The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-09-09

ENDEAvOEs To FORCE PEOPLE
To VOTE EOR RICHARDS.
Or. stsckhousc Says That Governors
Threat Il FOOllsll-Docs not Think
That LEGISLATION VIII Aid Uulcss
All Cotton States Join In.

"'ohs aSSucu ny GOV. bletSt IOilOW-
Ing the conference of Blease sup
porters. which was held here yester-
day. The statement is accepted on
all sides as an attempt on the part of
The governor TO frighten or coerce the
farmers into voting for John G..
Richards. the Blease candidate for
governor. IL they will do this the
governor promises to call a special
session OF the legislature to consider
the cotton situation. IL they do not
he intimates that he will refuse to
call such special session.
DIR. Wade Stackhouse. the presi-
dent of the South Carolina Division of
the Southern Cotton Congress. has
issued a statement strongly condemn
Ing the governors attempt to make
political capital out Of the farmers
extremity and bulldozc them into cast
Ing their ballots for the candidate he
In trying to elect as his successor. DIR.
Stackhouse explains that no special
session Of the legislature Is wanted
unless all the cotton States cooperate
In the matter of reducing cotton aero
age next year.
The full text of the governors state.
m-nt Is as follows:
IF the white Democrats Of the
State endorse the resolutions offered
by Major Richards In conference
held In tho governors Office yesterday.
and 'shich are published In the morn
ins papers. and so signify by their
casting their votes for him In the pri-
mary on noxt Tuesday. 1 shall at once
Issue a call for the general assembly
TO convene I'm extra session for the
tention to In that resolution. II the
white voters OF the state do not agree
with Major Richards In his position
on this matter think / will be ab.
solutely justified in concluding that
they do not want an extra session of
the general assembly at this time.
shall. therefore. wait before passing
judgment In the matter upon the re-
turns OF the primary next Tuesday"
The governors statement was made
public In the afternoon and was very
much discussed. Tonight DR.. Stack
house. who Is at the head Of the or
ganization which Is trying to find some
relief for the cotton producers of
South Carolina, issued the following
statement:
MY attention has just been called
to the statement of Gov Blease that
II the white Democrats Of the state
will cast their votes for Major Rich
ards on Tuesday ne will feel justified
In concluding that they wish an ex-
ira session of the general assembly
called for the purpose of carrying out
by legislation the resolutions offered
by Major Richards In a conference
held In the governors office on Sep
tember 2.
The most important and the major
part OF these resolutions was in &C.
cordancc with certain resolutions
adopted the night before at meeting
OF the South Carolina Division of the
Southern Cotton Congress at the JEFF
ferson Hotel. which meeting was at
tended by representatives Of thirty
one counties In the State. and the
ereat majority of them elected at the
organization of the county divisions
OF the South Carolina Branch Of the
Southern Cotton Congress. A number
OF other gentlemen interested in the
welfare OF the farmers were present,
including Mr.. Il. ID. Smith.
THE particular resolution referring
to the matter OF legislative action was
as follows: That the president of this
convention and the executive commit
tee thereof are hereby appc' nted as a
committee OF this body To memorable
the governors OF the. cotton producing
States. calling upn them to have
their respective legislatures enact
such laws as they could constitution
ally To validate and make effective
pledges for the reduction Of the cot
ton acreage next year. or by any othor
means bring about this result
1t Is absolutely foolish to call th.
legislature of South Carolina to-
gethcr for the purpose of cnactins
LAWS OF this nature without the CO.
operation Of all the cotton producin,;
States. There will be no sense IN
calling upon and forcing the farmers
or South Carolina to- reduce the cotton
acreage IL the other States should
continue to produce at the old ate.
ThlS mnIlnr A,na ihnrDinhlr die ,IIsS-