Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-07

are most interested, is whether or not
Governor Blease is guilty as charged
by Mr.. Fielder. That is a matter of
very great importance-one of grave
concern to every citizen who acknowl-
edges Mr. Blease as his governor. The
charge involved in the warrant sued
out against Mr.. Fielder, involves moth
ing more and nothing less than the
charges involved in the warrants that
have been issued against all the dis
pensary grafters.
Granted for the sake of argument
that Governor Blease Is guilty as Mr..
Fielder says, and granted further that
Mr.. Fielder is the only man who has the
evidence necessary to convict, it Is
very clear that If Mr.. Fielder could be
convicted of anything, the things
charged by Governor Blease or any
thing else, before the settlement Of
the issues involving Governor Blease,
then of course, Governor Blease would
stand a pretty good chance of legal
vindication, regardless of his guilt or
innocence.
We do not mean to suggest that the
guilt of Fielder would establish the in
deal; but with Fielder convicted, no
evidence that he might be able % pro-
duce, no matter how conclusive, would
have the same weight as 1t would
have had otherwise.
But in this matter we do not want
the Columbia State or anybody else to
look upon us as partisans Of the gov
ernor Of South Carolina-Mr. Blease.
Mr.. Fielder or anybody else. The only
thing we want is the establishment Of
the absolute truth, and with the truth
established we are not in the least
concerned as to results or conse-
quences.
Various moves in this whole matter
have looked to us so much like mere
plays for position-sparring for advan-
tage-that we have not been at all
proud of the doings Of either side, and
we are not concerned with the personal
fortunes of either side now.
Just as we freely admit that the guilt
of Mr.. Fielder would not establish the
innocence Of Governor Blease, we also
assert that the guilt of the governor
would not establish the innocence Of
Tom Fielder, and it was In the light
of this fact that we asserted that Mr..
Fielder made a mistake in resisting ex-
tradition.
For instance, if York county mag
istrate should issue a warrant tomor-
row for the editor of the Columbia
State, involving any charge in the list
no matter what, if the editor of the
State did not come to Yorkville on
the first train, he would certainly sub
nit to arrest as soon as the papers
were presented, demand a preliminary
and give bond for his appearance when
wanted Mr.. Fielder should have done
likewise.
Of course, it is easy enough to argue
that if Governor Blease is the man Mr.
Fielder says he is, he would secure the
backing Of the Newberry jury and have
Fielder convicted regardless of the
evidence; but in this connection we
beg leave to remark that whatever
may have been said about South Car
olina politics, or the administration of
the law in South Carolina courts, in
this state there are as many people
for justice and fair play as there be
against them, and more.
One other observation. While we
said and still maintain that Mr.. Fell
der put himself at a disadvantage by
fighting eXtradition, We do not want to
be understood as suggesting that his
attitude or conduct in the matter af
fects the real issue at all. We be-
lieve that much Of the truth will finally
be established. We are satisfied that
Mr. Fielder knows much that will help
in the establishment of that truth.
The chances are that he will tell much
of what he knows, and will give 1t
out in a way that will leave no room
for reasonable doubt. But somehow
we have not absolute confidence in Mr.
Fielder, and we feel that If the states
sole hope of learning the truth were
centered in him, those hopes would be
based on a very uncertain foundation.