The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1918-01-03
DISSERTATION ON
PALMETTO POLITICS
SOME THINGS THAT MAY AND MAY NOT HAP.
PEN IN STATE POLITICS BEFORE THE
YEAR 1918 GOES BY

MT W SOEilldCh, ttIe OoioIioi'@
correspondent of The News and
Courier, furnishes that paper the
following interesting story on the
political situation as it looms up
over the State at the present:
The near advent of the second
session of the Seventy-second General
Assembly, which meets here on
Tuesday, January s. has revived dis
cussion of the probable political situ-
alton next summer.
Political prophecy is always dan
gerous; at no time more so than
at the present. The great war in
which America is engaged is rapidly
upturning former standards. and
those of this State are passing
through the leavening process. How
ever, one incontrovertible promise
may be laid down: No one oppos.
ed to this war or to the admlnlstra-
ton in its efforts toward a victori-
Gus conclusion of this war need offer
for political preferment in South
Carolina with hope of success.
Each politician has toreckon with
one factor: perhaps before the next
campaign the American troops in
France will have offered valorous
and heroic fight to the Germans,
and out of such engagement there
might have arisen a South Carolln-
ian, exalted by daring and sacrifice,
incapacltated by injury for further
service. Should he come back to
his home State and offer for election
to almost any office, there is little
chance for him being defeated by
the "stay.at-homes." Out of this
arises a prediction: The soldiers
fighting the battles of democracy on
Europe's ensanguined fields will be
the future rulers of the United
States South Carolina among them.
The politicians of the present may
as we'll prepare Themselves for the
overturning of their order.
No man in South Carolina at the
present time offering for office can
predict his election a year from
now; but the relative strength of
candidates, announced and prospec-
tive, at this time can be fairly &C.
curately gauged.
Cole L Blease, who has announc-
ed definitely for the United States
Senate, is not as strong as he was
when he ran for Governor in 1916,
and was defeated. However. he is
rot dead" by any means, as some
would perforce believe. He is alive
enough to be in second race should
the primary be held at this time.
Either Senator Tillman, who. it
seems assured, will run if his health
permits, or Congressman A F Lever,
who undoubtedly will be in the race
if the senior Senator does not make
it, can defeat the titular leader of
the so-called reform party" The
ex- Governors speeches at Pomaria
and Filbert estranged some of his
most powerful lieutenants. .iand conse-
quently weakened him with the rank
and file of the minority faction.
Col Nat B Dial. of Laurens.
is definitely announced for the cov-
eted Senatorial toga, ,and he has con-
siderable strength. Although the
Laurens man has entered the race
as non-partisan candidate, yet he
can be aligned with the anti-Blease
faction. He assuredly will make a
strong fight against Senator Till
man, should the senior Senator run.
Col Dial will undoubtedly get all the
intensely bitter anti -Tillmanites for
the '90's who will not vote for Till
man and who are as strongly op-
posed to Blease. This vote, along
with considerable personal follow.
ing, will make him formidable