The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-09-04
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INVESTIGATED By THE

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INVESTIGATED By THE :.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
At First Session State Democratic Ex
ecutire Committee Lays Founda
ton for an InTestigation.-Planl
to Safeguard the Primary, ant
Wont Declare Result TIL Fact.
Are Known.
Charges OF illegal voting in the
South Carolina primary last Tuesday
will be rigidly probed by the execu'
tive committee Of the Democratic
party. The committee, after two ses'
sions Friday, adjourned until next
Wednesday at noon, when the inves'
tigation will begin. Several specific
charges have been fled with John
Gary Evans, State chairman. The
following resolution by W. F. Steven.
son of Cheraw was adopted by the
committee Friday:
"Whereas, an unprecedented vote
is reported and widespread charges
of fraud and Irregularities have been
brought as to the election on the
State ticket, and it is the duty OF
this committee to see that whatever
nominations have been made have
been honestly made, and If the charge
is true it shall be corrected, and If
not true it shall be refuted and the
primary election system vindicated
and preserved;
Resolved, That the chairman
shall call on each county chairman,
where fraud or irregularities are
charged, to take charge OF the club
rolls and compare them with the poll
lists and compare the poll lists with
each other, and take such evidence as
shall be available and pertinent and
send up club rolls and poll lists or
certified copies of the same to this
committee and report all irregulari-
ties;
Resolved, further, That the chair
man of this committee do furnish
such assistance to the respective
county chairmen as may be neces-
sary to facilitate the completion Of
this work and that the candidates for
governor be each allowed a repre-
sentative at such hearing if desired.
Resolved further, That this COM
nittee hereby declare it to be it's pur-
pose to see that the primary be hon
estly conducted and detect and punish
frauds committed, vindicate the pri-
mary system and rid it Of all imputa-
tions of crookedness and to call on
all citizens to cooperate with this
committee in such work and save the
primary system from destruction.
''This committee calls on citizens,
and especially all members of the
executive committee and all club Off
GERS, to swear cut warrants for per-
sons violating the primary laws in
connection with the said election and
have the offenders bounc over to
court"
The Only Work.
The resolution, which was general
ly discussed by the members, is the
sum and substance Of the work ac-
conplished at the meeting Of the exc
cutiye committee Friday. Several
members objected to the introduction
Of the resolution on the grounds that
there was no fraud reported in their
counties. The resolution was ably de-
Tended by Mr. Stevenson. The posi-
ton Of Gov. Blease was fully explain
ed to the committee by E. S. Blease,
brother Of the governor, and his sub
stitute on the committee from New
berry county.
State Chairman John Gary Evans
Friday night sent the following tele-
gram to county chairmen in accord
ance with the resolution adopted by
the executive committee: "If any
fraud or Irregularities are charged in
your county as to any part Of the
State ticket, investigate same thor
oughly. Take charge Of club rolls,
compare them with poll lists, poll
lists with each other, taking such ev-
idence as is available and pertinent.
Then forward all records bearing on
matter, including those above named
with evidence to Christie Benet, sec
retary, Columbia. If you need assis-
tance call on me. Act promptly.
State committee has adjourned until
Wednesday next. Have reports here
as soon as possible. Letter confirm
ing above instructions follow.
John Gary Evans,
Estate chairman"
Members OF the executive commit
tee /.ade it very plain that the NOM
ination for governor and other Star>
Offices would not be declared until
the committee, after thorough in
yestigation, was able to write the
words "clean and fair" across that
nomination. Mr.. Stevenson made 1t
clear that it was not the intention Of
the Jones members on tie commit
zee " SuOH ldfOI1llou puI IL l1iCSdl
votes were found for Jones they
would be thrown out. The members
of the committee expressed them
selves as being in favor of investigat-
ing the situation to save the South
Carolina prim ary law from destruc-
ton. Every charge or intimation Of
fraud In the State will be carefully
Investigated.
Harry D. Calhoun, candidate for
congress in the Second district, Fri
DAY night wired Chairman Evans call
ing his attention to "use OF whiskey
and illegal voting" in that district
and asked that a thorough investiga-
ton be made.
To Report on Ticket.
At the meeting Friday Christie
Benet, secretary Of the committee,
said that the governor of the State
had criticised him and that he desir-
ed in a public speech that he had not
pointed to investigate the charges.