Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-08-14
CONGRESSMAN BYRNES
RECEIVES OVATION
AT AIKEN.
Meeting Indicates Aiken County
Overwhelmingly for Byrnes,
Notwithstanding Fact That
There Are Two Other Candi-
dates From Same County.

Aiken Court House almost to suffoca-
ton, the candidates for senatorial
and congressional honors from this
congressional district made addresses
here last Thursday.
Mr.. Evans, a son of Edgefeld and
of illustrious forebears, pitched his
address on a high plane. He used no
|Billingate, he limited at no "cuss"
words but spoke in the even. polish
ed tenor of the thoroughbred gen
tleman. He thought Congressman
Byrnes had made a big mistake in
not unfolding the Selective Draft.
The said Selective Draft had done
wonders for America. He recited sew
eral instances of bravery among the
soldiers now in France and stated
that the draft had the effect of MAX
ing good soldiers out of the negroes
as nothing else could have done.
Hon. G. L. Toole followed the
Edgefield speaker.
Mr.. Toole was full of debate and
denunciation. He pitched right in.
He started in a high key and k:pt it
up. Losing sight of the fact that he
who controls himself is greater than
he who controls a city, he got mad
and showed it. He sailed in hammer
and tongs on Jimmie" Byrnes. Ev-
cry now and then he would pound a.
most voluminous book he had placed
on the desk before him and shout,
~ have the ~recordsi"
He lost his head. Mr.. Toole did
not keep calm enough for his listen
ers to fully catch his words.
And then came-to use John Ed
win Stanfeld's words: "The uncrown
ed knight of the Arena" Theo. e.
Croft, Esq, candidate for congress.
Mr.. Croft didn't get "het up" he
held the ribbons of self control light
ly and easily in his hands. He IS a
fluent speaker and impressed his au-
dience as such. He said he would an
ticipate Byrnes, who was to follow
him, in explaining the endorsement
of the Republican, Carmen-for post
master of Aiken. Byrnes had charg-
ed him at Graniteville with overlook
ing the splendid sound hearted tim
Der in the Democratic party to en-
dorse C. E. Carmen, who, although
a good citizen, was not of the Wilson
Democratic faith, and in fact was
one of the Presidential Electors for
Woodrow Wilson's opponent, Charles
Hughes.
Mr.. Croft read a dispatch from a
friend at Washington, D. c., which
stated that the records of that parti-
cular case were destroyed, but also
stated that cit appears that Theo.
G. Croft did endorse Carmen.
The speaker stated that he was not
sure that he had signed his name to
the endorsement, but if he had he
was imam enough to acknowledge 1t.
He with the other candidates seek
ing the Byrnes seat, charged that
Congressman Byrnes had chosen and
furthered the volunteer system IN
the face of President Wilson's dis
approval, against the Selective Draft
system as now in vogue. This was the
main string on which all three OF
the Byrnes opponents harped, though
it is true that Toole charged Byrnes
with signing a plea to Lloyd-George,
England's premier, for the freedom
of Ireland-this, too, in face of the
fact that the leader of Democracy,
Woodrow Wilson, made a plea him.
self for the "Rights of Small Ma
tons"
Near the closing of Mr.. Croft's adj
dress Chairman Stanfleld peckoneo
toward a door of an anti-room IN
which Congressman Byrnes in the
center of q group of friends had
been listening to the speakers.
AS the young congressman stepped
forward a tumultuous and spontane-
Gus cheer went up over n audi
ence which lasted for several min
utes. In announcing Congressman
Byrnes, Chairman Stanfleld SAID:
"From the heart of the common peo-
ple has many a leader come; l now
present to you n such. RAISED an
orphan boy by a widowed mother, he
has gradually climbed his way from
that widowed mothers knee to a
high place of esteem and honor; you
know him, he has been the stenogra-
pber in this very Court House and
yet again the honored solicitor for
vour district have the honor to
present to you the Honorable James
II D,r,ocD