The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-03-05
FIGHT TO CONTROL CONVENTION
Storm Clouds Indicate Trouble fol
May Goth.

Columbia, March 2.-The storm
clouds are gathering for tremen-
dous struggle to control the DEM
ocratic State Convention, which as
sembles in Columbia on the third
Wednesday in May. Conservatives
and radicals, and other of the So
called factions of the Democratic
party are laying plans to capture the
State Convention which carries with
it the control of the primary election
machinery.
Realizing that the contest for the
United States senatorship will be a
titanic struggle, followers of the gov
ernor have banded administration
supporters of both branches of the
general assembly into a compact or.
ganization and administration meas
ures have received the undivided
support of the minority in both
houses. A regular organization of
the governors legislators has been
maintained and frequent caucuses
have taken place to determine the
| course the administration minority
would follow. Resulting from this un-
derstanding the vetoes of the COVER
nor in the house have invariably
been sustained, except in two minor
| instances, when the caucus did not
| bind it's members. Several vetoes
met death in the house the past week,
the solid vote Of the governors
minority preventing the necessary
two-thirds to override the veto.
The administration minority in the
senate is not sufficient to sustain
veto. The majority against the gov
ernor there is over two-thirds.
Plans for Club Meetings.
Well satisfied with the results OF
their action in the legislative session
now drawing to close, the COVER
nor's followers are planning for the
Democratic club meetings, which take
place the fourth Saturday night IN
April. At these meetings the clubs
are reorganized and delegates select
ed for the various county conven-
tions, which meet the first of May, at
which time delegates from the var
ious counties are chosen to the State
Convention and the members of the
State executive committee elected.
The control of the club meetings
is the all-important thing; for OBJ
viously that will insure control of
the majority of the county conven-
tions, and through that the State
Convention and the State commit
tee. This is the fight and to this end
the administration forces are now
directing their efforts. Already the
cry has been sent forth to the fol-
lowers of the governor to organize
and control the club meetings.
Smith Men Not Idle.
But while the supporters of Sena-
tor E. D. Smith are not talking they
are far from being idle. There Is
enough surface indications to show
that the governor is going to face
the fight of his career for further
political honors. The doctrine of an
administration is being spread
| through the length and breadth "
the State and everywhere his op-
ponents are preparing for the club
| meetings and the county and State
conventions. They propose, if posi-
Bile, to again control the State Con-
yention and the election machinery
and will go into the fight behind
Senator Smith to retrieve the defeat
of 1912 and if possible wipe Blease-
ism from the policitcal map of the
State. Not talk, but work, is the
motto. as it is evident from surface
indications.
| Unless SlouS dIS m1oiSooiaS' e1ANSAN
er factor will have to be reckoned
with in the fight for the senatorial
toga. Former Governor John Gary
Evans, it is believed, is considering
going into the fight, and his friends
aver that his entrance would drive
a wedge right across the chasm be-
tween the governors and Smith $
forces and make new faction out OF
portions of both and present ones.
They say it will be an Evans faction
made up of voters from both admins
trative and anti-administratlVe
camps and that it will be>a formlda-
BILE wedge.
Stevenson a Power.
Then it would not surprise politl-
cal observers to witness still another
entrant into this race in the person
of Representative w. F. Stevenson,
of Cheraw. In fact, Mr.. Stevenson
has told friends in the past few days
that he is considering entering the