The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1916-01-12
LOOKING AHEAD.

but q great deal Of discussion is
nevertheless going on as to politi-
cal cventualties in South Carolina
during the new year soon to be born
The summer of 1916 will see us
again in the throcs OF statewide
political upheaval for the selection
of State, County and Congressional
officers.
Very naturally the interest centres
| most generally in the choice of the
State officials, yet there is no dearth
| OF interest in the prospect for a live
| ~ miN-up in several Of the Congress
sional Districts. including. perhaps,
the Sixth, while the local county
campaign is most likely to be the
livcst proposition of its kind thai
Florence County has ever experienced.
From nowhere in particular bu
| pcrvading the all nevertheless with a
| persistence that suggests some in
! spircd origin there comes ever and
anon the intimation that Governor
| Manning will not be permitted to
! take his seat for the proverbial second
one term without struggle Former
Governor Blcasc has openly avowcd
| his purpose OF contcsting with the
present incumbent the coveted
place. While persistent rumor credits
Mr.. Cooper With the intention OF
| tossing his hat in the ring. Mr..
| BlcaSc'S declaration lacks somewhat
Of the fire of enthusiasm that usually
accompanies his promulgations and
it is possible that his essay is more
to keep him III the public eye than
to press his claims for Mr.. Man
ning's seat 1t is just as likely that
he may step aside, throwing his in
fuence to some other candidate
anyone save Manning groom
himself for the contest for Senator
Tillman's togo four years hence.
But Blease is an astutc politician.
He finds himself confronted with
the two horns of a very serious di-
| lemna, and his realization Of his am
bition to sit in the halls of the
mighty in Washington will depend
very strongly upon his ability to Sc
lcct the one that leads on to victory
rather than that which bcckons but
to defeat. If he himself stays in the
race for Governor he stakes all on the
result at the August polls. Defeat
then would mean defeat in the Scna
toral race four years hence. 1t mat
tcrs not whether Blcasc should go
down before either Manning or some
other candidate say Cooper. Doubt
less he would be in the second race
with one or the other, but that he
| could win on the second primary
against either Is extremely profile
mntical. At the same time to permit
Manning to go back to Columbia would
be to invite very formidable contest
for Mr.. Blcasc in the 1918 race for the
senate. 1t, therefore, seems on the
boards that Blease is just as likely to
keep out OF the next campaign and
throw his influence against Manning
as that he will go in. His chief con-
Germ will be to defeat Manning be-
cause Manning represents the very
antithesis OF Blcasc and Blcaseism.
But If both he and Cooper should
come in? This contingency will pre-
sent many complications. Blcase
would undoubtedly poll enough votes to
go into the second primary-thc 9TH
crs would be divided between the law
and order candidates. There can be
little doubt that Manning would have
the advantage over Cooper for the
force of tradition combined with the
force OF already complete organization
would be difficult to overcome. 1t must
be remembered that Cooper and Man
ning's PLATFORM must be the same. The
question will be one strictly Of men
|
| Cooper has no advantage. Manning
has played the part and acted the man
Such mistakes as he has made have
been mistakes of judgment and not OF
purpose. Cooper would, therefore
have to convince the people that he
was the better man and this Sc cannot
| do
The only hope for Cooper would be
In the case that Blease should stay out
OF the race-then he would get the
Blease influence land he beholdcn to
Blease in the Senatorial race in 1879
But there would be another situa-
ton created by Cooper's and Bleases
Joint entrance into the lists against
Manning 1t would be this: If Man
ming should win over Cooper then hav-
ing opposed Manning primarily Coop
cr's friends Will logically go over to
Bleasc. If, on the contrary, Cooper
should win over Manning in the first
go round there would be felt grca,
deal Of resentment on the part of Man
ning's friends and the likelihood is
that many would go to Blcasc thus in
crcaSing the possibility OF his election
over Cooper.
If then Mr.. Cooper and his friends
sincerely hope for and are patriotic
enough TO work for the final defeat %
| IlcaSc and the triumph OF the prnc-
| ManningS side in 1914 he must sink
| his ambition and work to assure Man
ning'S second term This would
strengthen Coopcr's chances TO be
elected Governor two years later. II