Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-05-22

other things than n establishment
Of Clemson and Winthrop Colleges.
have been trying to discharge the
duties of my office to the best of
my ability both before and since l
was paralized. I 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
department and in the senate too,
knows that l am performing my du7
ties as a senator. The secretary of
the navy's own paper, The Raleigh
News and Observer, had an editorial
on it which I will give to the press
and let the papers 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 because
they feared the work would kill me
and 1 was given the committee on
naval affairs instead. Since the war
came on that committee has had as
much or more work to do than the
committee on appropriations. How l
have performed those duties the
world knows.
Urges Clean Primary.
South C%arolinians have never been
accustomed to seeing their elections
carried by money, and looking back
over an extended experience l do not
remember that any money was ever
used in a primary until 1904 in the
second congressional district. Since
that time I am sorry to say money
has been used more and more lavish
ly as the years have passed. The pros
titution of the primary by the pur-
chase of votes ought to be stamped
out now, once and forever. 1t is a
cancerous growth that should be cut
up by the roots. Naturally l do not
want to be defeated in my old age
but I had rather - down in defeat
than enter upon the diabolical and
criminal business of attempting to
debauch my fellow Citizens. Such con
duct is treason.
l can justly claim to be the father
of the primary system; just as | also
claim to have compelled the democra-
tic State committee to inaugurate
the county-to-county canvass. l shall
not see this destroyed if | a help
it. Blackguards have caused it to de-
scend into a mud singing" match.
But the people should remember that
it served a good purpose in 1890
when men like Earle, Bratton and
Tillman were asking them for their
votes, and it may serve a good pur-
pose again. If it is killed it will be a
bad thing for the State and enable
the newspapers too often the tools
of capitalists and corporations, to
"bamboozle" the people and deceive
them.
This is the message l bring to my
people; the world is passing through
the greatest crisis in history. 1t re-
quires men of wisdom and experience
as we'll as faith and vision to guide
the destinies of this nation. The peo-
pie of South Carolina will decide
whether I or another mar shall be
elected one of their senators.
AS your senator now, and as chair
man of the great committee on naval
affairs of the senate l am proud to
say to you that when the test came
those of US connected with the navy
could truthfully tell vi people All
is we'll with the fleet" 1t has con-
voyed through the submarine zone
transports carrying more than five
hundred thousand men, n thelr
supplies, and this too without the loss
of a single man.
"To He'll With Hun Lovers"
Feeling as l do , with my record
Of achievement in the past and with
the work l am doing now l am con-
fident the people will allow me the
privilege of serving them further.
But, win or lose, l want the voters
of this State to know exactly where
l stand on the one issue before them,
the war issue, and on this | can but
repeat what l have said before:"Io
hell with all German s~ympathlzers,
and thank God for Woodrow Wilson"
Following Orders.
The preacher was going his night
", roupd +o coo that all was locked I'D