The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-05-27
KNOCKS OUT GRACE
STATE CONVENTION SEATS TIE
BARNHELL DELEGATION

UhDN " LLL DlLLUAl2VN
Heard CONTEST I'm open
Credentials Committee After Hearing
Testimony Of Both Delegations Vote
Unanimously to Seat the Barnweu
Delegation-ConYention Adopted
Their Report. >.
The credentials committee OF the
State Democratic convention listen
ed for three or four hours to tho
charges and countercharges coming
from Charleston, In the effort Of the
two delegations from that county to
be declared the regular members OF
the convention. At last, however.
after the matter had been sitted
from top to bottom the committee
decided without a dissenting vote TO
seat the Barnwen delegation. Every
word Of the hearing and finding was
considered in open session.
Practically the same scene, says
The State, was Witnessed in the hall
of the House as was enacted In the
1912 convention when the contest
from Charleston was heard. There
were charges and countercharges,
bitter language, personal and pro-
fessional charges, general Discus
sion Of the political situation in Char.
lesion, accounts OF riots at club
meetings, stories Of how club meet
ings were packed with non-residents
and accounts of how dead men we're
voted.
The hearing ranged from Jest to
earnest. At one time witness was
raising his hand and calling for q
Bible to swear to some statement.
At another a witness was calling
some one falsifer. Hundreds OF
affidavits were submitted to prove
the contentious OF both sides. Mem-
bers of the Democratic party were
charged with padding the rolls and
some Of the secretaries were charged
with stealing the club rolls. State
ments that policemen were stationed
at the doors Of the club meetings and
that the doors were locked promptly
at 8 O'Clock caused much laughter.
It was stated, however, that this is
done by consent Of both the alleged
factions.
Out Of the general mass OF testt-
mony the following situation was de-
veloped: AL Of the delegates from
the various clubs in Charleston gath
cred in Hibernian hal. to attend the
county convention. The convention
was never formally organized. Just
before the organization the faction
headed by Mayor Grace took excep-
ton to the action Of the county exc
cutive committee in accepting the
delegates from the country districts
who had failed to make report TO
the committee within three days 80
that a temporary roll might be
made up. This rule, It was contend
ed, was adopted by the committee
last year.
The Grace faction did not want
these delegates to be seated becauSe
they claimed that they had not been
properly enrolled. The Grace 5acdoa
also contended that t'pretensive" pro-;
tests had been fled by the Barnwell
delegation to cut down an alleged
majority for Grace. Just before the
convention was organized separate
convention in the same hall and pro-
ceeded to elect delegates to the State
convention.
The credentials committee found
itself confronted with an unusual
proposition. The committee finally
decided to go fully into the charges
made by both sides and to determine
whether the protests filed by the
Barnwen delegation we're "preten-
sive" or legal.
Mayor Grace told the committee
that in 1912, after hs had been
thrown out Of the State convention.
he had taken his life In his hands
for the people who threw him out.
Mayor Grace charged that the rule
adopted in 1912 to require that .
certified copy OF the club delegations
be filed with the executive committee
had been disregarded in Charleston.
Discussing his own club, Club 2,
Ward 2, Mayor Grace told OF his ma
jorities there in past elections. He
claimed that Woodrow Wilson could
not beat him In that ward. "Yet
they slip IN a protest to cut down
our majority" said Mayor Grace.
He charged that the protest was "ho-
titious". He said that he had been
aOnGOdCuSQ duu GohON ~ bAA1o - ~
titious protest but that he had re"
fused.
"They have taken both clubs away
from Us and we have not look-in
on election day." said Mr.. Grace, dis
cussing other clubs IN Charleston
Mayor Grace charged that there was
fictitious protest system" and thas
it had been operated by the Barnweli
faction.
Giving his reasons for withdraw
ing from the county convention, he
said that there was mo justice, no
reason and no argument. He said
that he knew that the committee on
credentials that would have been ap-
, pointed by Mr.. Barnwell would rule
, against his delegates.
: Replying to the statements OF
\ 1F~ porp-o1I catH fhAS