The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-10

q Every loyal Democrat should con-
tribute something toward the Wilson
campaign fund. The Taft machine
WIN have millions to spend and Roose-
velt Is backed by the money bags of
the Harvester Trust. Munsey and other
steel Trust millionaires who have al
Grady spent hundreds o. thousands
boosting him and will spend twice as
much IL they think there Is chance
OF electing him. The Wilson cam
paign managers must have money to
pny the legitimate expenses and it
must be furnished by the rank and
nle OF the Democratic party. II every
Democrat would give dollar there
would be money enought to pay all
the expenses Of the campaign.
Col. Tom Fielder has an engagement
to meet with the dispensary investi-
eating committee in Augusta on the
sth instant under the promise to tell
all he knows about the dispensary
graft and to explain and substantiate
his charge that Gov. Blease. while a
memoer Of the Senate. was hand in
Glove with the graftcrs and was a
Beneficiary Of the graft fund. II Col.
Fielder really knows anything IL is
time he was telling 1t. For more than
a year he had been talking about what
he knows and what ne can prove.
Out all his talk has amounted to
nothing. His promise TO write a book
turned out to be a farce and the little
confidence the public had I'm him has
about vanished. We have no doubt
Gov. Blease was mixed up In the dis
pensary, there having been collateral
testimony brought out IN the original
Investigation to afford ample ground
for this belief. but he was never
ciught with the goods--there has
never been any direct. positive testi-
mony OF his guilt. III Col. Fielder can
furnish the proof. as he claims he
can he should do so---he should have
done so many months ago
Woodrow Wilson throughout his
campaign for the nomination, during
the convention and since. has con-
Quoted himself with scrupulous pro-
pristy and has demonstrated that he
has proper and admirable self-re-
spett. We have no fear that while he
occupies the White House he will ever
do anything To detract from tn,
digrity OF his high Office or shock the
sensiblE.ies OF those who desire to re-
spect the man as well a. the Office of
chief magistrate.
We are OF the opinion that a pri-
mary election should be held to nomi-
nate three candidates for members of
Council under the Sumter plan OF
Commission Government. The nomi-
nees of the primary must receive
majority Of the votes cast, and this
will insure the election of three men
who are acceptable To a. majority of
the taxpayers and citizens IL no
primary Is held and the choice of the
three men who are To- govern sumter
for the next six years Is left to the
regular election. they may be elected
by minority vote. II there are eight
or ten candidates i'm the aeld. since
In the regular election Il plurality
vote elects We think ii unwisc to
run the risk of committing the re-
sponsibility OF administering the af-
fairs Of the city to the hands o. men
who are not the choice Of a majority.
The officers OF the city Democratic
organization should take the ncces-
sary steps to insure the holding Of
the primary.
III Gov. Blease has the power to
suppress the illegal sale ct liquor in
Charleston he should not wal until af-
ter the primary To- find out whether
Charleston votes for Jones or Blcasc.
IL he buys the votes of the Charleston
blind tigers by the promise of i'm
munity he Is law-brcaker Of the
worst sort. for he Is debauching an
honorable office for personal gain.
Col. Roosevelt's campaign for the
Republican nomination was NO joke
TO President Taft and the machine
bosses. but his third party movement
promises to Lee the bigg, Il political
farce Of the era