The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-07-26
|elHPl!lNEls IT lIleEllND.
GATHERING ON FRIDAY QUITE
DIFFERENT FROM SESSION
OF TWO YEARS AGO.
Crowd Orderly and Attentive-Bas-
kct Dinner is Served Candidates
Receive Laberal Applause.

I
campaign meeting was called to order
by w. A. Sauls. county chairman. at
IL o'clock today under the large
spreading oaks on tho high school
grounds. The Rsv. ]. M. Sullivan
opened the meeting with prayer. The
crowd was jolly and each candidate
received respectful attention. Judging
from tho cheering the crowd was
mostly Blease, with Manning and
Cooper tied for second place. The
meeting today wat marked contrast
to the meeting here'two years ago,
when free-for-all Aght was indulsed
In while Attorney General Peoples was
speaking.
The first speaker was ID. w. McLau-
rim. candidate for State Treasurer. s.
7. Carter. the Incumbent. was late in
larrivins from Beaufort and lost his
pincs. on the programme.
For Secretary OF state George w,
lwlehtnaan and w. Bank, Dove spoke
and were well received
+ for railroad commissioners the
caHdidatss spoke in the following or
der: 5 Mossrs. Thrower, rant. Cansler,
Kelly and Hampton.
Lieut Gov. Bethea defended the
Ford peace expedition to Europe
pleaded for harmony and urged that
factionalisn be abolished. His op.
poncnt. DR.. Adams. was late in ar.
irving apd did not make any speech
John r. Duncan spoke. &
Gov. Manning was the next speaker
He stated that the paramount issue
before tho people Is the enforcement
and respect for law and order; that 4
must be respected. and would be re-
spected II he was re-elected governor
as Il had been done during his pres
ont administratidn. He discussed the
tax situation. the improvement at the
asylpin. and told at length what h,
had done 70 relieve the suffering o.
its inmates. He was freely api,lauded
4 a, Al cosper was ths next speaker
'tz5ss TSss5d aaf Che JxeiHnins that II
was in,the race solely on his own mer
Its and not at the solicitation Of an.
man or party OF men. He urged tha
the farmers use every effort to develop
their agricultural resources. He SAID
he favored the State supervising tn,
system Of warehouses. He ended hi.
speech with a plea for education, ant
stated that he was in favor Of de-
nominational colleges being allowed al
equal showing with State colleges
where free tuition was concerned. Mr.
Cooper was loudly applauded.
Ex-Gov. Blease next spoke. He ar
rived from Beaufort about three min
utes before his time to speak. II,
spoke fayorably Of the State ware
house system. advocated a rural cred
1t system, per cent. interest and bien
nial sessions Of the legislature. H,
criticised the creation of new offices
and characterized the present admin
istration as being the most lawles
and extravagant in the history of tn,
State. He closed his speech with a de
fence Of his pardon record. He wa,
applauded frequently during his spec,
applauded frequently during hi
speech and received an ovation at tn,
conclusion.
]. M. Deschamps was the las
speaker. He pleased the crowd with
his witty remarks and unusual cam
paign speech.
A basket dinner was served on tn,
grounds to the crowd, estimated from
seven hundred to one thousand.