The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-05-16
BLEASE DELEGATES
WILL HOLD CAUCUS
To Meet in Columbia on Eve Of State
Convention and Make N0mi-
nations.
News and Courier.

News and Courier
Columbia, May 13.-The Blease
DELEGATES in the State convention will
meet in caucus in Columbia on Tues
day night preceding the convention
for the purpose of selecting nomI-a-
tions for the various Offices to be fill
ed bv the convention and to pass on
the platform of their candidate for
governor. The name of Gen. Willie
Jones. of Columbia. will be proposed
for State chairman, and candidates
vii also be presnted for president
and other positions which will be
filed.
This information was obtained here
today from authoritative sources.
The caucus will be called at a desig-
mated place and this faction will con-
slider plans for the approaching cam
paign.
among other nominations to be
presented by this caucus to the con-
vention will be the Democratic ma
tional committeeman from this State
for the place now held by United
States Senator B. R. Tillman, but they
want someone whom they do not con-
slider partisan. For the same reason
they will presnt Gen. Willie Jones
for State chairman, as they do not
want John Gary Uv"ns.
1t is not likely that the Blease men
. will make any nominations for dele
gates to the national convention.
Seventy or Eighty.
The best information obtainaole is
that there are between seventy and
eighty B1ease delegates among the
membership of the State convention.
It is thought that Solicitor Cooper
will have about the same number,
and if this is the case the. Manning
ties will fan short of majority. How
ever, another estimate gives Cover
nor Manning over 200 of the 33S dele
gates, which would insure his control
tof the convention. If the Cooper and
Blease delegations combined control
there may be some surprises in the
positions to be filed.
State Chairman John Gary Evans
will be nominated for reelection, and
so will Senator Tillman. When Gen.
,.Wilie Jones is nominated against
Governor Evans and some man is
placed in nomination then the stand
of the convention on the issue will
be made straight between Blease and
anti-Blease, the latter will control.
The fight on Senator Tillman and
State Chairman Evans will make the
proceedings of the convention inter
esting. Undoubtedly the Blease fol-
lowers will also oppose Representa-
tive T. P. Cothran and W. P. Pollock
for president of the convention. If
Manning does not have a majority
then the Cooper contingent will de-
eide the issue by whichever way they
vote.
McLaUriHsS Plan.
1t looks as if the request of the
warehousemen for an hour to be al
lowed to Senator John L. McLaurin at
each of the campaign meetings IS
doomed. Former Governor Cole. L.
Blease stated today in response to a
direct question that he was opposed
to allowing any man to speak who
was not candidate, and he favored
this rule being followed strictly. He.
did not call Senator McLaurin by
name, but stated emphatically that
he was opposed to any such request,
and said his influence would be
against it. If the Blease caucus goes
against this request from the ware
housemen-and that they will do so
lis quite likely-it is not thought there
will be very much fighting over this
proposition in the conFenton, which
would mean that Senator McLaurin
would be forced to run for lieutenant
governor If he wants to speak and
have only the same time allowed the
other lieutenant gubernatorial candi-
dates.
Former Governor Blease said II
anybody other than a regular candi-
date wants to speak at the campaign
meetings he didn't see why they