The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-07
FREE FOR ALL RACE,
TEN MEN HAVE ANNOUNCED IN.
TENTION TO RUN FOR GOV.
ERNOH.
Race May BE Said TO BE I'm I'ull
Swing Months Before Primary.

Columbia, March 3.-If all Of the
announced candidates for governor to
succeed Gov. Cole l.. Blease run this
summer before the primaries it will
be free for all contest. At this writ
ing ten candidates have announced
definitely that they will make the
race, while several more are spoken
Of" as probable entries. The list of
candidates so far in the field for
governor is:
Senator John l.. McLaurin, of Ben
nettsville; former Senator r. I. Man
ming, of Sumter; Solicitor r. A. Coop
er, OF Laurens; w. c. Irby, Of Lau-
rens; Railroad Commissioner John G..
Richards, of Liberty Hill; Speaker OF
the House NJ. l.. Smith, of Camden;
Lieutenant Governor c. A. Smith, of
Timmonsville; Mr.. Charles Carroll
Simms, of Barnwell former Repre-
sentative L. j. Browning, Of Union
Prof John G.. Clinkscales, of Wofrord
College.
Those spoken Of include: Asso-
ciate Justice II. C. Watts. Of Cheraw;
Senator Alan Johnstone. OF Newber-
ry; former Representative Olin Saw
yer, Of Georgetown, and others in diff
ferent sections of South Carolina.
Some people say some Of those an
nounced for Governor will not be in
the race. Others say all of them will
run. 50 YOU can take which ever opin-
ion you want, for both are merely
opinions OF some people, and in some
instances the opinion springs from q
wish. In the absence OF other state
ments it must be presumed that all of
the eleven will make the race, for they
have said SO.
There Is much speculation and in
terest in political circles as to what
candidate for governor will get the
Blease strength, and which Of them
can command the bulk Of this follow
ing. Governor Blease himself has
stated on several occasions that he
WIS going to be hands off. However,
Il the impression can be gotten out
that the Blcase people have centered
on any certain candidate it will give
the aforesaid candidate a tremendous
boost.
Political circles were set agog by a
rumor that spread around the capitol
on the evening following the caucus
of the Blease members OF the general
assembly that they had endorsed the
candidacy OF Senator John l.. McI.au-
rim for governor 1t is understood that
both Governor Blease and Senator
McLaurin participated in the caucus
and the report that Senator Nc
Laurin had received some kind Of an
endorsement ut the hands Of the eau
Gus got abroad. However, it's hard to
get at the real situation. for, Of course,
no newspaper men were invited to at
tend that caucus and all that is known
was simply picked up here and there.
However, Representative w. c..
Irby, of Laurens, and Mr.. Charles
Carroll Simms, OF Barnwell, are both
warm political and personal friends of
Governor Blease, and their friends
scott ut the idea that the Blease eau
Gus Endorsed any candidacy. OF two
OF the other candidates. Railroad
Commissioners Richards and Lieutcn-
ant Governor Smith, Governor Blease
has expressed his friendship on sew
eral occasions ana his implied and
understood intention was that he
would not take any hand against
them So there it goes, and as mat
ter OF course the field for speculation
Is unlimited. It's a safe bet, however,
that Governor Blease is not going to
endorse any candidate. His follow
ers may line up behind one candidate
for obviously this is something over
which he has no control, but the gov
ernor is too good q politician to even
appear in role OF trying to dictate q
successor. He has fought Senat or
Tillman's attempted dictation to the
people of the state, and besides he has
time and again made the statement
that he would be hands Off
SO the race is I'm full swing sew
crai months before the. primary takes
place. Each of the candidates have
their followers and each appears con-
hdcnt OF winning.