The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-02-24
SEVERAL GROOMING
FOR F|NLEY'S SEAT
Congressional Race in Fifth Dis
trict to be Lively One.
FINLEYDOESN'T FEAR ODDS
Strait Sapp, Butler, Stevenson,
Ragsdale and CASTOR Among
Possible Candidates.

Ragsdale and CASTOR Among
Possible Candidates.
Columbia, Special to Charleston,
News and Courier Feb. 22.-Several
candidates are grooming for the seat
in Congress from the 9Th district.
now occupied by Hon d. e. Finley,
OF Yorkville, who has continuously
represented the people OF the coun-
ties of Cherokee, York, Chester
Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster and
Chesterfield. which comprise the
9th district, since he defeated DR..
T. ]. Strait, OF Lancaster, over a de-
cade ago. Mr.. Finley is the dean of
the South Carolina delegation and
will stand for reelection for his
present seat.
DR.. T. ]. Strait Of Lancaster, who
defeated John ]. Hemphill for
Congress away back in the old Till
man days, and who in return was
defeated by Congressman Finley a
few years later, will probably run
against Mr.. Finley in the coming
primary. DR.. Strait is at present
State Senator from Lancaster
County, is a Confederate veteran and
the veteran of many a hard fought
political campaign.
GRADUATE OF WOFFORD.
Claude N. Sapp, a representative
from Lancaster County in the lower
house, is another candidate for Mr..
Finley's seat. Mr.. Sapp is graduate
OF Wofford College is serving his
ftrst term in the House, where he has
risen to place of prominence in the
ranks of Administration followers.
Just as DR.. Strait is an Administration
leader in the Senate, so is Represen-
tative Sapp in the House, and thus
Lancaster County expects to put two
contestants in the field for Congress-
ional honors.
T. B. Butler, OF Gaffney, who has
made the race against Mr.. Finley sew
eral times before, is also looked on as
prospective candidate for this posi-
tion again. Mr.. Butler served as Sen
ator from Cherokee County and has
recently completed a term as mayor
or Carney and is well known through
out the 5th district.
STEVENSON MAY RUN.
1t is understood that representative
w. F. Stevenson, of Cheraw. who is
well known all over South Carolina,
will be in the list of would be Con-
gressmen in this district. Mr. Steven
son has served as speaker of the
house of representatives, and for
many years has been one of the lead
ers OF that body. He ranks high In
the anti-admnistration political cir
cles, and his entrance would fore
shadow herculean struggle on the
stump.
Mr.. G. w Ragsdale of Winsboro.
who opposed Mr.. Finley two years
ago, is again expected TO make the
race. Mr.. Ragsdale is a prominent at
torney of the Winnsboro Bar and SER
we'd as special Judge.
Friends Of A. l.. CASTOR Of Chester
are urging him TO enter the race for
Congressman also. Mr. CASTOR served
FOR several terms as a member OF the
Legislature from his own county and
has large acquaintance throughout
the entire district. He is graduate of
Davidon College and has always taken
a leading part in everything pertain
ing to the upbuilding of his city and
county.
NOT APPREHENsIvE.
However, friends OF Congressman
Finley are not apprehensive In the
least. They point to the hold Mr.. Fir
ley has on the people of his district,
for II must be admitted that he prob
ably knows more men personally
throughout his district than any other
man in IT. He has always kept in
close touch with the people and his
many friends expect him again to re-
ceive reelection as mas been the Gus
tom for the past several years.
With all these running, people of
the 5th Congressional district win
have more politics this year than has
been the case for several elections
past, and there is much interest in
each of the counties composing the
district as to just how many are going
to make the race and what the result