Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-05-19
POLITICAL PRATTLINGS'
Gossip Gathered Among Delegates 10
State Democratic Convention
WANTED...A MAN TO BEAT BLEASE

Remain In Gubernatorial Race
Women Came, Saw, Conquered and
Were conquered-TaIking 1t Over
With Political Leaders From Over
the State.
(By Staff Correspondent.)
Columbia, May 1S.-Polticians from
all sections of South Carolina were
here yesterday and the day before,
talking it over and starting the polit
ical ball rollin' for the year. "Old
timers" wearing Prince Albert coats
and "standing-up" collars and those
broad brimmed black Stetsons Ewere
here and along with them were scores
of the younger fellows, gabbing and
gossipping and ruminating and spec
ulating and fguratively holding their
ears to the ground, represented by the
other places where politicians hold
forth. There was little of the hold
ing the ear to the ground around the
state house. AS a general rule every
thing is cut and dried by the time the
politicians get to the state house and
there is little to be learned there.
There were some new politicians here
this week-the women politicians, del
egates to a Democratic state conven-
ton for the first time. Pretty and
young women-a few of them. Rich
! ly dressed and lively and vivaciou5.
Older ones, too-plain looking and Sc
we're, leaning toward mems standing
collars and cravats, their coat suits Of
mannish cut. Some older ones than
these-wearing plain, severe clothes,
and little funny looking hats-some-
what like photographs of the late
! Susan Is. Anthony. Painful looking,
most of this type, wearing a solemn
grim expression, confident that the
cares of state rested upon their shoul-
dcrs entirely. And as they came into
hotel lobbics Tuesday evening and
yesterday morning the male species of
| the genus politician looked at them in
apparent surprise as if to say, well,
I'll he durned; heard you were elect
cd to come, but bedoggoned if | be-
licvcd you were going to go through
with it,
And naturally the women sought
other women and talked things over,
while the overturrs that the males fl
nally made after getting over their
surprise were purely social and nom
! political. They filed into the COnven-
ton hall promptly at noon and they
remained on the job faithfully. Occa-
sionally they arose and took part in
the deliberations; but very rarely.
! They were content to listen and learn.
They asked questions of the male del
egates seated beside them. They
wanted TO know who this man was
and who is that man and in what
county does he live and what office
does he hold. They thought the con-
vention proceedings ludicrous at
! times, which was fact. and they
thought it all very interesting and in
structive at other times, which was
! also a fact.
Throughout the long session We'd
nesday night. which lasted until 3:45
this morning, many Of them remained
! in their seats. \ few went to sleep:
| but so did some OF the men for that
matter. Political parrots-sOmc po-
| litiCal parrots, would cause anybody
to sleep. They did well, these new
women, citizens. They learned u lot
Some of them learned so much and
learned that there is so much more to
learn about the game called politics
that they will be coming again. But
| there were n number among the fifty
women delegates present who will
come no more, they having come to
the conclusion that it will be more
worth while for them to stay home
and mind the children.
1t used to he that the Jerome hotel
was political headquarters for South
| Carolina. For years the great ma
| jority of the delegates to the state
convention and to other political
meetings gathered there. But the
prestige of the Jerome has been TAX
en- over by the newer Jefferson hotel
on lower Main street. 1t is larger and
the majority stop there now, al
though scores still stick to the old Je-
rome Time was when Wrights hotel
now the Imperial, was headquarters
But times and men change.
There was one question that SEEM
ed to be on the lips of all anti-Blease
delegates and that question that they
! asked one another and everybody
was: Who'll we beat Bleasc with"
There was never unanimous answer.
1t is plain that those opposed to Mr..
BlcaSc are very much up in the air
relative to a candidate so far. The
question is one that is causing much
sweat and blood, so to speak. There
is no doubt about it. The Enquirer's
correspondent talked to scores and
scores Of shc leading anti Blease
leaders on the point and the answer
invariably was: 81 hardly know
that's what we arc trying to decide on
and can't Some think Senator Laney
of Chesterfield, is the man who car
turn the trick" Others say that for
mcr Lieutenant Governor Thos c..
Mcleod of BiShOpville. is the man.
It's a fact beyond dispute that Mr..
Mcleod was about the most popular
imam in the convention. Others argue
that Ex-Governor John Gary Evans OF
Spartanburg, is the MAN to beat co
lie" But lots of anti-BlCaScrs didn't
make any bones about stating that
they couldn't swallow John Gary.
Announcement of the candidacy of
Superintendent Of Education John r..