The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-07
SENATORS At aiken.
POLLOCK AND BENET AROUSE
BLEASE FOLLOWERS.
Men WHO Object to Criticism OF
Their Favorite Try to Silence
Speakers.

Aiken, Aug. 1.-The senatorial cam
paign here today famed into living
fame the ashen memories CT the 1914
canvass, when Blease was driven daily
from pillar to post by Lang ID. jen-
nings Of Sumter and w. P. Pollock OF
Cheraw whose sledge hammer blows
against the ramparts Of Bleaseism
were powerfully sustained by singing
repartee meted out to those who
sought to defend Ble:se from the
whitening fire.
Today was the first time in this
campaign when Bleaseites forgetting
their error of the past, came IN any
appreciable measure to the rescue O.:
their vanquished leader. Both Bene:
and Pollock today aroused the pre-
viously smothered ire of little ba1ati
OF wilful Bleaseites, which resentment
broke out in patches throughout the
addresses OF the two, and which was
steadily wiped out by an avalanche OF
sarcasm, causing the audience tc
break into sporadic bursts Of cheering
that swept the corridors Of the cour;
house
w. P. Pollock reminded the uproar-
ious crowd that he told them at the
campaign meeting here four years ago
that the people were going to bury
Cole Blease face downward so deep
with their ballots that if he ever
scratches out, he will scratch out in
hell"
This brought from an angered
member of the Blease fraternity the
question, eff he's dead why do you
keep after him?" Mr.. Pollock's re-
ply was that he was now holding the
funeral. eve sometimes follow the
negro custom of going back and hold
ing The funeral the next year after
the body is buried.
Another wanted to know how many
votes Mr. Pollock got four years ago
HeMore than Cole Blease is going to get
this year." Pollock shot back with
lightning like swiftness.
N. 3. Dial was also in the under
taking business, he told the 500 Or
more people who scrambled for foot-
ing in the court house. His business
this year was to bury pre]udlces,
sham, hypocricies, isms and anti
isms." The war, he said, brought on
a new era and henceforth there was
to be mo ism but America A few
years from now Bleaseism would be
a lost word.
James Francis Rice of Anderson to-
dav took Mr.. Dial to task for the al
legged retarded progress OF Laurens
county, Mr.. Dial's home, in ccmparl-
son With that of Anderson. "Mr. Dial
boasts that he has lived in Laurens
all his life and worked for the devel-
opment of that county. have llTed ~
Anderson only 27 years and any one
who knows will tell you that Ander-
sou is eight or ten years ahead ~
Laurens in public schools, industrial
derelbpnnnt and farming" Mr.. Rice
said.
Senator Benet devoted considerable
time to. the propos d government con-
ton holding corporation, when
scheme is for the government to IN
a minimum price below which cotton
shall not be allowed to drop. This Is
now engaging the attention OF Sena-
for Renet. who went to Washington
last Saturday for a conference with
President Wilson and others on the
plan; it is hoped to have it in ope-
alton by the time distress cotton be-
gins to move.
Mr.. Dial also gave some attention
TO the cotton warehouse plan, MI.
Dial organized he second cotton ware
house in the State and has beer,
streruously advertising a natlona'
plan for a number of years. Inc
trouble with a State system, he says:
is South Cardinals efforts are neu-
tralized by any other cotton States
failure.
A particularly interesting feature
of today's meeting was the reading OF
the record of the relations between
Cole i. Blease and the late Senator
5. r. Tilln1an, by Mr.. Pollock
At Elliott, Sumter county, on June
% Blease was reported oy 1ne
Charleston American as saying Sena-
tor Tillman had betrayed the reform
party as Judas Iscariot had betrayed
his Master. Mr.. Blease was also re-
ported as saying he, would give "ev-
erything he possessed but one suit OF
clothes if Senator Tillma11 coulo
gain sufficient strength to get into the
campaign, as Il would just love tc
meet him today face to face before
the people he betrayed" At Wagen-
er July -, after Tillman's death
when Blease was clamoring that n
was the logical successor to Mr.. NE
man Mr.. Blease made another speecf
about which the Charleston American
said:
.Mr. Blease paid magnificent trip
| ute to the late Senator Tillman as th'
reform leader of former days, and re
ferred in words breathing of sorrow
to Tillman's latter days and hi
death. Mr.. Blcase's tribute to NJ:
Tillman and his analysis of the lat
senator's ability and service to tn
people of South Carolina would nave
been worthy Of any occasion
Mr.. Pollock followed this with Sen
70 Of P1GHcp !