The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-09-04

Blease as voted for Jones. They felt
It to be their right as citizens, and
many of them religiously believed
that their liberties were In danger,
for you, governor, are reported as
saying that If Jones was elected they
would never vote again.
Jefferson said once that as between
government without newspapers and
newspapers without government ne
would take the latter for the neWspa-
pers would keep the people informed
and they would have intelligence
enough to give themselves good gov
ernment In some way. Oar newspa-
pers in South Carolina have lost sight
of the necessity for fair and square
dealing with their readers, so much
so thM they have not the influence
with TIE people that they ought to
have. There is room for a; great
many reforms in this particular and
l sincerely hope that the editors of
the South Carolina papers Will se-
riously consider how they can fegafn
the confidence of the people again.
So great has been the distrust caused
by the dishonesty and partisanship
that hundreds, nay thousands OF nv
friends could not be made to believe
that I had written the letter to Fer
guson or given out the staLemeIt ac-
companying 1t. / received many,
many kilograms and letters asking
whether it was authetic. This con-
dition Of the public mind has been
brought about by seeing that the
newspapers in their headlines and in
the body of the articles themselves
distort and color unrighteously the
facts. When the people are taught
they can always be trusted, but when
the people distrust the newspapers
and believe them corrupt and dis
honest and given to all manner OF
lying they lose that respect for them
that Is necessary to preserve free
government.
Would Talk to Friends.
If ever get able to speak again
want to go to three counties in South
carolina and talk to my old friends
face to face, Anderson, Laurens and
York. You have stolen the love and
confidence Of those people, did not
lose it; you stole it. Who would
ever have. believed it possible that
the men who twenty-five years age
were so frenzied in their Tillmanism
and worship of Tillman as to un-
hitch the horses from his carriage
and hitch themselves in to drag him
in triumph through the street would
come to distrust, hate and abuse him
without cause.
/ Madame Roland before she was
guillotined exclaimed: 20 liberty
| what crimes are committed in thy
name!" Noting the progress which
has been made toward the demorali.
zation among the Democrats in South
, Carolina one can shout, "Oh Democ,
racy, will the people never learn tc
know their true friends from their
false leaders, never to distinguish be.
| tween a statesman and demagogue
always listening to Aattery and sweet
words without looking below the sur.
| face and the true inwardness o!
things and men, To think that the
very men for whom I have dons
most, the poor farmers and. factory
people, should turn and rem dine thi:
way! I gave them Clemson college
nd Winthrop. At least I had more
to do with It than any other one man
gave them the primary, for I wrote
the Democratic State constitution
with my own hand in conjunction
with my brother, G. W. Tillman, an6
made the rules governing the pri
nary and safeguarded in every pos
sible way their rights, 80 that now
every citizen has voice In the gov
ernment and can protect himself i.
he has sense enough.
| All pleasure and satisfaction in my
reelection to the Senate is gone be,
cause t the desertion Of these ole
friends and followers of mine. i
makes me doubt seriously whether
have not erred previously in giving
| the power of self-government tt
these people and teaching them theil
rights. They show such a woeful lacl
Of gratitude. I feel that when I an
dead and in the grave that they viii
realize and understand the crimina.
folly of their action and the enormity
OF the betrayal Of their best friend
I know if I could have spoken K
| them this summer this tragedy could
not have occurred. When. these ole
friends have had time to cool off anG
think it all over they will curse them
selves for such base ingratitude, an6
for their idiocy in being misled by {
demagogue. To think that they haG
been such fools as not to understand
and grant the old mans last plea tc
"die in harness" serving them anG
serving the State and nation. Oh, il
is pitiful.
The Object of every true patriot
should be to pour oil upon the trou.
bled waters and bring a return ot
harmony and good will among oul
people. Let US have peace" And
II that cannot be given US, let US see
what return to decency and sanity
will accomplish.
If you clear yourself of the foul &C.
cusations made against you in the
governors Office and will pursue q
wholly different policy hereafter
there is some future for you in the
State yet. II you do not, your name
will go down in history as the very
worst native South Carolinian who
was ever governor. Moses not ex-
cepted. I repeat You are "eminently
qualified to be governor as far as
brains CO." and if you reform and
make good in the two years you have
yet to serve in that Office the people
may forgive you. But you must be
governor of the whole people and not
Of your friends alone and they will
take care of your future destiny, al
ways sunposing that you, clear your
sci Of the Infamous charges that have
been brought against you. For un-
less you do, that you can never hope
to aspire to higher promotion, for the
people of South Carolina will never
send to Washington a man not above
suspicion. Your destiny is largely in
Your hands, governor. For the hon
rf thn Ctota oor 4