The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-07-08
Duncan's Charges
Feature Meeting

Ridgeland, June 30-The calm
paign meeting for candidates for
state Offices in Jasper county today
was featured by the charges by
John T. Duncan, candidate for gov
ernor. that one of the men in the
race had made speeches: for Hard
| ing in the presidential campaign
two years ago. There's man in
this race who spoke for Harding,
| the Republican candidate for pres
ident, two years ago. and this same
man is now running in the
Democratic primary" Mr.. Duncan
said.
Mr.. Duncan was the first speaker
and gave much attention to the 1iti-
cation concerning the Columbia ca
| nal. Attorney General Wolfe. the
speaker said, was being fought for
reelection because the attorney gen.
eral had pressed litigation to save
the property recovered by the state.
The voters were reminded that
former Governor Blease was seek
ing third term. "He knows he
can't be elected" Mr.. Duncan
said. sWhy he didn't carry but
three counties four years ago in his
last campaign and has been getting
fewer and fewer votes each year
he runs. He will corral a few
votes from those who are glued to
| him"
State Senator George K. Laney
of Chesterfield gave some atten-
ton to the canal question. Mr..
Duncan had claimed that if the
state will develop the canal prop
erty enough revenue will be pro-
vided with which to meet the ex-
penses of the state government.
Mr.. Laney denied that the canal
commission had offered to sell the
canal property at small sum as
charged by Mr.. Duncan. If the
United States supreme court,
where the case is now pending. de-
cides in favor of the state, the next
general assembly will determine
what disposition shall be made of
| it, he said.
The Chesterfield candidate re-
viewed the measures of the last
general assembly by which the state
levy was reduced five and one-half
mills, and said if the succeeding
general assemblies continue this
program there will be only a few
years until the full state levy is
| thus provided. Then county levies
will be left for schools and roads
J and may be placed at any figure
! the people of the respective coun-
| ties and their delegations in the
general assembly may determine.
! The state income tax, the inheri-
tance tax, and the gasoline tax en-
abled the general assembly this
year, Mr.. Laney pointed out, to
shift nearly one-half Of the state
/; levy to shoulders which had not
been bearing their proper share
| of tax. And the shifting program
! had just begun, he said.
| Mr. Laney again today laid par
| ticular emphasis on the importance
Of law enforcement. Civilization
will be destrayed unless the people
get behind their governor and their
county authorities in the enforce
ment of the law" Mr.. Laney con-
cluded. Mr. Laney's utterances
| were warmly applauded.
! Thomas c. Mcleod followed Mr.:
Laney and again today preached
| the doctrine of local economy. If
! people are sincere in their demands
| for tax reduction, he said, they
must cut in the counties. In Jasper
county 6S per cent Of the taxes
paid is expended in the county,
while only 81 per cent. goes for
state purposes. Therefore, Mr..
Mcleod said, two-htirds Of the
problem rests wholly upon the
shoulders of the people themselves
and their delegations to the gener-
al assembly. Problems following
j the war and the invasion Of the
boil weevils would be met in the
same way that people were meet
! ing their private business prob.
lens, Mr.. Mcleod thought. There
would be the practice Of rigid
economy and reformation in. plans
and policies, but there would be no
| destruction.
| Mr.. Mcleod said he was running
on his own responsibility. He did
mot represent any class or group OF
men and il elected he would at
tempt to be the governor Of all the
people of the state. He invited in
vestigation of his character. both
as to private and public life. The
/ Bishopville candidate warmly de-
Tended the effort Of the last gen
eral assembly to seek new sources
for taxes that the burden might be
/ shifted from real estate and per-
sonal property. The income tax
/ touched men who paid no other
taxes, just as did the inheritance
tax and the gasoline tax. Mr.. Nc
tLeod was given much applause.
Cole L. B1ease was the last OF
the candidates for, governor to be
heard. The former, governor said
it had been a long time since the
people had heard about law and
order. When he was governor, Mr.
Blease said, the people had beer
! told to get rid of Blease and there
would be less crime and during the
last eight years South Carolina, he
said, had led the nation in the mur'
i