The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-06-26
CANDIDATES At R|OGELAND.
SMALL CROWD PRESENT FOR
DAY OF SPEECHMAKING,
Meeting Yesterday, Like Others OF
Campaign, Demonstrated Little In
tclest i'm Politics.

oi the state campaign party in Jasper |
county was a repetition of those at
the other places in the itinerary. The |
speeches had little pep" and the
crowd was very small and undemon-
strative, the 500 or more voters of
Jasper being represented by approx !
mately 80 voters and about ten wo-
men. There was little deviation from
the talks made at the other meetings.
The four meetings so far held show
cOnclusively that the people are not
thinking Of politics, and it is doubt
ful II the speeches are changing any
votes. The electors know who they
will vote for and any amount of can
vassing will have little effect in switch
ing the votes.
John Il. Duncan, the first of the
gubernatorial speakers, dealt with his
usual expose of the system" and re-
Trained from attacks on the other
candidates
Thomas Fl. Peoples. the next as
pirant for the governorship. requested
the voters to examine his record as at
torney general and if they found that
he had not done his duty they would
compromise their conscience IL they
did not vote for one of hts six op-
ponents. He reiterated his assertion
that at this time of national crisis no
factiOnal or partisan politics should
be played, but every candidate should
use his efforts to win the people in n
prosecution of the war. Better wages
for eachers and seven months terms
in the public schools were advocated
by the attorney general. He was for
a proper administration of the State
warehouse system and promised If
elected to send out even handed JUS
tice. He condemned "extravagant"
disbursements Of the taxpayers
money.
tional system. Maj. John G. Richards
in the race for governor, decried as
undem ocratic a system of compulsory
education but would rot oppose school
districts voting on the question. He
pointed out that South Carolina should
have sufficient schools before any at
tempt was made to pass a compulsory
school attendance law. He advocated
larger salaries for teachers. free text
books for the white school children Of
the State and more liberal appropria-
| tions for Confederate veterans In
dealing with the tax question ne prom
ised the pruning knife to extravagant
appropriations and said regardless OF
assertions to the contrary he would
reduce the burden of taxes laid on
the people. He claimed that there
was absolutely no excuse for the large
increases in appropriations under the
present State administration.
Andrew j. Bethea, who is seeking
promotion from lieutenant governor
declared that he will strive to steer
clear of the shoals Of partisanship
and factiOnalism." His conception OF
an executive is to take the people into
his confidence and work in harmony
with the other State officers and gov
ernmental departments. The lieu
tenant governor reiterated his oppOs-
ton to bosssm and declared that he
had made no man a promise, and for
that reason he would be untrammeled
if elected. ITO say that the war is Il
not an ISSUE" declared Mr.. Bethea, lis
to say in effect that we will not sup
port the boys over there"
Robert A. Cooper. the next speaker
for the gOvernorship, said that an ef |
fort was being made to attribute to /
him the assertion that he did not de- |
sire the taxes lowered. This is mis-
take, he declared. and he has never
! used any such words; in fact n, /
stated he would be delighted if the
levy could be reduced TO two mills. /
But he did not see how less money /
could be appropriated and an efficient I
government maintained. Mr.. Cooper
said he had repeatedly stated from
the stump.
The only remedy for lifting the bur
den. Mr.. Cooper said. was n correct (
equalization Of taxes and the appor-
tionmcnt among the counties of the /
share they are to contribute to the
support of the State.
Major Richards stated he would re-
duce the taxes, said Mr.. Cooper, and
yet he advocates increased pensions
for the Confederate veterans and in
creased pay for teachers and free