The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-07-29
TREMENDOUS CROWDS
GREET CAMPA|GNERS
Thousands From Laurens
and Adjoining Counties
BOlSTEROUS MEETING
BUT NO EXCITEMENT


Made to Assassina Him Here and
Barred his Breast to the Bullets but
None Came.
A tremendous crowd visited Lau-
rens last Wednesday on the occasion
Of the senatorial campaign meeting,
estimates varying from two to five
thOusnnd being made on the crowd.
A conservative estimate would place
the number between four and five
thousand of which many we're women
and children.
Opinions widely differ as to the po-
litical complexion of the crowd. Both
the Blease men and the anti-Blease
men claimed a majority. Gov Blease
probably had more actual noise made
in his behalf by small number of
men said to have been from elsewhere,
but all of the candidates received vo-
ciferous applause at times. Senator
Smith was a great favorite with a
large element in the audience and a
spontaneous outburst OF applause
greeted him as he arose to speak and
at the close Of his address, A noticea-
BILE feature of the meeting was that a
great many took no part in the ap-
plause at all and gave no indication
as to which canida,e they favored.
Geo. A. Browning, Jr., Of Goldville,
presided in the place of County Chair
man lrby, and made a splendid pre-
siding officer. With boisterous
crowd bent upon making it difficult
for different candidates to speak, he
succeeded in affording all the candi-
dates a fairly attentive hearing.
The following account of the meet
ing was written by The States cor
respondent, j. l.. Koon:
The record breaking crowd OF the
campaign came to Laurens Wcdncs-
day to hear the senatorial candidates
there being approximately $500 per
sons present.
In consequence of the sDakcup at
Grecnville last Saturday, many voters
came here today from adjoining coun-
ties expecting another tilt. Long be-
fore the hour for the meeting to be-
gin the natural amphithtatre out in
the grove whore the meeting was held
had been packed The meeting was
boisterous, but there was no excite
ment, although the governor said
that it had been rnmored that he was
to be assassinated here today.
Reminding his hearers that there
was nothing between him and the
man who would shoot. the governor
urged that "if the assassin is here, let
him do his dirty work"
The nearest approach to disorder
was when w. p. Pollock referred to
the Union Republican ticket of 1880,
which ticket contained the name Of J.
+. Gibson Of the governors staff. One
man in the audience branded this as
q lie.
At this tense moment several po-
licemen hurried about the man, who
faepL repeating. IL y TIC ana he
knows It,"
The Chcraw candidates reply was:
"a man can't come to my face and
call me a liar unless he's willing to
take the consequences"
Harking back again to the assassi~
nation idea. the governor said that
newspaper yesterday in an editorial
had invited the assassination of the
chief executive.
"If | should he killed." the govern
or added, more hearscs would be
called for the next day than for
many years" The cause he represent,
ed. he explained, would still go on.
Reporters and editors came in again
for scaching assault most OF them
being placed in the "Ananias club"
"The reporters and two-thrds OF
the editors" he said, would he in.
hell before night If adjudged as
,Ananias and SaDhira were.
Mr.. Pollock got the brunt Of the
hacking today when he was making
bold assaults on the governors rec
ord The leaders were in small
; groups, and kept up team work" in
raising an uproar when particular
point was being emphasized, or the
Continued on page four)