The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-06-24
CROWD HECKLES SPEAKERS,
GOOD NATCRED BADINAGE or
SENATORIAL CANDIDATES.
AT ORANGEBURG.
Jennings Opens Meeting with an At
tack OH Smiths Cotton Record and
Bleisc's l'ardOnS-<,rOwd Calls for
Smith, WHO In Reply Shows What
He Has Done.


with the United States senatorial cam
didates than were those Of Calhoun
county.
Thomas ~. Raysor, who presided in
the absence of County Chairman
Adam H. Moss, pleaded for a respect
full hearing Of all candidates, and the
Rev. j. L. McLees. Presbyterian min
ister, prayed that there might be
harmony and peace" However, the
post entrants, Mcssrs. Jennings and
Pollock, al the very outset of their
speeches characterized as absurd the
claim Of E. d. Smith that he had
something to do with raising the
price Of cotton. In the audience there
were probably as many as 1900 vot-
ers. most Of them cotton planters,
and this decrying Of Senator Smiths
efforts for cotton legislation aroused
them. In consequence there was
much heckling, and at times the
speakers had to wait for the laughter
and sarcasm hurled from the audi
ence to subside to make themselves
heard. Personally, I have nothing
against Mr.. Smith," thundered Mr.
Jennings. mo, you just want his
job. That's ALL" came back a voice
from the crowd.
While Mr.. Pollock was speaking,
he called the attention Of the voters
to the fact that Senator Smith had
added SO pounds in weight within the
last five years, in which time he has
received about $4,000 salary. Pretty
costly meat. isn't it? When you get
a hog fat, kill him and salt him
down. and don't carry him through to
another season." The joke got
over" in good fashion, but some wag
caused it to rebound by retorting,
"Yes, but It will cost more than that
to put SO pounds on your carcass"
Thus the jabs and jOlts were
banded back ana forth, with the
chairman occasionally rapping for
order.
The governor was the last speaker.
He was, greeted with applause, but
before this had subsided. the Smith
boom was again at it's food crest.
The governors opening remark was:
rH
ing that / was to be howled down.
Go ahead. I have no objection to
your showing that you're not gentle
men. l expect to be a gentleman
myself"
Chairman Raysor then interposed.
but before the speaking was we'll
under way, the threatened rain set
in, and the crowd had to adjourn to
the court house. Here again the
speaker had some difficulty lin get
ting Set" but when once in the proper
groove his followers "whooped him
up spontaneously as he denounced
the newspapers on a charge Of mis-
quoting him. particularly The State;
boasted Of his victory two years ago
over newspapers, bankers, corpora
tions and Republicans" and vigor-
ously defended his pardon record. say
ing he was proud Of the fact that he
had extended mercy last night in CO.
lumia to one Calhoun convict. "I'm
not done, yet either" he said. "You
like it If you are my friends. If you
don't like 1t you can't help your
self"
New primary regulations were again
held up to the voters as a scheme
to take the vote from the poor man.
But mark my words. When the
election day comes, I'll have my
share. Those votes that an effort is
being made to keep out will be put
in, and will be counted too"
Senator Smiths speech was largely
duplication Of yesterdays at st.
Matthews. He dismissed the charges
that he had nothing to do with the
price OF cotton as most amusing"
He did not claim all the credit. but
was proud of the fact that no had the
reputation Of being man with one
idea. and that was cotton" Senator
Smith put things in whirl by il
Illustrating the bettered condition of
the farmers by the joke OF the gro
jOint-purchasers Of the milk COW, one
getting the feeding-h half and the
other the milking half, and the feed
ing-half owner suggesting that the
cow be turned around.
"If the bills | have introduced have
had nothing to do with rais-
ing the price of cotton, thank
God | was there working with heart