The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-07-21
THE CONGRESSIONAL J
CANDIDATES SPEAK
Address Court Room Full of
VOterS.F
800 OR MORE PRESENT.
Congressman Finley and Hon. w. F.
Stevenson Meet in Joint
Discussion

"AHn Sio"u Vi IdNTe Jnan Jnree
hundred men last Saturday, when
Congressman ID. e. Finley and his
opponent, Hon. w. F. Stevenson, ad-
dressed the voters of Lancaster
county. These two candidates for
Congress from the fifth district were
introduced by County Chairman
Roach S. Stewart, who in, a few
--'ords bespoke for them a respectful
and attentive hearing.
Mr.. Stevenson wasethe first speak
er. I'm entering this race for Con-
gress j do so standing upon the rec
ord j have made as a public servant
for the past sixteen years" began
Mr.. Stevenson. He spoke also OF
how he had practiced law in Chester
field county for the past 81 years,
during this time coming in ,contaet
with many Lancaster people II
heard this morning that by some
railroad deal had swindled Chester
field county out Of $4,000. Some
indiscreet friend Of my opponent has
perhaps harked back to the time
when railroad was to be built
from Chester 10 Cheraw." The
bonds We're issued FOR this purpose,
the speaker said. before he came TO
South Carolina, but he succeeded
together with the late r. J. kennedy
Of Chesterfield and the late N. J..
Hough, in getting back for The coun-
ty all except $500 worth, which
had gone into the hands of innocent
purchasers. In this way he succeed
ed in preventing a lifting of nearly
1000 from the treasury of the
county. He challenged any Of his
hearers to ask of his home folks If
ne had defrauded Chesterfield coun-
ty. On the contrary he told how he
had saved his county and state a
great deal OF money.
Mr.. Stevenson stated that his
ideas concerning the conduct of both
state and national affairs were much
the same, his policy being to give
the people the most you can for the
money-efficient service which will
build up and not tear down" Dur
ing his service in the legislature he
had done everything possible to help
the public schools of South Caro-
lima. Up to 1896, he said, there was
no appropriation for public schools.
He had helped vote 100000 every
year for public schools since he had
been in the legislature, besides as
sisting in various other educational
work. Among the many investiga-
tions whiSh he. had brought about
by resolutions introduced in the
investigate the status of the state
sinking fund, and another to investi-
gate conditions at the state peniten-
tiary, where the then superintendent
was known as Warwick, the king
maker" in South Carolina, which
latter resulted in the finding that
thousands of dollars had been mis-
appropriated and also in the convic.
tion Of the "kingmaker," who was
afterwards pardoned by a merciful
governor.
The old state dispensary was the
next stencil in my nostrils," said
the speaker. 1t was so firmly in.
trenched in South Carolina that no
one would venture to assafI Il. But
believing it was rotten to the core, he
introduced a resolution in the house
% look into the conduct OF its az.
fairs. The state asked him to act as
one of its attorneys The liquor
houses with their millions we're be.
hind the fight and they claimed many
thousands of dollars of indebtedness
against the state. but the litigation
after going through all the state
courts and the United States courts
resulted In the turning back into the
: treasury of the state OF South Caro-
lima, the net amount OF $500, 900
exclusive of all costs. Some politi.
ans wanted this fund to be divert.
cd to this. that and the other pur.
pose, but I introduced bill in the
house, which passed and became a
law, to set this aside for the foster
ing OF the common schools, believing
that the money should go to the in.
nocent children who had suffered