The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-07-08
eAMPA|GNERsI N MVBfRRY.
BIG CROWD GATHERS TO HEAR
CANDIDATES MAKE THEIR
SPEECHES.
fCrmer Governor Blease Given Cordial
reception in His Home Town-Can.
dfdates Make Usual Addresses to
Audience.

Newberry, July Before a crowd
OF 5000 people the candidates for
state offices presented their claims for
the various Offices today, winding up
the second week of the county to
county canvass. The crowd was COM
posed largely Of farmers but there
were several of the Blease leaders
present from Greenwood, Abbeville,
Laurens, Anderson, Columbia and
Clarendon county. The audience gave
Former Gov. Cole L. Blease q cordial
reception and several times during
mis- attack on the administration of
Gov. Manning his followers voiced
their approval.
Gov. Manning made a vigorous pre-
sentation Of his administration, telling
OF the laws placed on the statute book
favorable to the farmer and the Ia
boring people. He dwelt at some
length on the law enforcement record
saying that the blind tigers and gamb-
lers had been driven to cover. The
governor took up the work of the
State tax commission and it's efforts
towards equalization of the burdens of
taxation, and then told of the borrow
ing of money to run the affairs of
the State government at per cent. in
terest. the lowest in the history of the
State. He showed the business advan-
tages to the State and the large
amount saved for the taxpayers in
the refunding Of the bonded debt.
Mr.. Manning went into details con-
cerning the reorganization Of the State
Hospital for the Insane, describing the
conditions which he found in that in
stitution when he came into Office as
so horrible as to beggar descrip-
ton" In telling of his intention to
continue his law enforcement policy
the governor said: 'I have no apollo
giles e make fSs apEthipg / ,haye, done
for l did what thought was right
He was given a bouquet OF flowers. e
Former Gov. Blease was greeted
with cheers when he arose to speak.
he at once struck at the administra-
tion Of Gov. Manning. describing it as
the most lawless and extravagant in
the history Of the State. The former
governor claimed that his campaign
had caused Mr. Manning to revoke
the commissions of negro notaries
public. He jumped on the boards
created under the present administra.
ton. He especially assailed the board
OF charities and corrections and the
tax commission and its chairman. A
w. Jones' charging that he paid moth
ing but poll tax "and IS cents of that
ought to be returned" He read O let.
ter from the auditor of Clarendon
county in reference to the return
which Gov. Manning made of his
property in that county, charging that
it was worth very many more times
than the price at which it was return
ed for taxation. Mr.. Blease was pre-
sented with several baskets and
bouquets of flowers and baskets OF
peaches.
Robert A. Cooper followed Mr..
Blease. Several Of the audience had
! left but he went into his suhiect and
soon held their close attention. Mr..
cooper said that he reiterated today
what he said two years ago, that en-
forcement of the law was the para
mount issue of the campaign, that no
people could be a great people and no
State great State unless it was law
abiding. He said that if elected gov
ernOr he would not interfere with the