Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-07-03
NO. 18
STATE CAMPAIGN.
Aspirants for State Offices Ad-
dressed Small Audience
in Court House Thurs
day.

That people are either pursuing
the even tenor of their way with
out much thought to politics or they
are absorbed in patriotic work incl
dent to the war, was evidenced by
the comparatively small attendance
upon the State campaign meeting
which was held in the court house
Thursday. While in the years gone
by the attendance upon such meet
ings in this county ranged from 500
to 1000, the attendance Thursday
was probably not more than ESQ, and
then many were late gathering.
The meeting was presided over by
County Chairman B. E. Nicholson
and was opened with prayer by Rev.
A. L. Gunter. The drive upon the
voters by the aspirants for Office be-
gan with rapid fire guns of larger
calibre. Hon. ]. T. Lilies of Orange
burg who has been member of the
house of representatives for a num-
Der of years was the first to speak,
presenting his claims for the Office of
lieutenant governor, being followed
by Mr. George Weightman of Salu-
da. The third candidate for this office,
Mr.. Octavius Cohen, was absent.
The candidates for Commissioner
of agriculture next spoke in the fol-
loving order: H. T. Morrison, Nc
Clellanville; B. B. Harrison of An
derson and w. D. Garrison of Ander-
son.
The candidates for Secretary of
State, State Treasurer and Comptrol-
ler General have no opposition and
neither of them were present.
The first candidate for the Office
of State Superintendent of Education
was Hon. V. E. Rector of Darlington
who presented his claims with vigor,
after announcing where he was edu-
Gated and what he had achieved. He
called attention to the large percent
age Of illiteracy in South Carolina.
He made no apology for his person
al references, stating that it seemed
to be we'll established custom
among the candidates for each one
to blow his own horn. -.'-"'-ss
Hon. John E. Swearingen, who has
filed the office of State Superintend-
Mt of Education for the past 10 years
to the satisfaction of the people,
spoke next. Mr.. Swearingen thanked
the people of his home county for
their very loyal support of him in
the past. He said, with reference to
this great war, that there are two
lines Of defense. First, our boys who
are serving in the trenches and the
second line of defense is composed
Of the boys and girls at home who
are enrolled in our public schools.
Mr.. Swearingen reviewed the growth
of the schools and colleges, stating
that when he went into Office the ap-
preparation for educational purposes
was only $4,000 and it has grown
to $5OO,000. Notwithstanding this
steady increase South Carolina stands
at the bottom Of the list of states
in the amount of money spent for
education. Mr.. Swearingen recon-
mends the Statewide compulsory ed
ucation with certain exemptions. His
speech was well received and by their
generous applause the people of his
home county indicated unmistakably
that they endorse his splendid record
of the past 10 years.
All of the three candidates for the
office of attorney general were pres
ent and spoke in the order named:
R. P. Searson of Allendale, Claud N.
Sapp of Lancaster, and S. M. Wolfe
of Anderson.
The men who aspire to assist Di-
rector General McAdoo IN managing
the railroads next presented their
claims in the following order: D. L.
Smith, Walterboro; T. j. McLaugh-
lin, st, Matthews; A. A. Richardson
and j. T. Powell, Columbia. and H. H.
Arnold of Woodruff.
Candidates for Governor.
Lieut.. A. J. Bethea was the first
aspirant for gubernatorial honors to
speak. At the outset he stated that
he was not asking for the office on
the demerits of any other individu-
al but that he was seeking this high
honor upon his own merits. He stat
ed that his experience as lieutenant
governor for the past four years
would be of value to him in filling
the Office of governor, having also