Office Seekers to Fire First Guns at Blaney Monday

(Special to the Record)

CAMDEN, S. C., Aug. 18. – The Kershaw county democratic campaign will swing under way Monday morning at ten o’clock when candidates for the various offices will make their initial bids at the school house auditorium in Blaney.

Thirty candidates have announced through tis date for the sixteen official berths to be filled in the primaries the first of which is to be staged on Tuesday, August 28. The final limit for filing pledges has been set for Saturday night. August 18.

Political interest in centering chiefly upon the race for representatives to the general assembly. Kershaw county will have the opportunity to name two for this post and will be permitted to select these from six announced candidates.

Newton Kelly who is asking reelection to the house will be opposed by L. O. Funderburk, former senator from this county; D. M. McCaskill, former treasurer of Kershaw county; N. S. Richards, former representative; J. R. Belk, lumber deal of Camden, and J. N. McLaurin, merchant and planter of Bethune.

Local prognosticators declared that outstanding issues to be thrashed out in the representatives race will include abolition of the state highway department or whether it should remain in force in preference to the old county supervisor system and whether or not Kershaw county voters desire representatives who are in complete harmony with the governor’s way of thinking.

Another contest which is receiving a great amount of interest in that in which three candidates are offering for the post of superintendent of education. Mrs. Kathleen B. Watts who is asking for the place is the first woman to venture into political pathways in Kershaw county. Mrs. Watts is known as a very capable school teacher, familiar with the county school systems, and is one who is said to be enlisting many supporters throughout the county.

Others offering for superintendent through this date include Allen B. Murchison, former superintendent, and I. J. McKenzie who has also served this county as superintendent. Mr. Murchison is credited with having established many of the consolidated high school of this county while Mr. McKenzie also is said to have played an important part in developing the present splendid system of schools in this county.

Further races of county-wide importance are those for the place of coroner and directors from two townships to the county’s governing board. Judge W. F. Russell, confederate veteran and long a picturesque character in county politics, is asking re-election as coroner while S. J. West, also said to hold a strong following, is another candidate for the office.

As a director from Wateree township E. H. Bowen is out for the reelection and being opposed by G. E. Hinson who is a former magistrate at Blaney. J. H. Sowell, at present director from Flat Rock township, is seeking re-election and is being opposed by M. C. King of Bethune.

After speaking at Blaney Monday morning the candidates will appear at the following places throughout Kershaw county: Bethune, Tuesday: Kershaw, Wednesday, Camden, Thursday: Buffalo, Friday: and the Camden Mills school on Saturday night.