The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-11-14
HE'D LED MOB
Governor Blease Apphuds the Astisn
Of aouea Path Lypehing.

LECTURES PREACHERS
Rather Than Call Ont AIilitia to Save
Gut,rit, Governor Declares to
Tbousand Of "My Friends" BE
ygenld Ha7e Resigned His Omoe
and Become Lyncher-in-Chise.
En- response to an invitation e1-
tended by several friends. Governor
R,oase made an address On Court
House square Saturday afternoon be-
soro q thousand, people. His subject
was left to the Governor and he spoke
for mere than one hour. dwelling on
1anny things Of interest to the people
OF the State.
He stated that on Friday he was
requested by the president OF the
State Farmers Union to issue a pro-
clamation, calling upon the farmers
of the State to hold their cotton, and
also to ask the Governors OF the other
cotton States to issue similar procla-
nations. This he refused to do, he
explained, because he Is no farmer
and does not profess to know what
Is the best for the farmers to do un-
der the circumstances. In his opin-
ion. the solution Is left with the farm
ers themselves, and he urges that
they organize and get In position to
put a price on their crop.
He called attention to the fact that
the lawyers, the doctors, etc., had all
organized and agreed upon prices
for their services and he thinks the
farmers should do likewise. He
nlaces the blame of the low price OF
cotton upon the cotton mill mergers
and prophesies that the mergers Will
soon cut down the wages Of mill en-
ployees, after they have finished pull
ing down the price Of cotton.
Governor ,Blease made plea to the
r,ill people, and to all the people, to
secure registration certificates be-
fore it is too late. The newspapers
are trying, he said. to disfranchlse a
large portion Of white men by max
Ing registration certificate a re-
Guirement in the primary election. =
He stated that he would veto any
bill passed by the Legislature making
any special requirement, but the dan
ger lies with the Democratic ConVen-
ticu next May, when he will not be in
position to look ont for the interests
of, the people. He thinks the Con-
vention will be, asked to adopt o res
olution requiring the certificates. For
this reason he urges all persons,
whether friends Of his or not, to reg
lister and put themselves in position
to vote, no matter what the Convene
ticn does.
Governor Blease reiterated his po-
sltion with regard to lynching. He
said. again that when negro puts his
hands upon the person of white
girl, the sooner the negro is put six
tset under the ground the better. He
stated that on the night Of the Honea
Path lynching the solicior Of this cir
cult called upon him to order out the
militia, and that he told the solicitor
he would send two kilograms. "One
of these telegrams,' said the Cover
nor, "was addressed to Sheriff King
here.
In that telegram I told him to
keep in touch with the affairs, and to
make report to me next morning
of what was going on. The sheriff
received my telegram and he under
stood it, for next morning I received
a report from him, telling what had
transpired."
The speaker stated that rathe.
than use the Office of Governor in
ordering out troops to defend a negro
brute and require these troops to fire
on white citizens. he would have re-
signed from the Office to which he
had been elected and would have
caught the train to Honea Path and
led the mod.
The Governor then criticised the
ministers of the local union, who had
drafted resolutions condemniug him,
and everything and everybody con-
nected with the lynching. He said
that he knew some preachers in this
State to have more negro blood in
their veins than did the negro who
was lynched, and that he did not
propose to be dictated to by any
preacher or set of preachers. He
also expressed his belief that there
are not twelve men in Anderson
County who would bring in a verdict
OF conviction against any member Of
the mob who did the work; land if
there were twelve men who would do
60 and a verdict Of guilty was re-
turned. I would wire pardons to those
convicted" he said.
Governor Blease attacked the
newspapers, giving especial attention
to "the Columbia State and its edi-
tor" He charged that the newspa-
pers are not telling why and under
what circumstances he is extending
executive clemency, and he asks that
fbe nrfh1ic road tha acc0pntS oP hic