitution and
rules which shall require such method
of identification of the voter as shall
render repeating or other fraudulent
methods of voting impossible, or at
least difficult and dangerous.
And we, also, recommend that the
legislature take action along the same
line and provide severe punishment
,tn1a ;ncr No cfO o.
ulating primaries and give the execu-
tive committees of political parties
power to investigate and call for pa
pers and examine and swear witnesses
and punish for contempt and thus give
the party power to protect itself.
And we, also, recommend that
wherever the vote shows violation OF
the statutes now in effect the MEM
bers Of the executive committee and
the respective county chairmen do re-
quest the solicitor to prosecute the
same in their respective counties"
At the last meeting of the commit
tee Christie Benet, the secretary, re-
uuested that a committee be appointed
to investigate the charges of neglect
of duty brought by the governor
against Mr. Benet with reference to
the distribution of tickets in Lee and
Pickens counties. The report of the
committee which was adopted yester-
day showed that Secretary Benet had
discharged his duties faithfully and
that the governor had been misinform-
ed when he made the charges. The
special committee was divided, the ma
jority report being submitted by r. l.
Manning and J. A Willis. The report
by w. T. Crews contained substantial
ly the same facts and came to the con-
clusion that the controversy came
about as the result of misunderstand-
ing.
The question of a second primary for
attorney general caused considerable
discussion as to the date. 1t was final
ly agreed that the primary should be
held on October Is. The county eXecu-
tive committees in counties, where ad-
ditional primaries are to be held, will
be requested by the committee to hold
them on the same date. The primary
to select a member of the house in
Newberry county was postponed pend
ing the final action of the state execu-
tive committee.
The report on the canvass of the re-
turns was submitted by S. G. Mayfield
the chairman, and was adopted by the
committee.
A resolution was submitted by r. NJ
Jeffries of Jasper providing for state
convention of the Democratic party tC
be held in August next year to revise
the constitution and safeguard the
primary. This resolution, after gen
eral discussion, was withdrawn by Mr.
Jeffries.
Opposition to Changes.
A. F. Padgett of Edgefield opposed
the resolution, taking the position tina
the changes in the constitution shoulc
be made at the 1914 convention. Ht
thought that every Democrat in the
state should have a voice in the
changes and that all should be sutfi.
ciently interested to attend the clut
meetings to re-organize. Mr.. Padget
said that he was in favor Of safeguard
ing the primary. John ]. McMahan
representing Beaufort county by proxy
thought that the committee should ad.
here strictly to the constitution OF the
party. He did not think it possible tC
hold a state convention next summer
He favored the safeguard for the pri-
mary. He thought that the preliminary
report by the special committee should
be submitted to the state convention
containing the recommendations as tC
the proposed changes in the constitu'
ton. 1t was pointed out by Chairman
that tho state executive com