The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-08-19
CONGRESSIONAL trio
SPOKE HERE MONDAY
incumbent Clearly Favorite
Of Attentive Audience
JOHNSON'S RECORD
RECEIVES ATTACK
Several Hundred Persons Hear Jos. Il.
Johnscsl Give Account Of his Stew
aFdsllip and His Opponents Attcak
His Public Record.

aFdsIip and His Opponents Attcak
His Public Record.
Several hundred persons,among
them a few ladies, gathered In the
court house Monday morning to listen
to the addresses of the three candi
dates for congress from this district
r.. G. Duncan, of Union, Jos. r. John
son, the incumbent, and Sam j. Mich
oils, of Spartanburg. Hon o. p. Good
win acted as chairman. Mr.. Nichols
was scheduled to speak first but did
not reach the meeting place in time,
so he spoke last. Mr.. johnson spoke
first and Mr.. Duncan next. Mr.. john
son was clearly the favorite of the
meeting, being vociforously applaud
ed at the beginning and close of his
speech and at intervals while it was
being delivered.
Mr.. Johnson. in opening his address,
pear before the people Of Laurens
county to give an account of his stew
ardship. He told of his studies Of
governmental problems for twenty
five years previous to his election and
the Ave attempts he made to get to
congress before being elected. When
DE finally got to congress, he said, he
promised himself to be conscientious
and Industrious in his duties and that
ne had carried out his promise.
Throughout his five races. he said
he did not promise any man an office
or paid any man to help in his cam
paign. In this connection, he said
that at Laurens he had carried out
the policy of the national administra-
tion in waiting until the expiration Of
the term OF the Laurcns postmaster
before appointing a Democrat in his
place. If there is any blame to attach
to anyone for allowing Republican
to stay in Office under the Democratic
administration, the criticism must be
made OF the president and not him.
as he was only carrying out the poll
cy of the president. Mr.. Johnson said
that he has not promised the office
here to any man and has not determ-
ined himself to whom he will give It,
In reviewing his record, he said
that he had been faithful to all the
people, rich and poor alike. II have
known no classes. | have known no
factions" He here told of his ac-
tivities in having rural free delivery
routes installed in the district, say
ing that he personally canvassed the
district to persuade the people to ap-
ply for them.
These routes had increased during
his tenure OF office, he said, from 3
to 129, largely as a result OF his eff
forts. OF the Confederate war claims,
Mr.. Johnson stated he had collected
for his district more money than all
the rest OF the South Carolina con-
gressmen put together, besides col
lecting various claims for services
rendered by Southerners for the gov
ernment before the war
In answer to the charge Of his oppo-
nents that he was "too slow" for the
job, Mr.. johnson recounted the appro-
priations which he had secured for
his district, including the Pellagra
hospital in Spartanburg, Of which
there is only one of its kind in the
United States. federal buildings In
each county-seat OF the district and
100000 in crop moving funds In the
fall Of 1913 for Greenvile and Spar
tanburg. He also told of his appoint
ment on the powerful appropriation
committee, he being the only South
Carolinian ever enjoying this honor.
TO indicate his prestige in the legis-
lative halls, Mr.. Johnson read letters
from prominent Democrats endorsing
him as a valuable legislator, innuen-
tial factor in the house and party
caucus and able committeeman. Let
ters of this nature were read from
Oscar w. Underwood, Secretary Nc
Adoo, Claude Kitchen, David j. Lewis
and the president himself "He ranks
among the three or four ablest lcgis-
lators south Of the Mason and Dixon
line" said David J. Lewis father of
the parcels post bill. What you say
goes here" was what Mr.. Johnson said
secretary Of the Treasury John Skel-