The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-05-18

Ill that went with it would be lost to
South Carolina. After thinking it all
over from all view points and consult
ing with many friends, contrary to the
expressed wishes and advice of those
hold dearest-my wife and children
Il reached the conclusion that the
least l could do was to allow the peo-
pie OF South Carolina to decide for
themselves. Consequently, / offered
for reelection. l thought it was my
duty to do so for these reasons:
South Carolina now occupies very
enviable position in our public affairs
The craftsmanship of the committee
on agriculture in the house and the
Of the committee on ma
val affairs and the committee on in
commerce in the senate are
held by three of it's citizens. Long
service, hard work and high character
alone can win such places. Occasion
ally IAN accident" breaks into the
senate, but after six years he is al
ways eliminated. In the house things
are somewhat different, but in the
main the same requirements there as
in the senate obtain. In both branches
of congress men must win their spurs
and be worthy of them to continue
long to wear them.
On March 6 1 made the announce
ment asking the people of South Car
olina to reeleot me for the fifth time
that falls to the lot of few
men and never has fallen to the lot of
n South Carolinian in the States his
tory / do not feel worthy Of it my
self, but then circumstances and not
| compel the situation.
The senatorship belongs to the peo-
pie of South Carolina and no man or
set of men has any right to pick the
man to occupy it. If the majority of
the people want any other man, I
want them to have him.
Recently sinister rumors began to
be circulated. These reports were
whispered from ear to ear. Most Of
YOU have heard them and know to
what / allude. l say to you / have
not made and l will not make any
political deal with any man or set Of
men. l am in this race to stay and
t. win. Other stories have been and
are still being industriously circulated
The most pitiless and most pitiful one.
too, is that ! am physically unfit and
mentally unfit and that my mind is
practically gone. My friends in vari-
Gus parts of tho State have written
me repeatedly of things of this sort
that they have heard. The only thing
that is of any moment now to you is
whether it is true or false. and that is
the reason why l am hereto look
you in the face and let you see for
yourselves my real condition.
Even if | were able to make
speeches on "the hustings" the con-
ditions in Washington are such as will
make ii necessary for the friends of
President Wilson and the Dem ocratic
administration to remain at their post
of duty. l feel that / ought to remain
there and will remain there. In my
case 1t ought not to be necessary for
me to canvass the State. For my
public career and my life are an open
book and all we'll informed men in
South Carolina already know it. /
Know / have done great work for the
State in more ways than one. The
historian will give me credit for 9TH
er things than the establishment of
Clemson and Winthrop Colleges.
1 have been trying to discharge the
duties OF my office to the best of my
ability both before and since I was
paralyZed. believe / can do the State
more good in the senate now than any
other man it could possibly send
there. Every man at the navy de-
partment and in the senate. too
knows that ! am performing my du-
ties as senator. The secretary of the
navy's own paper. The Raleigh News
and Observer. had an editorial i'm il
which / will give to the press and let
the appers publish it or not as they
see fit.
When the Democrats came into
power the Democratic caucus saw fit
to give the Craftsmanship of the COM
mittee on appropriations to Senator
Martin. My friends told me the only
reason they permitted it was they
reared the work would kill me and