The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1911-10-11
A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF
BIease Organ Takes Dip With Senator TiIIman and
the Senator Comes Back With a Strong Reply.
Cole BIease Observer.

pOlI dIu lllIlISIlCe Ol lne Jones du-
ministration and the Gonzales crowd
to succeed Tillman-all this to reward
Richards for his self-sacrifce pa
triotism', etc.
But what is to become of Governor
.'oncs? jg he to ne erm:teu to fall
cut Of puhiic hotlcr at the eN!.ration
of little old measly one term as gov
ernor? Not bit of it. The plot takes
care Of him fully and substantially.
AT the expiration OF his term the
same political machine that made him
governor is to still further reward
him by giving him the Hon. Ed Smith
seat in the United States senate
This is their scheme-their poiti-
cal plot to defeat Blease-and even if
it takes old-time- Tilman- coat tail
swingers and Tillman's old-time bit
terest enemies to accomplish it, they
are going to try it. But as Bleases S
election showed that the people were
not going to be ruled at the dictation
OF Gonzales politicians. we hardly be-
lieve that they will tamely surrender
next year to a combination of anti
Blease politicians and Benedict Ar
nolds of the old Tillman-Reform
movement We shall see."-News-
SCemetar.
'h hNpbss
The letter from Senator Tillman is
as follows:
Trenton. S c., Sept. %, 1911.
Mr.. W. Il. Crews, Greenwood S. c. u
Dear Bose: This mornings mail
brings me the first number of your
new paper, the News -Scimitar. | was
very much surprised to find that you
had hatched mares nest out of my
Etpst t- I~lN, snl., Il
Liberty Hill, and have been none too
tenuer Of his feelings, and have dealt
very unjustly with him. Although it
is perhaps not worth while, take the
trouble to write you this letter which
you are at liberty to publish.
Your father was my staunch friend
all of his life. and it will not add to
my peace of mind or contentment to
feel before l die that his son is not
the same loyal friend that Tom Crews
was. | know your paper will circu-
late, If 1t circulateS at all, among the
pronounced Tillmanites of the state,
because the Laurensville Herald with
which you have been connected was
always one of the blue hens chick
ems" and outspoken as regards 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 anything, that
| have nothing to do and never will
have anything to dc with that Con
zales crowd, or any emissary that they
will send to me. may be fool and
not recognize such emissary, but |
think | yet have sense enough to know
an ambassador or agent of that bunch
of politicians should one approach
me.
Your editorial, "The Plot Against
Blease," is so unjust to Richards and
to me and so calculated to mislead
that ] write this in order to set you
straight. In the first place, Richards
is not the india-rubber politician and
hyDocrite 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 sub
iect of Jones' candidacy was not dis
cuSsed during my visit to Richards
and his announcement was a surprise
to me. Richards has known all along
that my candidacy for the senate de-
pended entirely on the condition of
my health and even if I am in bed
allow the people of South Carolina
who want to do so to have the oppor-
tunity to vote for me. | am anxious
to see whether or not they appreciate
my earnest and honest efforts to serve
them these twenty-one years So any
hint or suspicion that | can be used in
the way YOU suggest in the editorial
is an insult and outrage to me and |
am shocked to have such an assassin s
blow come from Tom Crews son. If
| am reelected ] will not resign but
die in harness. You Of all men are
the last one to insinute that / am so
cowardly and so easily wrapped
around peoples fingures that | would
join any such combination. | am as
tonished at you and of course you
know | am very much hurt. / do not
expect to take sides i'm the governors
race next year. 1t is none of my bus
mess. anyway, and my policy as a
public man has always been that of
Jefferson. "Teach the people and trust
the people," Both of the candidates
thus far announced are old Tillman-
ties and the people must Judge for
themselves which one of them is best
entitled to their confidence.
Very respectfully,
CSigned) b. r.. Tillman.
News Sccmciar's Reply.
On our first page will be found a let
ter from Senator Tillman TO the Ed
itor OF The News Scemetar
In our article of Sept 22d. to which
Senator Tillman refers. -"The Plot
Against Blease"-thc only manner i'm
which we connected the Senator's
name with the plot" was where we
said
Whether or not Senator Tillmau
has e-N-M thnan cnnaniIimg nnllLi.la-a