The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-10-11
BEN HANDS OFF
S.naser TiI|nan Replies TO Accusation
That He Is Pc ing
AGAINST GOV. BLEASE

SUAsiSSt Wv. a0hAG'
Son of Late Col. T. B. Crews Charges
That TiIIman Has Joined Hands
With Richards and Ira y Jones 20
Work Defeat Of Blease in Race For
Governor.
Senator Tillman has 5een accused
OF entering into a conspiracy Win
divers persons to defeat Biease for
Governor next year. The charges
came from W. T. Crews, son Of one
Of Senator Tillman's most ardent
supporters during his loag life, the
ate Col. Thomas 3. Crews, OF Lau-
rens. ". T. Crews, or as he is more
widely known. Bose" Crews, is edit
ing a newspaper in Greenwood, the
first issue of which appeared on Sep
tember %.
Following the Announcement
and a few other matters, appears an
editorial entitled, The Plot Against
Brease. and it is in this article that
the editor charges Senator Tlllman
with conspiring and plotting Win
John G. Richards and Ira B. Jones to
defeat Blease for a second term as
Governor.
Senator Tillman, who has made
public statement to the effect that ne
will be hands-off in the Governor
race, was naturally little wounded
bv the article, especially since 1t was
from the pen of one so closely relat-
ed to the Senator's staunch support
er in the days of the'90s. Consequent
". Senator Tillmao replied to the
editorial in a letter to Bose, cop
les Of which were distributed Tor
publication. The letter from Senator
Tillman IS as follows:
Trenton, S. c., Sept. 25, 1911.
Mr.. w. T. Crews, Greenwood, s. Z.
Dear Bose: This morning mall
brings me the first number OF your
new paper, The News Scimiter. was
very much surprised to find that you
had hatched mares nest out OF my
recent visit to John c. Richards at
Liberty Hill, and have been none too
tender of his feelings, and have dealt
very unjustly with him. Although II
is perhaps not worth while, take
the trouble to write you this letter
which YOU are at liberty to publish.
Your father was my stauch friend
all of his life and it will not add 10
my peace of mind Or contentnent to
feel before I die that his son IS not
the same loyal friend that Tom Crews
was. I know your paper VIII clrcu-
late. if it eirculates at all, among the
pronounced Tillman!tes OF the State
because the Laurensville Herald with
which you have been connected was
always one of the blue hens chlch-
ems" and outspoken as regard Till
manism.
think it unkind, therefore, to
lend yourself to any suggestion or
scheme which will weaken the conf
dence in me of any friend Of mine.
You know, if you know anythlnf,
that I have nothing to do and never
will have anything to do with tnat
Gonzales crowd, or any emissary that
they will send to me. l may be a
fool and not recognize such emlssary,
but l think l have sense enough 70
know an ambassador or agent OF tnat
bunch of politicians should one ap-
proach me.
Your editorial, "The Plot Against
Blease," is so unjust to Richards aud
to me and so calculated to m1sleac
that l write this in order to set you
straight. In the first place, Richards
is not the anti-rubber politician and
hypocrite you insinuate he IS, but an
honorable and high-toned man, and
should have been elected governor
last year, if character and ability to
serve the people creditably had been
considered by the voters. The SUBJ
iect of Jones candidacy was not dis
cussed during my visit to Richards
and his announcement was surprise
to me.
Richards has known all along that
my candidacy for the senate depend
ed entirely or the condition OF my
health, and even if I am in bed un-
less wholly paralyzed, l expect 10 al
low the people Of South Carollna
who want to do so to have the oppor-
tunity to vote for me. l am ANXIOUS
to see whether or not they appreciate
my earnest and tonest efforts to serve
them these twenty-one years. so any
hint or suspicion that I can be used
in the way you suggest in the ,eoltorl-
al is an insult and outrage to me
and am shocked to have such al as
sassin's blow come from Tow Crews
son IF am reelected I will not re-
sign but dit in harness.
You of all men are the last one
to ins!nuate that I am so cowaGolS
and so easily wrapped around peo-
ple's fingers that I would join any
such combination. I am astonlsneo
at YOU and of course you know l am
very much hurt. J Go not expect to
take sides in the goTernc1 race next
wear It is none II my business
anyway. and my po:'cy as puohc
man has always been that Of Jefer-
son, Teach the people and trust the
people, Both of the candidates thus
far announced are old Tillmanltes
and the people must judge Tor them
selves which one Of them is best en-