The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-14
ILAuRENS GREETS DIAL.
RECEIVES WARM WELCOME IN
HOME COUNTY.
Benet and Pollock Make Good Ad-
dresses for Senate Seat-Rice Rum
ming as 'BObtail.'

ming as "Bobtail.'
Laurens, Aug. 1.-THE senatorial
campaign meeting here today was
tame in comparison with that held in
Newberry yesterday. The meeting
here was attended by between 500 and
700 voters, who seemed to be unanl-
nous in their support of the pro-ad-
ministration candidates. No semblance
Of Bleaseism was evident. If the eX-
governor had any followers in the
audience they remained quiet and in
different.
Laurens is the home OF \. 3. Dial
and the voters gave him a hearty well
come He utilized only about 10 min
utes of his apportioned time. The
people were urged to register that
they might be prepared for any event
uality. Blease and the Charleston
American were contending that Blease
was the natural successor of the late
Senator Tillman. During the cam
paign prior to his death, Mr.. Tillman
each day had sent a letter to the
county chairman in which he said 1t
would be a disgrace to send such a
man as Blease to the United States
senate after the Pomaria and Filbert
speeches.
s. Mark Twain had remarked when he
first saw the ocean, s.'Well, it's a sue
cess" Mr.. Dial was pleased to report
that his campaign was a success
wherever he had been and he greatly
appreciated the commendable letters
the people of Laurens county had been
sending throughout the State in behalf
of his candidacy. Whether elected or
not, he would always be grateful for
this.
James Francis Rice contended that
the fact that he was a bachelor
should not debar him from the Unit,
ed States senate He promised, though,
if elected, to get married. Il will cross
the Rubicon and take unto myself a
BRIDE" he said. Some of the boys in
Anderson had regarded his candidacy
as a joke, but he was as ''sure to win
as Bobtail,'' the race horse, the worthy
example of which he says he's emu
lating. "In this race I am Bobtail, !"
Mr.. Rice concludes his speech each
day.
Senator Benet made another good
address today and was generously an-
plauded by his audience. Tom Peoples
had jumped out of the governors race
into the short term race and had
stayed just 80 minutes after Poi
lock and I put him on the rack. y
Senator Benet said. Peoples was like
the man who had climbed up into 4
tree and caught a coon and was now
shouting for Gods sake come here
and help me to turn it loose. MI.
Benet explained in detail the govern
ment cotton holding corporation to fix
a price below which cotton shall rot
be allowed to drop and also to pur-
chase all distress cotton that will have
to be sold He was not welded 20
this. It was the best plan SO far sus-
gesteG. If a better suggestion could
be offered he was prepared to SUP
port that.
Mr.. Benet told the voters that the
Charleston American could not be
trusted Each member Of its editorial
staff had been involved one way or
another with questions Of disloyalty
or issues pertaining to the fealty OF
the party, he said.
Blease had made his s'own medi-
cine" which was now so nauseatlnS
to him. The use of the word Amer
cia in connection with the Charleston
American was q disgrace and was be
ing used as mere camoullage.
w p. Pollock also had many friends
in Laurens Mr. Benet, he said, had
lracticed law in n sllyscraper and had
revei walked down n cotton row. The
C!ieraw candidate was plain. practl-
cal farmer and he thought in fixing
the minimum price for cotton this
should be reclloned on cost plus rea-
sonable profit" basis To be sending
abroad the message that an over crop
of cotton would be produced this
year would be playing into the game
of the bears in depressing the mar
ket
The eyes of South Carolina were on
Laurens county today just as the
eyes of the nation were on South car
olina and the eyes of the world on the
United States. L.aurens had two cit
izens aspiring to the highest offices
in the gift of the people. Both DlaI
and Cooper had been received with
enthusiasm throughout the Safe and
the people knew if the two were
elected. the State would be wcll rep
resented Further discussing the cot
ton question. Mr. Pollock said he went
TO Washington four years ago on a