Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-08-07
CANDIDATES At YORKVILLE.
State Campaign Meeting Draws Big
Crowd.
MANY SPEAKERS ADDRESS VOTERS.
Audience Behaves Nicely But Some OF
the Candidates Act Usly-Evidenees
of Partisanship; but Little or No
Hecklins-Brief Summaries OF What
The Different Sneakers Had to Say.

F1CCkllnS-oFlCI -
the Different Speakers Had to Say.
The state campaigners held forth m
Yorkville yesterday from 1890 a. m,
until nearly p. m, and during almost
five hours repeated to a York county
audience their respective stories as
they have been repeating them to the
people of the various counties Of the
state since the middle Of June.
The meeting was held at the same
place Of the previous county campaign
meetings Of the summer, under the
oaks in the rear Of the graded school
building. There were about 25e peo-
ple present when the meeting was
called to order and along about noon
the crowd had increased to seven or
eight hundred. There were present
quite a number Of ladies, few from
the country, but most OF them from
the town.
The crowd was good natured and Or
derly, and was evidently bent on CIV
ing all the speakers close and courteous
attention. There was no interruption
except when the speakers began to
show evidence Of unmistakable paru-
sanship, and this generally provoked
demonstrations were confined to
friendly applause for different favor
ties.
There was one scrap and one near
scrap. Mr.. Willis, candidate for ad-
jutant general, took occasion to de-
nounce his opponent, General Moore, as
a falsifier, and General Moore repled
with a blow, which was returned.
Friends Of Mr.. Willis rushed In, the
police interfered and in a few mo.
ments II was all over except a lot OF
talk usual to such incidents. Later,
when Mr.. Kelly was giving his opinion
of the man who charged him with law
lessness, Mr.. Bethea bristled up and
moved forward as II he wanted to start
something, but the chairman restrain
ed him and nothing happened.
Thomas F. mellow, Esq, presided
over the meeting In the absence OF w.
w. Lewis, the county chairman, and
music was furnished by the Tirzah
band.
A. w. Jones.
Hon. A. w. Jones, candidate for re-
election to the office Of comptroller
general, was the first Of the long list OF
candidates addressing the voters. He
had been comptroller general twelve
years. He reviewed his early political
claimed to have reduced the expense OF
collecting taxes. He had found that
the banks Of the state were lodging
their taxes and had worked to remedy
the evil. His opponent, Mr.. Summer
sett, had been promoted from member
ship on the board Of pardons to MEM
bership on the asylum board. AS
member of the latter board Mr.. Sum
mersett had found a way to give build
ing contracts to his brother and his
son. The speaker said he was running
for an office which was even more
important one than the gubernatorial
chair. The equalization boards OF
the various counties were not doing
their duty, since they did not make
fair assessment Of the taxes. The rich
er a man was, the less he had to pay.
In conclusion he said he treated all
alike and allowed no factionalism to
enter into the conduct Of his trust.
James A. Sunnnersett.
Mr.. Summersett said he was glad to
see evidences Of local pride among the
audience by the manner in which they
appeared to be supporting the York
candidates in the race. He. too, had
some claim on the people OF York
county, because he formerly lived at
Catawba Junction. There Is no funny
business going on at the asylum now,
he said. DR.. Strait, native OF Lam g..
caster county, is in charge. He Is a
good man and Is successfully man
aging the institution. Comptroller
General Jones had given 100000 in
surance business Of the state to his
own son-in-law, he charged Mr.. Jones
was attacking the equalization boards
Of the state, because he advocated the
doing away with local self-government
and centralizing this government In
Columbia. No matter who you elect,
don't ever place all the power OF taxa
ton in one mans hands. Long terms
in office mean that the officer will be-
come obsessed Of the idea that he was
greater than the people he represented.
Then it's time to make change. The
speaker charged that Comptroller Cen
eral Jones had not imposed penalties
on delinquent taxpayers in Edgefield
county. Mr.. Summersett also charged
Mr.. Jones with bonding state officials
in a bonding company which he con-
trolled. He could go into no further
details because his time was up. Mr..
Jones' time would be up August rs, he
said.
Capt. M. c. Willis.
Capt. M. C.. Willis Of Yorkville, a
candidate for adjutant and inspector
general, said 1t was not customary for
a candidate to speak in his home town.
At Barnwell. General Moore's home
town, the general had violated the pre-
cedent, and had even attacked him.
For this reason, therefore, he would
address his own people. General
Moore has said that he handled the
truth lightly. Yet you, my fellow
citizens who know me know I have
handed down a record for honesty and
integrity to my children. And / will
tell any man who says my word is not
as good as my bond, that he tells a
falsehood as black as any which ever
eminated from the depths Of hell" At
this Cen. Moore who was on the stand
arose from his seat. and as he was ad-
vancing to striking distance Of the
speaker, asked: DO you mean that
to apply to me?' Yes replied
Mr. Willis, nodding his head in the
affirmative. General Moore then
struck Mr.. Willis In the face, and Mr..
Willis landed a counter blow on the
face Of Mr.. Moore There was a clinch,
the sheriff and police took hand, and
the two combatants were parted before
a number Of friends Of Mr. Willis who
were rushing forward, could get on the
stand In reply to challenging epithets
that were being hurled at him from
safe distance, Gen. Moore said: Let
them come on, all Of them, and I'll take
them one at a time as long as last"
After the miXup Mr.. Willis conclud-
ed his speech by reading an affidavit
from b. f. Smith to the effect that Gen.
Moore had stated at the last inspection,
that the Yorkville company was one OF
the best in the state.
w. w. Moore.
When General Moore arose to speak,
Capt. Willis requested Of the audience
that he be given quiet and respectful
hearing. The request was not complied
with wholly, however. General Moore
apologized for the fight incident and
said he did not think there was man
in the audience who would not have
acted as he did, under the circumstan-
ces. He charged Captain Willis with
being responsible for the trouble lead
ing up to the incident, and said that
Willis had charged at Marion
and Conway that he (Gen. Moore), had
secured the endorsements from officers
Of the National Guard by improper
methods. Yet the matter had not come
to a head, he declared, until Captain
Willis had gotten to Yorkville, where
he was surrounded by his friends. The
speaker, who appeared somewhat ex-
cited, said he would tackle any Of these
L., II, hn nd