The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-07-11


PEELED at the Charleston meeting to
take notice of and, if he could,
answer the charges which I have so
publicly made against him." said
Mayor Grace, in a statement replying
to the attack made upon him by the
governor in his speech at the State
campaign meeting held Friday even
ing at the Hibernian hall. 1t will be
remembered that Gov. Blease, when
he had finished his attack on Judge
Ira B. Jones, spoke of the breach be-
tween Mayor Grace and himself,
which grew out of his appointment
over Mr.. Grace's protest, of whiskey
constables in Charleston. This led
up to charges by the mayor that
graft could be traced practically up
to the governor, which accusation
was followed by the dispensary in
vestigating committee of the legisla-
ture coming to Charleston and hold
Ing an lnVSSClSdIlOu.
The governor denounced any man
accusing him of having received graft
through the whiskey constables as a
malicious characterized and coward
ly liar. He read a letter from May
or Grace asking him not to dismiss
local notary who was negro. The
feature of his address which made
the deepest impression, was that if
Charleston voted for Jones, he would
do all in his power to place the met
ropolitan police here and govern
Charleston by Injunction. He refer
red lightly to the results of the re-
cent investigation held by the legisla-
tive investigating committee, and
said that if any one would say to
Chief Constable Stothart's face that
he had received graft, furnishing the
proof, he would discharge him.
Mayor Grace was in the audience at
the Hibernain hall when Gov. Blease
attacked him so severely, but he held
his peace and made no reply. Last
night he gave out the following state
ment:
The Mayors Statement.
"Of course it YVES anticipated by
me that Gov. Blease would be COM
PEELED at the Charleston meeting to
take notice of, and, if he could,
answer the charges which I have so
publicly made against him. There
was no escape from this necessity.
The only matter over which I had
any doubts was whether or not I
should attend the meeting, and with
my own ears hear what he had to
say. My friends practically unani-
mously advised me against it. AS it
happened, was on the Isle of Palms
at the State Bankers Convention
and had 1 cared to lend plausibility
to my absence l could readily have
evaded it. But I determined, that
come what might, it was my duty to
go to the meeting. AS Democrat,
I have never missed any of these
meetings, and the only thing that
could have kept me away would have
been, whatever others might have
thought of it, cowardice on my part.
Having made up my mind, there
fore, to go, the next thing which
bothered me was what attitude /
should assume toward Gov. Blease,
howsoever personal and bitter he
might become. AS I had deliberately
gone to the meeting I was equally as
deliberate about what my course
should be- l remembered that
was mayor of Charleston; that the
hall was packed with men who, at
the slightest threat of personal in
jury, would spring to my side
through devotion that is unexcelled
anywhere. The police force, while
composed largely of men loyal to me,
I would have required myself to do
it's duty, and under the orders of the
chairman +, and even my most de-
voted friends, might have been sum-
marily removed from the hall, to
which extremity would have bowed
in obedience to law. With these
mere outlines of a riotous situation
flooding my mind there was but one
view for me to take-to swallow
anything. 1 did it with complacency,
and l think the public, from what
hear, approves of my course.
The Beer Incident.
Moreover, what did it matter
what Blease said? Did he not in the
very speech in which he so violently
by indirection, denounced me, also
give utterance to the rankest indecen-
cies and anarchy? Think of gov
ernor replying as to how he stood on
the beer question by shouting that if