The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-07-27
RICHARDS DODGEs ISSUE.
STCDIOUSIY AVOIDS DISCUSSING
THE WAR AND LOYALTY.
candidates for Governor Speak at
Gaifncy-IScthca Repeats Statement
That no Man Can Support BIcasc
and Honestly Claim to BE LoyaE
American.

Gailney, July 23-A quiet, attentive
audience OF about 500 Cherokee coun
ty voters heard the candidates for
state Offices here today at the 22nd
meeting of the campaign. The meet
ing was essentially one Of competition
in noises. Southern Railway trains at
the speakers. The gathering was held
in the court house grove adjacent to
the main line Of the Southern Railway
and 20 freight and passenger trains
passed during the time the 20 Office
seekers presented their claims to the
electorate, one train for each candi
date. The speeches deviated little
from those of the other meetings. Of
the campaign.
John Madison DesChamps, the first
gubernatorial speaker, said there was
slate i'm the 1916 campaign com
posed of Blcase and Cooper, but Man
hins broke it with DesChamp's assist
ance. The invisible. convention" was
attempting to form a SLATE" compos-
ed OF X. a. Cooper, A. j. Bethea ANA
John G. Richards this year, but it wa
smashed when Bethel tried to buly
Richards at Greenville.
John T. Duncan, the foe of the
SYSTEM stated that DesChamps' ded-
milton of SLATE" was lust as clear
as mud" He made an attac,, on Cole
hlease, paid his respects to Senate,
christie Renet, criticised Governo.
Manning and twitted other opponents
IN the governors race.
john G.. Richards reiterated his as
$ertion that the war is not an iss;,,o
ana stated that when any man in
south Carolina said it was, he i'm.
punges the motives of him and the
people oil the state. He claimed thai
the most important question before
the electorate is consideration of tn
heaVy burden of taxes resting on their
shoulders which he claimed Governor
Manning had piled up with utter dis
regard for the rights of the taxpayer
and by the creating of useless offices
Mr.. Cooper and Mr.. DesChamps. he
said, are following i'm the footprint.
Of the present executive.
Lieut. Gov. Andrew j. Bethea said
nat he had always stood four square
On every issue. had done his own
lighting, had never swung on the coat
.aiis OF any man and did not propos.
10 start now. He said that the die
cussion Of taxation, education, goo
roads, etc, at this time was mer.
camouiiagc that the only vital issu
before the people OF South Carolin
was the prosecution of the war to u
successful conclusion. He said that
no man should be elected who is MOI
behind the govern
ment and the president and agains
whose record there is the slightes,
doubt of his loyalty and his patrio-
tism He called attention to tn
i5lease Pomaria speech as reported in
ihe Charleston American. He read n
letter from Lieutenant Smith which
pleaded with the people of South Car
Dina to elect an administration which
s loyal to President Wilson.
Robert a. Cooper, the last speakc:
for governor and the concluding one
Of tho meeting. stated that the wal
was the greatest issue before tht
American people and the folk of South
'lrOlina, rc%ardless Of the assertion
'f Mir. Richards to the contrary IL,
challenged the reform" candidate to
20 tell the soldier who is dying for
him and his country, that the war il
not an issue.
Mr. Copper promised that if eelcted
ne would be the governor of all thC
people and would know no friend o.
0c when it came 10 administering tn
affairs of the state.
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Cantccn Still Working.