Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-07-08


ed in the last four years. with four
new judges, and still the cry is for
more. The people have voted out
the legal sale Of liquor, but the courts
only can suppress the hosts OF blind
tigers" | here pledge nnceasing war.
fare against blind tigers" of all
forms and classes. Not only the ne.
gro with a few bottles in his over.
coat pockets, not only the poor noun.
taineer with a buggy full OF corn
juice but the polite and slick gen.
sleman, who knows how to evade the
law and how TO cover up his tracks.
All these must be made to respect the
public will Of the people. as express
in law. ....-. .-.......... ..
Again. my fellow citizens tnis ter.
'ible evil Of carrying concealed wea-
pons is against the Law. Nc man hes
right to violate the law. II man
ms violated the law by carrying a
pistol and kills another, he has done
The killing because he was violating
the law himself 1t should be very
hard for such man to make out
successful plea of self-defense.
In presenting medal won In a de
bate at South Carolina College In
1896. DR.. e. S. Joynes said this to
me-I have preserved his exact lam
guage:
I'VE believe, MIR. McSwain, from
what we have seen Of you, that you
will use not only your powers of de.
bate. but the influence Of your per.
fnr hn @f
right. The state demands. that her
educated citizens should use their
talents for the uplifting of the state.
Eor this reason the state has entered
the field Of education. She expects
that her educated citizens will not
m!nce words with public wrong doing,
that they will condemn official mis-
conduct, and that they will lead in
the fight for honesty. fairness, and
equality In government. Those mon
who hold themselves aloof from public
affairs. because they say that poll.
tics is rotten are themselves partly
to blame for the very rottenness Of
which they complain. We expect that
YOU will never stand silent and see
the public trampled under foot, or see
Gods truth crucifed."
These words burned their way into
my brain, their full import still
echoes in my heart. While yet
youth, | was taught by those whom
the state had employed to teach tnat
those were sound principles. Tho ma.
tnre judgment of manhood but con-
firms my conviction that they are
truth. II these principles are true.
and II l believe them, would be un-
true to myself, whether in the ca.
pacity of citizen or in public office,
II | kept silence for private reasons
and permitted the public cause to suf.
fer. I am willing to stand or to fall
by my conduct, which has been found.
ed upon the principles laid down by
the learned DR.. Joynes. believe there
Is no other way for a man to be true
to the state. II could not be guilty
OF graft II l could not. undertake to
deceive the people, IL would exercise
public office as public trust. then
1t Is my duty to use all my powers
to see that no other man should do
this. believe that a public officer
should handle public property, or per.
form public duty. as carefully as he
would attend to his own business. I
believe that public officer should
exemplify by his private conduct the
enforcement Of the law which he is
supposed to insist upon others.
believe that 1t Is impossible for a
public official to be truly successful
m 80
self indulges, in private, in drink.
or In gambling, or in the carrying of
! concealed weapons, which ar at the
bottom Of well-nigh every crime. am
opposed to the use of liquor or money
! to influence an election, and 1t will
not be provided by me, nor by any.
body for me. with my knowledge or
consent.
And now, my fellow citizens. II you
agree with me that my platform Is
sound, IL you believe that the prin-
ciples OF government that I advocate
and the moral standard that insist
all citizens should conform to Will
make for the betterment OF this
country, then have a right to ask
that you assist Ia my election.
want every citizen who agrees with
me and who believes that have the
ability and the courage to do these
things to constitute himself commit.
tee of one to work among his neighbors
his friends, his brothers In identity OF
human interest for my election.
am prompted by no selfish Tor sordid
purpose in this campagn. Pecuniary
reasons may dictate that | should
continue as a private member Of the
bar PorannaI aoco ond pnp,forf