The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-08-08
weak CANDIDATES MAD.
CHARLES AND MENDEL SMITH
AND BROWNING FEAR ELM
NATION.
AL Take q Shot ut Manning-Aspir-
ants for State Offices Heard by
About Six Hundred at Winnsboro.

/ s" AOH cs0sc OuCcS TtcurO Dy
About Six Hundred at Winnsboro.
i Winnsboro, Aug 3.-Attacks on the
elimination movement by c. A. Smith,
M. l.. Smith and l.. j. Browning fea-
tured the meeting here today. While
six hundred people listened. these
three scored the elimination scheme.
They took shots at r. l. Manning and
said they would not be eliminated ex-
cept by the vote Of the people on Au-
gust rs. Especially was Mr.. Brown
Ing severe on those who started the
elimination plan.
| Chas. A. Smith, opening the speak
Ing for governor. said a few gentle-
men long on patriotism but short on
political Judgment" had a conference
for the purpose Of eliminating certain
candidates. but that he had entered
the race on his own initiative and he
would not withdraw at the dictation
or any set Of men. He attacked the
Columbia afternoon paper for "setting
Itself up as the censor Of the Demo-
cratic party" and asked the three men
who 1t advised the people to concen-
trate on for governor whether they
were on the side of the classes or tho
masses. He went into the political
history Of the Columbia afternoon pa
per and asked II one of the candidates
selected by this dictator" had always
stood where he stands now on local
option compulsory education. attack.
Ing him for being inconsistent on this
point.
Il come here also to resent the ac-
ton Of the editor Of the Columbia
Record In rushing out to dictate to
the people whom they should vote
for.' said Mendel l.. Smith, charging
that he did not have the manhood TO
come out and support one but suggest
ell three" He told the people nc
would not be the candidate Of any
clique or faction. or newspaper" AMI
told the people they were the ones to
do the eliminating. He termed the at
tempt at elimination as an attack on
the liberties Of the people. He at
tackled the position Of Mr.. Manning on
the compulsory education issue. saying
he had voted In the general assembly
several times for Statewide compul-
sorry education and had now switched
to local option compulsory education.
His promise to use the pardoning
power sparingly brought applause. get
ting cheers when he closed.
Il am another one Of these candi-
dates who have been eliminated"
said Lowndes j. Browning. He said
he and the other five anti Blease men
had received letter from a group of.
men. either bankers or men whom
the banks had strings on" proposing
to eliminate all but one Of the anti
blease men. He stated that the six
at meeting in Walterboro decided
not to attend the conference, but when
1t was held in the Jefferson Hotel in
Columbia Manning and Cooper spent
an hour and a half In the lobby and
Followed them to the elevator. He
said the call Of the Aiken delegation
FOR the conference last Friday was sent
out by the campaign manager for one
OF the candidates. who was In Aiken
at the time" He said he had been
eliminated by this coterie of bank
ers." which he denounced as ring
rule" and said he was not the candi-
date OF any clique or faction Or news
paper. and he proposed to leave the
matter to the people. and IL defeated
would take his medicine. He assailed
the Columbia Record In vigorous terms
for Its advice to the anti-Blease men
to concentrate their votes on Cooper.
Manning and Clinkscales. lie said
the original intention was to centre
on only one candidate, but as he
grew weaker they added two more.
and as he grows weaker they may add
the two Smiths and will be the only
one eliminated" lie excoriated the
owners of the Columbia Record I'm Bit
ter terms and said: IF this ring rule
prevails YOU will see this us the last
primary" He stated that he had al
ways been the friend of the masses
lie was cheered and given flowers
when nc closed.
John q. Clinkscales said he knew
nothing about this unpleasa ntncss"
until he came on the grounds. and he
was running on his motion. and did
not propose to be eliminated unless
the voters did 1t on the 25th, which 81
don't believe they are going to do"
lie then landed into his argument for
| .Iu