The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-02-14

VERY LITTLE PARTISAN POLL
TICS AT PRESENT SESSION
OF LAWMAKERS.
rcssseal situation Reviewed and 9th.
~ News from CapitAl-smooth sa,l.
ins Expected to Continue.-Numbcr
~ Inporssns Bills 10 Colne up This
Week.

s"u"ioh I'm this state has not clarified
ss much a. was expected during the
isgisiative session. The harmonious
manner In which the session has pro.
Stressed 30 far has given little op-
portunity for partisan politics. or
course there Is no telling what may
hnppen between now and the end of
this sitting Of the general assembly,
but thus far, at least on the surface,
there has been not a single outbreak.
the nearest approach to one came
when the Blease Christensen contro-
versv was being aired in the senate
This was more OF q personal matter
and ala not cause q strict drawing of
the lines. As explained by the SEN
ators afterward. no display Of partisan
ship was shown In the executive ses.
sion when Gov. Blease's messages
on Senator Christensen were taken
up for action by the senate. Nothing
more In being heard here with regard
to this matter, and evidently the Incl
dent 10 regarded AZ closed book.
The general impression here is that
there viii be at least one. II not sew
erai. additional candidates for cover
nor In the race next summer. II Is
new expected and thought to be a
practical certainty that State Senator
John L. McLaurin will run for gov
ernor. Senator McLaurir has az yet
made no definite statement for pub
iication. but II In understood that he
ID In the race. A little incident that
occurred here Saturday has been
commented on by many Of the old
guard. When Senator Tillman enter
Cd the Supreme Court room where the
asylum investigation was being con-
Quoted he shook hands with John l.
McIAurin for the first time since they
fought on the floor Of the United
States senate chamber about thirteen
years ago. The two men chatted for
. few moments and appeared to en-
JOY the reunion.
Significant also are the exchange Of
letters between Senator Tillman and
hct@urin. Folks here believe. and
With good reason they say. that other
is,ters than those siven to the press
have passed between the two mon
who were once such close friends and
then such bitter enemies.
Several gubernatorial candidates
have been In Columbia during the
sr@ion OF the general assembly. While
hore last week Charles Carroll Simms
OF Barnweli took occasion to deny the
published rumor that he was going TO
withdraw from the race for governor.
Mr.. simms said that the charge of
Haskeliism was not just one. and as
. matter OF fact he had Joined the
ranks Of the other side at the time of
the split among the people Of this
State. Mr.. simms says that he 10 In
tho race 10 the finish.
Richard I. Manning OF Sumter was
also hore during the week. and while
he did not discuss politics. said that
he had receives much encouragement
from every section OF the State In his
contest for tho governorship. Mr..
Manning 10 regarded a formidable
candidate In the list OF gubernatorial
aspirants.
IL was expected that some definite
announcement would come Turing this
session OF the general assembly that
might further change the political
horizon. but up TO this time nothing
OF definite nature has been given
to the people OF the State except
from those who are In the running.
The outstanding feature OF the
present session OF the general assem-
biz from "a political standpoint is the
attitude on the part OF members to-
ward the governor of the State and
his smooth sailing with them. For
the last several years. in fact ever
ance Governor Blease has been In of
Ace. tho sessions OF the general as
sembly have been torn asundor with
political chickering's and displays Of
partisan politics. The session of 1912
was n memorable one In this respect.
There is a conciliatory spirit now pre-
vailing among the three departments
of the State government. and particu-
iariy noticeable are the good terms
on which Governor Blease and the
general ossc'rbly appear to be. Sew
erai messages have come up this year
that I'm other sessions OF the general
assembly would certainly have caused
a partisan outburst. The asylum
message is an example. But the gem
eral assembly. tho governors friends
In II. those who may not be with him
In a political sense. and the governor
himself have all appeared to get along
~ell foae,hcr and Npork harrnoninua-