Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-07-23

/ him say that he had rendered his
services to the war department. al
though he held an office which ex-
cmptcd him. that he had offered his
life and all nc had to the nation.
| The people OF South Carolina will
elect no man unless he Is 100 per cent
loyal and patriotic" (Applause.)
| Richards Interrupts.
John G.. Richards came forward
and said that Bethea had told man
on the stand that he was sorry he
had injected such an issue at Wal
halla. Bcthca said at Walhalla that
he did not intend to reflect on
! Richards Raising his hand with
clcnchcd fist as If to strike. Richards
advanced toward Bethca and asked.
do you mean to say that | am dis
loyal to my country" Chairman
COthran took position between the
two candidates. II looked as If there
would be a fight. Chief Of Police
Noe and Chief of Rural Police Gosnell
and others rushed to the stand to
preserve order.
The crowd raised mighty din.
Former Mayor q. Hayward Mahon,
Sr.. father of Major &. Hayward
| MahOn. Of the l1Sth infantry. now In
France, standing In front of the plat
form shouted repeatedly. "YOu are
disloyal. Richards, John Richards. !
| know you and you know me. II you'll
come down off that stand. I'll tell you
that YOU are disloyal' An aged man
and a well known travelling man made
similar statements. yelling at Rich
ards constantly.
Bethea Resumes.
When order was restored, MI
IScthca said that ne had never taken
IN unfair advantage of any man. He
said that MIR. richards had not an
swcrcd his question. and that the only
question is whether or not richards
endorsed Blcase's lomaria uttcrancc.
Does richards believe that the blood
of our gallant soldiers in France is
on the hands Of Woodrow Wilson?
"rhc question of loyalty is not for
me-" said Mr.. Bcthea. He read a
letter from Lieutenant Smith, Il South
Carolinian. now with the American
army in France, saying, "For Gods
sake don't elect men in South Caro-
lima who won't support President
Wilson in the conduct of this war;"
Loyalty and patriotism are the best
tests OF mans fitness for office.
Shall the people of South Carolina
now say that they are willing TO call
the soldiers back from the firing line
and say they will not support the
army of democracy? You must ans
wcr the call of the country as FAINT
of Grccnvillc, answered il. Yours
must he the spirit of Charles Pinck-
ney, the great South Carolinian, who,
if ne were here today. would say.
Millions for defense, but not one cent
for German tributc!'" (Applausc.)
Chairman Cothran gave warning
that no would not tolerate language
that might result in unfortunate acci-
dents. He said that. If anybody
wanted to fight, the recruiting office
Is open on Main>stEeet-ttA 4 6pffhse.)
Richards in Reply.
Richards said that he had already
replied to Bcthca. He said nc has
four ncphcws, brother land his
only son in the service. He has been
on the state council Of defense year
and half. He is not afraid that the
people will believe anything against
him. He said that Bcthca should face
IIlcasc and ask him questions, that
I,cthra was trying TO hit at him over
Blcasc's shoulder. 81 am not re-
sponsiblc for Governor Blcasc's pub
lie uttcrancc." He referred to
I1leasc's speech at Wagencr when
Blcasc said that he would support
President Wilson for third term. 81
am not here in defense of Governor
Blcasc. The proper forum for Mr..
Bcthca Is in the senatorial race"
Richards said he wouldn't support n
man for any office unless ne believed
that man would give his life for his
country. He thought that if Blcasc
were as young as Bcthca. Blcasr
would he in the trenches.
Robert A. Cooper.
The Laurens candidate for COVER
ne rose TO speak. He thanked the
people of Grcenvillc for their sup
port in tho past. He declared that
he stood back of President Wilson and
the nation. Hc said he favored war
before the United States went into the
conflict. Germany intended to attack
America, but now "thc Huns might
as we'll start back to Berlin" CAP
plause.) MY only promise. If elected,
is that | shall use all the power of
my office to back the government
in the successful prosecution OF this
war;" He denied having said, as
charged by Richards, that he favored
higher taxes. He said that so long
as our soldiers are facing death he
would never favor reducing taxes II
such reduction would interfere with
the vigorous prosecution OF tho war.
He Is of the opinion that taxes will
not be lowered. If the state does all
the things that Richards wants 1t to
do, give free schoolbooks. etc. taxes
will go higher. He defended his po-
sition on scholarships, saying that all
that nc desires to do Is to provide IN
equal chance for education for every
bo, and girl In the state. He told of
worthy mon and women who had
borrowed money to go through col
lege. who had repaid the loans. and
who are now splendid citizens. rs 1t
right to tax all the people to give
special privileges to one per cent?
At this point, he said. II don't want
to trcspass on the time Of my COM
| pctitors" A voice in the crowd,
You haven't got any," (Applause)
81 want to remind Mr.. Richards
that we had one governor who used
the veto (Blease) and he didn't lower