Lexington dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1917-1919, 1918-08-07

sef.oa court house square yesterday d.
ternoon. It was a representative au
xlienee. every section Of the county
being represented. while there were
many Columbians present. non
George Bell Zimmerman received an
ovation. as did also Congressman Le-
yer While it was evident that
both of the Lexington county can:
.didates had many friends present,
Mr.. Thos. G. Mcleod. of Bishopville
and Mr.. Thcs. F. Brantley of Or
.anseburg. received splendid recep-
s.tions and both were generously ap-
plauded, especially when they made
strong and telling thrusts at the rec
ord Of Mr.. Levers
The audience was little surprised
in that Mr.. Lever failed to answer
great many of the charges brought
by his opponents. Mr.. Lever ex-
plained at the outset. however. that
he had only 80 minutes against 80,
and this probably was his reason fos
not attempting to make many ans.
wers.
The meeting was held in the after
moon. all Of the morning hour having
sbsen consumed by the candidates Tor
the United States Senate.
s. Judge c. M. Efird, democratic
county chairman presided. He was
Nsbsofutely fair and impartial. toward
aI OF the speakers. who were given
30 minutes each. T.
MIR. Thos. G. Mcleod.
Mr. Thos. G. Mcleod. Of Bishop
vile. was the first candidate to speak
re was glad to have the pleasure OF
appearirg before such splendid au-
dienee Of Lexington county citizens.
He came as q stranger to most OF
The people. but Lexington people are
fair. Just and honest. and believe in
Civing every man square deal. God
help us when the day comes when anv
free American citizen cannot offer
for public Office without having to ex
plain why he entered the race" said
MIR. Mcleod. We are in this war. he
said. because it is a righteous war.
Here Mr.. Mcleod paid a beautiful
tribute to the late Bob Purdy. son Of
Judge R. o. Purdy of Sumter. who
only a few days ago paid the supreme
sacrifice with his life on the battle
fields of France. He declared that
the greatest resource we have is pure
american citizenship. This world
IS going to be a vastly better place to
live after the war. or the ship Of
state VIII drift into the sea autocra-
cy. Directing his remarks to Con-
ressman Lever. Mr.. Mcleod said
that he had never nursed any am
bition to run for Congress; but Mr..
Lever. after Is years service. threw
up his Job and entered the race for
Ehe Senate against Senator Tillman.
He decared that he then entered the
race in good faith and had no apollo
Yies to make. At the Columbia meet
ing it was stated that Mcleod had
been beat out of his boots when he
ran for Governor a few years. lie
had come out third. running next to
Featherstone.
He had always been behind the
government because we are lighting
for righteous cause. Mr.. Mcleod
said that he was not going to discuss
Mr.. Lever personally. but that ne was
going to talk about the record Lever
himself had written and made. Lever
had a perfect right to enter the sena-
torial race. Lever in doing so. said
that he was going to make speeches
on every stump in the As counties.
Who circulated the report that Sena-
Tor Tillman was an embecile? asked
Mr.. Mcleod. Mr.. Lever claims that
It was atriotisrn-self-sa sacrificing pa
triotisn-which caused him to enter
& the senatorial race. He doubted it.
Mr. Mcleod said that he and others
In the race had been accused of be-
4 ang disloyal. so desperate were the
Lever following to grab at straws,
He said that it was the Tillman LET
ter first published in the Charleston
american that caused Levers with
sdraWal from the senatorial race. Mr.
Lever. he said. was riding in the sen
atoriI chariot until senator Tillman's
pitchfork came along and threw hin
out. Mr.. Mcleod again asserted that
- 1,a,, r,o{o ,,