The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-07-07
BLEASE MEN HOWL
BUT SMITH SPEAKS
Noisy Gathering Hears Candi-
dates at Spartanburg.
CROWD TRONGS THEATRE.
mayor John f.. Floyd Threatened to
Put Out the Boisterous
Element.


Spartanburg Special to Charleston
News and Courier, July About
Two hundred supporters of Governor
Biease tried their best to prevent
Senator Smith from speaking at the
campaign meeting here today. They
made rough for the senator, who
several times had to stop until order
could be restored. 1t was necessary
for Mayor John F. Floyd to threaten
10 nave several of the leaders of the
disturbance elected. At one time,
while Senator Smith was irving to
speak, Governor Blease arose and
asked his followers to accord to Sen
ator Smith the same respectful hear
ing the latter's friends had given the
governor in other places. With his
voice still quite husky and with a
part OF his audience extremely hos
tile, Senator Smith had an uphill
hight in presenting his views, but his
determination to speak in the face of
such heavy odds apparently met with
the hearty approval of majority of
the crowd.
When Governor Blease, who spoke
second, finished and retired. not ey-
ceeding two hundred of the twelve
hundred voters followed him from
the Harris theatre, where the meet
ing was held. Although Messrs
Jennings and Pollock, who spoke
after the governor in the order nam
ed, attacked the executives record
perhaps more vigorously than here
tofore, there was no sign of hostility
and practically their every utterance
against the governor was loudly
cheered.
Senator Smith spoke first TODAY
and despite the attitude of many in
the crowd, he declared that he was
going back TO the senate and work
Tor the cotton mill people, whether
they vote for him or not.
PLANNED BIG MEETING.
II had been planned to make the
political gathering here today a rous-
ing affair, probably the biggest
Fourth OF July celebration ever pull
ed OFF in Spartanburg. All of the
cotton mills in the Piedmont and
practically all business places in
Spartanburg were closed. A crowd
numbering from 5000 to 10000
was expected at the meeting, which
was to have been held at Rock Cliff
park, a resort about one and one-haIf
miles out of the city. Great prapara-
ton had been made, and with fair
weather predicted for today, every
body was in high giee at the prospect
or enjoying genuine political battle.
The Bleaseites had their red badges
5000 OF them were printed, Il was
said,) and the nti-Bleaseites. If not
labelled, were prepared to make their
presence known and encourage their
faVorites. But when the morning ad-
Vanced, cloudy and threatening, with
no sign of old Sol, IL was realized
that the celebration planned for this
GLORIOUS Fourth" would have to be
considerably curtaiIed Then 1t be-
gan to rain and "the Jig vas up" so
far as concerned the holding of the
meeting in the open. The county
chairman, DIR. 8. T. d. Lancaster, did
some hustling and soon arranged for
the use of the Harris Theatre. which
was literally packed with those who
were determined not to be disap-
pointed.
With so many red badges i'm eyi
dence in the audience it was thought
that Governor Blease would call for
a hand primary" today, but he fail !
ed to do so, although the suggestion
was made to him by some one in the
audience. The governor has not
taken a hand primary so far in this
campaign. Two years ago he called |
for one at practically every meeting. !
Chairman Lancaster called the
meeting to order at 1O:4O and pray |
or was offered by the Rev. c.. G. Her
bert OF the Methodist church.
THE STORM BREAKS.
Senator e. d. Smith, the first can
didate introduced, had spoken only a |
few words when the storm broke. /
When a semblance OF quiet had been
restored he said he wanted to ask
'Spartanburg, the intellectual centre
Of the state, IL this was an exhibition
OF proud South Carolina, Of the spirit |