The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-08-19
OFFICE SEEKERS IN
PIEDMONT SECTION
CANDIDATES FOR STATE OF
FIcEs FIND MANY CROSS
WIRES.
THEY PUT IN A FULL WEEK
Speak in Winnsboro, Chester, Lancas-
ter, YorkvIIIe, Gaffney and Spar.
tanburg.-Little Excitement.


The first week in the Piedmont in
the travels Of the candidates for state
offices brought out a number of wires
laid crosswise in the race for gov
ernor. Attacks and counter attacks
of a more or less damaging character
were developed and laid before the
people for consideration. These at
lacks were induced primarily because
of the supposed action and DEGREES
of the so-called elimination confer
ences that were held in Columbia and
because of what has been termed the
"elimination editorial" appearing in
a Columbia newspaper more than a
week ago.
In short, the newspaper favored
Robert A. Cooper, Richard l.. Manning
and John G. Clinkscales, in the order
named, as its candidates on which
the anti-Blease votes in the State
should be concentrated. AS a result
Of this, attacks have been directed
against the public records Of these
three candidates by the three other
anti Blease candidates, Lowndes J.
Browning, Charles A. Smith and Men
del L. Smith. This has furnished the
main theme during the past week.
The elimination. conferences have
been e]xcoriated by Mr.. Browning,
who charged that Mr.. Manning and
Mr.. Cooper were present at the meet
ing Of the first conference. Mr.. Coop
or replied that he went there to op-
nose the scheme Of elimination and
Mr.. Manning said that neither he nor
any of his friends acting under his re-
quests had anything to do with the
meeting. No less bitter in attack have
been the speeches Of Charles A.
Smith, who in presenting his own can
didacy not only attacks the editorial
policy Of the newspaper but prefers
charges against the three men chosen.
This disruption among the anti-ad-
ministration candidates has found a
parallel no less striking in the com
bined attacks of Charles Carroll Sims,
William C.. 1rby, Jr., and John B. Ad-
ger Mutually, Blease candidates, on
John G. Richards, who is also a friend
of Gov. Blease. Mr.. Simms at the
Charleston meeting two weeks ago be-
gan his attack on Mr.. Richards and
has kept in I'D continuously since. He
has taken Mr.. Richards to account
for his political affiliations. He con-
-tcT.s rlaC Nj. RiJhards~fs It friend
of Senator Ben Tillman, Mr.. Con
zales, editor of The State, and Gov.
Ansel, all enemies of Gov. Blease, for
whom Mr.. Richards now voices the
ties Of friendship. NOW, amt he a
daisy?" eloquently questions Mr..
Sinms as a conclusion to his trade.
Mr.. Simms, however, does not con-
fine his attacks to this one side of
his opponents record. He charges
that Mr.. Ricahrds is "a great seeker
of majorities" because of his changing
views on the liquor question. At one
time, says Mr.. Simms. Mr.. Richards
was a dispensaryite; four years ago
he was a prohibitionist and in the
present campaign he advocates local
ontion. "Fe is a chameleon" de-
clares Mr.. Simms, "for his hues are SO
varied"
Though Richard I. Manning at the
Orangeburg meeting week before last
injected the question of Bleaseism the
other anti@administration candidates
continues to ply at the issue of law
enforcement with an excoriation of
the injudicious use of the pardoning
power. Mr.. Manning maintains that
the present administration has made
Of South Carolina a State disgraced."
He villifes the pardon record Of the
governor and argues that it Is the
basic reason Of the disregard for law.
More eloquent in this attack are the
speeches of Mendel L. Smith.
At the Spartanburg meeting last
Saturday an interesting example Of
the opinion of the people was shown.
Before an audience Of several hundred
persons Mr.. Smith took a hand pri-
mary on the comparative safety of
life in this state at the present time
and two Or four years ago. Only six
persons held up their hands in the
honest belief that life is as safe now
as four years ago and all other hands
in the audience were upheld in sup
port Of the negative side.
Mr.. Simms has continued his attacks
on Richard l. Manning during the past
week for being the one that though he
cried peace, peace" was yet the first
to- inject the factional issue into the
race for governor. Mr.. Manning has
stated in reply that though he wants
no factionalism yet he realizes that
the defeat of Bleaseism, '"the para
mount issue of the campaign" will
alone insure peace and harmony to
the state in the years to come.
While these wires Of gubernatorial
candidates have crossed in tt.a great
est profusion the issues of enforcement
of law and compulsory education con-
tinue to hold the forefront Of the
stage in the consideration of construc-
-