The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-07-15
the State CANDIDATES,
BROWNING ATTACKS RECORD OF
Nj. l.. SMITH.
Largest Crowd of Campaign Attends
Speaking in Saluda-Canditiates for
Lieutenant Governor Have Tilt.

Saluda, July 1O.-Lowndes j.
Browning today charged Mendel l..
Smith. one Of his opponents for gov
ernOr, with being inconsistent on the
liquor question.
Mr. Browning said that Speaker
Smith had been successfully defend
er Of the rotten State dispensary sys-
tenn and an advocate Of Statewide
prohibition in the house of represen-
tatives.
Mr.. Browning averred that Speaker
Smith was now advocating local op-
tion on the liquor question.
Andrew Jackson Bethea, William
M. Hamer and B. Frank Kelly, three
of the four candidates for lieutenant
governor, locked horns today on va
rious questions. j. A. Hunter, the re-
naming candidate for lieutenant gov
ernOr, stayed out of the fight. None
Of the other candidates mentioned
him.
The candidates today addressed
the largest audience they have faced
since the present campaign began.
Women were present in proportion
ately large numbers.
hTe crowd despite it's size was or
derly and very attentive.
In his speech today. William C.
Irby. Jr., of Laurens branded his op.
ponent for governor, John G. Rich
ards. as too new" in his conversion
to Bleaseism.
c. j. Ramage, county chairma n,
presided.
Referring to B. Frank Kelley's
charge at Lexington that the code Of
1912 was "code Of errors" Andrew
J. Bethea, commissioner and candi-
date for lieutenant governor, declared
today that the code had been in
dorsed by the legislature and by men,
| bers Of the bench and bar. Mr..
Bethea said that "Mr. Kelley's monu-
mental failure on the Blease winding
up, commission should hold him for
all time" He repeated his charge
that another of his opponents, Will
liam M. Hamer, had failed to vote
as trustee of the university to retain
DR.. s. c. Mitchell aspresident.
William M. Hamer ridiculed the
idea that A. J. Bethea's work IS
Gov. Ansers private secretary ntted
him In any way to become lieuten-
ant governor. -.
Mr. Hamer told the audience that
some politicians were trying to make
the people believe that the last State
convention passed enrolment rules
which would disfranchise citizens. He
denied that this was the case.
e j. A. Hunter defended the action
Of the last State convention.
Shame on the white people who
are failing to educate their children
while the negroes are fiocking to
school," exclaimed Mr.. Hunter.
The speaker told of his record in
the house as representative from
Bamberg.
b. Frank Kelley. the last of the
candidates for lieutenant governor to
speak, said that he was against COM
pulsory education and wanted to see
all the able-bodied convicts in the
penitentiary put back on the county
chaingangs.
Mr.. Kelley said that as secretary Of
the Blease dispensary winding up
commission he had sworn out war;
rant for T. b. Fielder of Atlanta.
John G.. Richards. the first Of the
candidates for governor to speak. told
the crowd that he was feeling quite
unwell as result Of being badly
shaken up in an automobile accident
yesterday afternoon between LeXing-
ton and Saluda.
Mr.. Richards said that he had been
fighting for an extension Of the "Jim
Crow law to Pullman cars. He told
Of his opposition to compulsory edu-
cation. lie was cheered when he
said that ne was for Blcase for the
United States senate.
Charles Carroll Simms said that the
papers were ridiculing and condemn
ing him because he was supporting
Blease and had been his friend for
years. He said that under decision
he had secured from the Unite States
courts. farmers could not be put in
bankruptcy by fertilizer companies or
anybody else.
compulsory education is simply a
scheme to raise great fund by taxa
tion to be squandered by those who
have the spending of it," declared
Mr.. Simms, in telling OF his Opposl-
tiOn to 1t.
Mr.. Simms condemned a PROPOSE
tion to appoint Il State board Of tax