The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-07-25

Whlle no candidate expressing his
views regarding this now indefinite
proposal has declared opposition to
such a movement, still the claim OF
each that he is the logical man for
selection as the center Of the combina-
ton foretells a great difficulty to be
overcome before an intra- fractional
agreement can be reached by the anti
Blease candidates and their support
ers
Facing a possibility similar, intra-
factional agreement between the three
leading Blease candidates for COVER
nor, some anti-administration candi-
dates hint at the probable failure of
any combination, though they do not
make that definite assertion.
Throughout the entire party, there
is yet held a noticeable desire on the
part Of each candidate to fight his own
battles and abide by the result Of the
balloting in the first primary, despite
recent political developments.
race for governor each claim he will
be in the second primary with another
Of the Blease candidates. and they de-
clare the election of an administration
supporter as governor is as nearly as
sured as is possible in q campaign
so split as the present campaign.
coastal plain between the campaign
ers and the coming fights in the Pied
mont section, where they say lies the
balance of political power, the candi-
dates for State offices are now specu-
lating as to the results there of the
political developments Of the last 18
months.
Through the first five weeks Of the
State campaign, a general desire to
erase factiOnal lines and bring about
a clear-cut discussion Of the issues has
been repeatedly expressed by anti-ad-
ministration candidates for governor.
1t is generally thought that this con-
certed action has a veiled purpose.
Administration candidates claim that
elimination Of factionalism would re-
suit in greater benefit for the anti-ad-
ministratiOn forces. Offering their ex-
planation Of this effort. The admins
tratiOn candidates declare they desire
the erasure of factional lines only
because they believe it would make
possible greater development and ad-
vancement of the State.
Despite these pleas, a partisan ten
sity is noticeable at every meeting,
though the lines are apparently far
less closely drawn than in 1912.
Whether or not this continued plead
ing for elimination of factionalism is
responsible for this marked quietude
at the campaign meetings is a matter
Of personal opinion and of consider
able doubt.
In three instances only in the %
meetings of the State campaign that
have been held have audiences Gre
ated factional disturbances. In each
instance it happened that Blease
candidate for governor was the CEN
ter of the short-lived storms. The
most stormy of these disturbances
occurred last week at Aiken when
John G. Richards directed an attack
; at United States Senator Ellison D.
Smith, an opponent of Gov Blease,
whom Richards is championing i'm the
State campaign. Richards was also
troubled during his recent speech at
Columbia wnen the crowd expressed
with loud yells and Interruptions
their disapproval Of his factional ut
: terances. Charles Carroll Simms was
the center of a mild disturbance at
Camden. provoked when a boy threw
Il glass Of water On Simms.
With the exception of Richards at
the Aiken meeting, candidates for
lieutenant governor attracted par
ticular interest at the meetings last
week by their stinging attacks on their
several opponents. B. Frank Kelley,
of Lee in this race and a Blease sup
porter, was prodded at Hampton by his
opponents into making a bitter and
personal attack on his opponents and
the anti-adminstration faction.