The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-06-14
ths nomnauon. which no declares he
hadnft sought and didn't want.

haduft sought and didn't want.
Col. Roosevelt says he Is out of pol.
itics. Perhaps he will stay out. since
he was put out by the Republicans
when he was not expecting It. A few
years ago he voluntarily announced
that he was out Of politics and would
nsver again be candidate for Presi-
dent, but he has been in politics ever
since and has been chronic candi-
date. He 10 10 consistently inconsistent
that one never knows what to expect
Of him.
Lieut.. Gov. A. ]. Bethea announces
his candidacy for reelection in a char,
acteristic and unconsciously humor-
Gus pronunciamento. This phrase
from his statement Of beliefs and
principles IL delicious. coming from
an srstwhile Ford Peace-at-any-price
Pilgrim: "A fresh and devoted 10y.
atty to the cause OF Democracy under
the militant and matchless leadership
OF woodrow Wilson," Can you beat
nf y
Lieut. Gov. Bethea also makes pub.
lic the fact that partial friends have
urged me to Offer for the high once
OF governor" and that he has turned
q deaf ear to their importunities and
IL seductive lure Of .yaulting ambi-
tiess ahls announcsmsat VIII doubt
ls 80 Aaln to the. slatrmed souls Of
ManaIaer Cooper. BIsass. DesChamps
and John +. Duncan. and as welcome
news TO them a. was John L. McLau-
rims decision not to run for lieutenant
governor to Mr.. Bothea.
90
The indications are that Col.
Roosevelt will bluntly refuse to lead
the foriorn hope Of tho Bull Moose
and viii leave others to conduct the
funeral Of that ill-favored political
beast a. they see fit and without his
assistance. Col. Roosevelt 10 above
all political opportunist and has. no
stomach for the role Of star actor In >
farce. He played all his high cards
before and during the Chicago con-
ven4tsl snd when the, Old Guard. Re-
paeleaae turned him down cold, not
sNn treating his eleventh. hour sug-
saGnn' % Senator Lodge seriously. he
Realised that he was Z, dead cock In
the pit. He 10 down and out a. q
political; leader and prophet and in
his present mood Of disallusionment
ana rancor Will neither run himself
NOR help Hughes. He 10 awake 1t
aast to the fact that no considerable
Sloxt Of the American people, xagard,
him - the srsatsst of. AL Amsricans---
the peopas refuss e. accept himsat his
own estimate. The people are In no,
mood for rhock heroic and the blatant
tSpe Of Office ecker repels instead of
att lem. Wilson fills the pub
lic the politically wise Of tho
old line r-publicans have picked
Judge Hughes az the nearest approach
to the Wilson type Of man that they
had In the party. Hughes is an able
man. clean. safe. conservative and
with no record or entanglements with
in recent years to embarrass him.
He u q high pfotectionist and will
stand with the interests, financial and
otherwise, that Nave controlled the
policies Of the Republican party. His
managers win have no trouble in rails
ing AL the funds needed to finance the
cadQn1rm. He Ia not the sort Of man
the bS6uss would have selected II they
hsa the country by the neck as they
haA whom Mark Hanna was in his
pr1kss. but he is the strongest candi-
date they could have selected to op-
pose Wilson, for he is one of the
ablest and most respected men in the
Republican party. The Wilson ad-
has forced the Republican
besssa to offer the best they could
find I'm opposition to Wilson.