The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-04-02

State of South Carolina.
Many people. it is understood, are
encouraging and pushing Mr.. Lever
into the senatorial race on the plea
that Senator Tillman cannot win
without an aggressive campaign"
And this, they say, Senator Tillman
is not in physical condition to make
although he is clearly in physical
condition to attend to his exacting
and important duties in the senate
every day in the week. This is the
Columbia States slogan; a position,
it seems to us, prompted more by
partisanship than by either patriot
ism or practical politics.
But let's see about this. If Till
man alone cannot beat Blease, will
Levers candidacy insure Blease's de-
feat? Will it not, rather, complicate
the situation, divide the anti-Blease
forces and thus insure Blease's cleo
ton? With Tillman and Lever both
in the race, which one is likely to be
in the second race with Blease?
Many thousands of old Tillmanites,
who voted for Blease for governor
against Manning, might not vote for
Lever against Blease for the senate.
Would not Levers entry into the
senatorial race. if it should cause
Tillman's defeat, so enrage the Till
NANTES. that they would not sup
port Lever in the second primary?
Obviously. Senator Tillman be-
lieyes all these things or he would
not now be standing for reelection,
because, as we have every reason to
believe. the old man really wishes to
retire to private life; but sense of i
duty to his state. as well as to Presi- |
dent Wilson and the nation, prompt
ed him to ask his people to return
him to the senate this one more time. |
Four years ago Senator Tillman
bade the people of South Carolina
farewell, telling them that he would
not ask for reelection again. There
is no doubt that he was sincere in
the statement then made. But he
has since given the very best of rea-
sons for his change in purpose:
reasons that must appeal to the
common sense and patriotism of the
good people of South Carolina Does
anyone doubt the patriotism and
good Judgment of the old senator
himself? If they do, they do not see
things as this entidely disinterested
newspaper sees them.
To our mind. nothing is clearer
than that Tillman against Blease will
beat the latter very badly; in fact,
there can hardly be any doubt as to
the outcome of such a race To be
sure, Lever against Blease alone
might beat him: but, certainly,
there is a large element Of doubt as
to this. 1t may be that had Senator
Tillman never offered for reelection
ON account of Blease's pronounced
pro-German views-Lever might
have beaten him. But since Senator
Tillman has offered. there would
seem to be nothing for the liberty
loving. German.hating. people of
South Carolina to do but to re-elect
him And this The Chronicle is
pretty confident they are going to do
provided Mr.. Lever keeps hands
off and refuses to complicate the race
There can be no doubt that Mr..
Lever will go to the United States
senate some day, provided he does
rot make political blunder at this
time, for he is OF senatorial size and
has had the experience in congress
that fits him for such promotion:
but If he makes the mistake of en-
tering the senatorial race now against
Tillman. he CANDLES with precious
things-the most precious things
that South Carolinians now have.
What. then, is Mr.. Levers plain
duty? Is II not obvious? The
Chronicle. which is an ardent ad-l
mirer OF Mr.. Lever, has every conf
dence that this sterling young states
man will not fail to perceive this
duty and that he will faithfully and !,
patriotically perform ii, as he has so
well performed other high duties in
the past. Certainly. he has too much |
good sense to be misled by people |
who have more OF a partisan than
patriotic purpose to serve.
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