The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-07-18
FOLK DEN0UNCES BLEASE,
BAMBEIsG CHAIRMAN SCORES
GOVERNORS CONDUCT
THERE.
Candidates Show Considerable Fire.
But Crowd Listens Respectfully
With Little IIcckling.

baIHperS, July lo.-Ihe meeting of
candidates for State offices here to-
day furnished an attack on the gov.
ernor for his behavior at the sena-
torial campaign meeting in Bamberg
by H. c. Folk, county chairman and
presiding officer at the meeting. Mr..
Folk did not mince his words and
there was but one attempt, which
failed. to interrupt him in his bitter
attack on the action and character of
the governor.
All candidates for State offices were
given courteous reception and re-
spectful attention. The few attempts at
heckling were quieted down and the
meeting was in sharp contrast to the
factional feeling displayed at the
meeting in Aiken yesterday. The
crowd was in a good humor and ap-
peared to be for the most part in op-
position to the policies Of the admin
istration.
The bitterness among the candidates
for minor offices is increasing and
many Of them today indulged them
selves in rather violent attacks on the
public records of their opponents.
Sarcastic illusions to the platforms
of fellow candidates and a defense of
the newspapers and their work fea-
tured the speeches Of the aspirants
for the office OF the chief executive.
The meeting was called to order at
1890 o'clock by H. C. Folk, county
chairman in shady hollow near the
Southern railway tracks The Rev. W.
II. Hodges offered the invocation.
Chairman Folk in opening the
meeting read statement in regard
to the senatorial campaign meeting
held In BamDerg. He made vitriolic
attack on the action of the governor
ut that meeting. when he tore up a
telegram and spat upon it. Mr.. Folk
said in part:
II want to thank those of this au-
dience who were present at the sena-
torial campaign meeting for the
splendid order that, under the cir
cumstances, was maintained and for
giving each speaker an attentive
hearing.
II commend you especially because
had I realized, as many of you did,
what happened would not have re-
mained silent as you did. and tho
governor, notwithstanding the pres
ence Of his armed bodyguard, would
have apologized then and there or he
would not have spoken from our plat
form that day.
My unfortunate physical disabil-
ity-blindness in one eye-prevented,
or rather spared me, from witnessing
the disgraceful spectacle Of the gov
ernor of our proud old State, tearing
up and. as an insult to the Demo-
cratic party of which l am the head
in this county. splitting upon a paper
containing pertinent and legitimate
questions propounded in the name of
the Democracy Of Bamberg couty by
the chairman Of this meeting.
such an act can not be justified
or approved Of by even his most
blinded and partisan followers and
was but d spontaneous portrayal, by
himself, Of his ill-breeding and the
lowness and dirtincss Of his charac-
ter. 1t would be ugly in tho extreme
coming from the ignorant lackey boy
around third class livery stable,
where the governor probably learned
his code of manners, but utterly un-
pardonable coming as it did from the
governor of proud State.
This insult was primarily aimed at
me, no doubt, but 1t waa no less an
insult to every Democrat OF the coun .
ty, for. by virtue Of your votes, ! am
the head and spokesman of our patry
and an insult to me as your county
CidiIIIidu ~ All Insult 10 every DCmO-
crat In the county and should be re-
sented as such.
But why did not the governor an.
swcr the questions? They were sim
pie, pertinent and legitimate and
read as follows:
Telegram. I'm the primary you
swore to support the nominees Of the
party l spportcd you as the nomi-
nee for governor. Are you support
ing me as the nominee for master?
If not. why not? Answer.
(Signed) "H. G. Folk
"Question. Is q man who violates
his oath at the ballot box a fit person
to send to the United States senate"
These were the questions. Why
did he not answer them? Surely he
did not find himself in Il hole from
which nc could not cAtricate himself
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