The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-10

had the qualifications that his oppo-
ties OF the office efficiently and intel
/ lisentiy. Mr.. J. T. Arnold OF Spar
tanburg, said he was q farmer, but
! had represented his county in the leg
! islature for s:X years and he would
refer the people of Sumter to any OF
the men in this county who had serv-
ed with him. He briefly reviewed his
business experience and gave his real
sons for the confidence that he could
be of real service to the public as Rail
road Commissioner. He said that the
i issue of B.easeisn had been raised
and that al he had to say on the sub
( ject was that his commission as no
tary public had been revoked by Gov.
| Rleasc and + 1t when he applied for
and received q new commission a few
months later, SO that he might be Of
service to his neighbors in the COM
munity this commission was revoked
without cause.
The Lieutenant Governor came
next Mr.. J. 7. Lilies, of Orangeburg,
made vigorous speech, dealing
principally with his long and active
service in the legislature, mentioning
a number of the important measures
that he had introduced and had been
largely instrumental in having enact
ed, not the least of which was the
state Warehouse law. which its au-
thor, had publicly stated could not
have been passed save for the assist
ance given by Mr. Lilies. In. conclud-
ing Mr.. Lilies said he had one final
word to say to the people of Sumter
county: Don't vote FOR me under the
delusion that I am a Bleaseite.
have heard that it has been reported
around that 1 am Bleaseite, ana
this 1 consider the n1eanist SANDER
that has ever been uttered against me.
| am not and have never beer a
Rleaseite A priceless heritage that /
leave to my children is that l have
never been a Bleaseite." lie was ap-
plauded to the echo as he took his
seat He said that he earnestly urged
loyal citizens to vote against any man
who has question mark against him
as to loyalty to America and Wood
row Wilson. Mr.. G. W. Whitman, or
Saluda the other candidate for the
same office was as mad as wet hen
when he began speaking and the
longer he spoke the nladder he got
until his face was distorted with pas
sion and his lips were foam-fecKed.
The cause of his anger was evidently
the enthusiastic reception given Mr..
Lilies loyal and anti-Blease declara-
tons. Mr.. Whitman said he is and
had always been reformer and that
his loyalty has never been and could
not be questioned. He spoke vehe-
mently of his record in the senate and
reviewed his consistent stand for
economy in governmental affairs.
Chairman Clifton announced that
the third candidate for the Office OF
Lieutenant Governor. Mr.. Octavus
Cohen, was unavoidably absent and
he made this statement az me request
of other candidates. although he had
received no communication from Mr..
Cohen.
Mr.. Victor z. Rector, of Darlington,
was the first Of the candidates fos
superintendent of Education to speak.
He made practically the same speech
that he de~twice in Sumter IN the
spring during the educational cam
paign then conducted under the aus
pices of the University of South Caro-
lima, in which he holds the chair OF
professor of agriculture. Mr.. Rector
looks and talks like misanthroplc
dyspeptic, possessed and dominated by
an embittered and soured outlook on
life. He finds nothing good in the
educational system Of South Carohna
and no hope in the outlook. Every
thing must be torn down and q new
heaven and new earth, educatlonally,
constructed before there can be q
dawn of salvation. He gave MS uSual
ilIiteracy statictics and related his eX-
perence in the Philippines, where ne
was refused a professorship in the
Normal School because he was not
equipped to teach agriculture, COOK
ing and sewing, although he was the
proud possessor of three diplomas and
special certificate for literary attain
ments. 1t was evident that he had
a higher esteem for the Philip pine
educational authorities for turning
him down than for those of his native
State and its university which had Civ
en- him a Job as professor. State Su-
perintendent of Education j. r.
s;wearingen, who has served ten years
and is seeking reelection on MS rec
ord of achievement and despite the
mistakes that he admits that he has
made and is trying to remedy with all
the earnestness and energy that ne
possesses. was greeted with enthus-
iastic applause when he was intro
duced. Mr.. Swearingen lit right into
| Mr.. Rector. He said that he had
recommended Mr.. Rector for the place
| in the University. because he believer
he was a worker. but tire had prov
on that this was one Of his mistakes.
for Mr.. Rector put in only eight hours
a week. That Mr.. Rector had been
engaged to teach agriculture, that he
had made up his own course and what
do we find; he is teaching Ensllsh
Gramar two hours a week, publc
speaking two hours week, Rufai
Sociology two hours q week ana aS-
rc,11t,1re two hours and then he COM