The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-08-12

tOn NfOWNfS.
Bennettsville, Aug. 7.-Marlboro
county voters here today were treated
to another Caustic campaign meeting.
In the opening speech Gov. Blease
charged w. =. Pollock with voting
member of the State legislature back
in 1898. This Mr.. Pollock branded
as wilful distortion of the official
record and in retaliation opened n
vOlley of invective that has scarcely
been equaled in the campaign.
Marlboro county is the home Of j.
p. Gibson, Of mixed Republican ticket
fame, and there had been much spec
ulation as to what form the rumored
when the calico backed" ballot was
| Haunted by the Cheraw candidate in
pointing out the chief executives
tainted" appointments.
Mr.. Pollok eliminated no unpleas-
ant references. On the contrary, he
inveighcd against the governors rec
ord as on no other occasion since the
campaign opened.
In anticipation. the governor came
to the rescue Of Col. Gibson, who. 1T
was pointed out, had been sent to the
legislature three terms by Marlboro
county voters and had been appoint
ed magistrate by Gov. Ansel.
There were approximately 1000
persons at the meeting, which was
held out in the open in the court
house square. d. d. McColl, county
chairman. presiding. The Rev. G. c.
Morse iade the opening prayer.
The governor was the first speaker
today and devoted most of his time to
the reading Of an answer to the Smith
circular issued for the purpose of
keeping the record straight, and cor
recting some misstatements," which is
In rebuttal 10 the governors st. Mat
thew's speech, which has also been
circularized and distributed freely
over South Carolina. The governors
statement dealt with four main sub
Jects. In the main it was a duplica-
ton of charges made in practically
every one Of the 33 counties visited
and are:
That Senator E. d. Smith was a
member Of the Haskell convention;
that Senator Smith voted to pay
$4,000 to the family Of lynched
negro; that the junior senator voted
against separate coaches when a
member Of the legislature Is years
ago, and that Senator Smith is not
the author of the Smith-Lever agri-
cultural extension bill. the credit for
which Senator Smith has never asked.
| The governor said that he did not
consider it a promotion to be elected
to the senate after being governor of
South Carolina. He had held the high
est office in the gift of the people, he
said.
Again today the chief executive
warned his followers to stay at the
ballot box August rs to watch the
manager who calls out the names.
and the one who registers the count,
lest he lose the nomination through
dishonesty.
AT the conclusion Of his speech
the governor received two boxes of
flowers. The name of J. p. Gibson
was read out as being among those
who sent one of the lunches
L. ID. Jennings began by saying
that though the record of t. ID. Smith
were as black as the goveror had
painted it lit would still shine as the
MONDAY sun in comparison with the
damnable record OF Cole l.. Blease"
In answer to the governors cxhi-
btiOn of the negro college catalogue,
with the mixed picture. the mayor
Of Sumter reminded the Marlboro
voters that these white people were
from the North. and that the condi-
ton had existed when the governor
was a member OF the legislature. and
that he had never attempted to do
anything to prevent it,
When discussing the pardon record
OF the governor, Mr.. Jennings charg-
cd that II. A. Richcy had been turned
loose on IL false and forged certificate
and that his sickness had been feigned
as that Of e. w. More in the federal
prison in Atlanta.
The speaker drew much applause as
he held up the chief executive as "thc
pretended protector Of the virginitv
of women" In supporting this char
acterizatiOn. he cited the seduction
or the 14-ycar-Old adopted daughter
of RiChCy, the trial of DR. tIcauora