Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1922-06-22
CAMPAIGN OPENS.
Candidates for State Offices Talk
in Columbia.

opened the county to county cam
paagn In Columbia Tuesday.
Those offering for governor were
heard first. Between 600 and
7OO voters were in attendance at
times. There was little enthusi-
asm and the meeting was devoid
of personalities.
Cloe l.. Blease was the first of
the candidates for governor to
speak. Mr.. Blease said that he
expects to be governor of all the
people if elected. Differences
which have divided the people
heretofore will be forgotten. He
said he would make no appeal to
faetionalism and no attempt is to
be- made to array class against
class. 81 shall not engage in
personalities he said, unless
such policy is forced upon me
by some candidate of standing in
the race. Neither do l propose to
make any reference to factional-
ism unless the issue of factional-
ism is dragged in by other peo-
ple." -.
He would abolish all useless
Offices and commissions in an ef-
fort to relieve the tax burden,
specifying particularly the State
tax commission. He would also
cut down the clerical forces in
the departments. The tax com
mission, he said is absolutely
unnecessary. The proper place
for the commission is with the
comptroller general and he should
not only be required but made
the work. -
Among other things advocated
by the former governor was "a
purchasing board for State insti-
tutions, water power tax, bien-
nial sessions of the General AS
seinbly. and a l mill tax levy for
free schools. - .,..
He advised all women to put
their names on the club rolls.
John r. Duncan was the Sec
ond candidate for governor to
speak. He made about the same
speech he has been making for
several years.
Senator George X. Laney Of
Chesterfield said he was making
the race for governor as the can
didate of no clique. 81 am a
free lance in this race just as 1
have been a free lance for 20
years in the two houses of the
General Assembly. l am tied to
no man or woman, he said.
Senator Laney stressed with
measures looking to re-
lief In taxation and the enforce
ment Of law. The condition of
the people, he said, was not Incl
dent to the Legislature. No
thinking man would blame the
Legislature > for the financial
straits in which the people find
He praised the work
OF the last General Assembly,
pointing to q number of laws it
passed in an effort to distribute
the burden of taxation. He di-
rected attention to the fact that
the larger amounts in the appro-
priation bill are for the schools,
the State hospital and for Con-
pensions, and asked if
any one in the. audience would
cut these amounts. No one an
swered in the affirmative.
Thomas G.. Mcleod of Bishop
vile followed Senator Laney and
gave his attention largely to law
and the question of
taxes, saying that he regarded
law enforcement as the supreme
issue Of the campaign. If Mr..
Mcleod had a plan to reduce the
tax burden he did not take the
audience mte his confidence. He
objected to smaller appropria-
tions for educational purposes,
the State hospital and for Con-
federate pensions.
William Coleman of Union was
the last candidate for governor
to- speak. He was followed by
candidates for lieutenant govern
or and other State Offices.
Mrs. Drake, candidate for sn-
perintendent of education, was
warmly applauded as she came
forward to make her speech. She
is reported to have made q good
and ipronniaes to make