The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-08-14
GOVERNOR LEADS
AUTO PROCESSION
A VERY ENTHUSIASTIC BLEASE
CROWD At FLORENCE
Jennings and Pollock Make Their
Usual SpeecheS-Blease At
tackS Smith.
News and Courier.

News and courier.
florence, Aug. 11-SupporterS OF
Governor Blease trom Florence and
several adjoining counties united to-
DAY and gave their candidate probably
the biggest demonstration he has re-
ceived since the opening of the cam
paign for tae United States senate.
l. was stated here that the Blease
leaders in this section had for week
or more been working to make today's S
campaign meeting pretty much of a
Blease rally, and if such was the case
their efforts were successful to the ex-
tent cf at least dividing the crowd
with the anti-Bleaseites. 1t was evil
dent, however, that Of the purely
Florence county portion Of the audi
ence, a majority was not for the gov
ernor.
in opening the meeting State Sena-
tor Joseph W. McCown, the county
chairman asked his 'ffellow Democrats
of Florence and neighboring counties"
to give each speaker a respectful
hearing.
Senator Smith, first, and Governor
Blease, second, spoke to between 1000
ann $500 but the time Mayor L. D.
Jennings was introduced the governor
had departed, about one-third of the
crowd following him. Quite scatter
ing of Bleaseites, however, remained
and heard the governors record lam
basted by Messrs Jennings and Pol
lock. It was said that during the
speeches of these two candidates sew
eral of the red badge wearers were
seen to remove their crimson en-
blems.
Blease Arrives.
Governor Blease arrived on the
stand few minutes before the chair
man raped for order. He came to the
meeting at the head Of procession
OF a dozen or more automobiles, all
decorated with banners inscribed,
Florence County for Cole. L. Blease.'
A great many Of the anti-Blease
men wore white ribbon and white cot
ton blooms.
The crowd at times was quite noisy,
due, perhaps to the fact that the dis
pensaries were open awhile this morn
ing. There was no real disorder, how
ever, and so far as could be learned no
arrests were made.
Meeting Opened.
The meeting was held in the grounds
of the Dargan street central school.
State Senator J. w. McCown, the
county chairman, in calling the meet
ing to order addressed the crowd as
fellows Democrats of Florence and
neighporing counties" The Rev. R. T
Gillespie, of the First Presbyterian
church, offered prayer.
Senator E. D. Smith, the first speak
er, was received with applause, min
gled with cheers for the governor. The
senator said he desired to let his
friends know the physical condition lnu
which he found himself as result of
his hurried trip to Washington and
return without missing a campaign
meeting. The senator then told the
crowd about the conference in Wash
ington Sunday, when the matter OF
government aid in the present cotton
crisis was discussed. He told Of his
efforts to have federal funds sent to
the small banks in the South to be
lent to the farmer, with cotton as
collateral. He declared he would
rather be instrumental in relieving
present conditions than be returned
to the United States senate, if it
came to a choice.
Held His Cotton.
The senator was asked what he had
done with his cotton when he was ad-
vising other to hold He declared he
had held his and that the man who
stated otherwise was ga dirty liar"
At this point there was IN attempt
by some of the Bleaseites to interrupt
the senator, when Sheriff Thomas S.
Rurch interviewed, asking that the
crowd maintain order and give each
candidate a respectful hearing. To
one man who tried to interrupt him,
the senator said, "if you had as much
brains as mcuUh you'd take that red
badge off" This started more noise,
the sheriff again pleading for order
and asking the would-be disturbers
to "act like white men,