Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-09-04
WRITES OPEN LETTER.
Calls On Governor to Act Man.
Explains Differences.

Last Friday Senator B. r. Till
man sent to the press Of the State
the following open letter to Cover
nor Cole l.. Blease:
Tillman's letter.
Hon. Cole l.. Blease, Columbia, S.
C.-My Dear Sir: While the returns
from the primary election are not
complete, enough is known to make
it certain that you and are both
reelected to the high offices we now
hold.
In every way possible you have
tried to make my old friends among
the people believe that you are the
representative Of Tillmanism, and
threfore entitled to be my political
heir.
Permit me to explain briefly the
difference between Tillmansm and
Bleaseism as understand them.
Tillmanism means genuine Democra-
cy, the rule of the people-of all the
white people, rich and poor alike,
with special privileges and favorS to
none. with equality OF opportunity
and equality of burden to all. 1t
was so understood by the Tillmanites
in 1890 and 1892 and it Is so under
stood by them still.
Bleaseism on the contrary means
fice--the office not to be used for the
welfare Of all the people and the
State, but Office for "Blease and his
friends. None other need apply"
While Tillman as Governor did not
hesitate to pardon a constable by
telegraph who had been unrighteous-
ly punished by the liquor element in
Charleston for raiding Chicco's house,
Iillman always tried and did admin
lister the law equally and Justly as
he understood it. He had no favor
ties and tried to obey the will Of the
majority of the people even in those
counties which had voted against
MIN. He refused appointments as
trial justice to some Of his bitter
poltlcal opponents, but they had not
oeen elected at primary, but were
nominated by his political enemies in
the Legislature.
Tillman in Washington has never
asked whether a man from South
Carolina. who .hasgspplied to him for
& favor, for promotion or. fol. prot e.
ton was a Tfllmantte or an "antf,"
his only purpose being to try to dis
cover whether the man was trustwor-
thy, honorable and clean and would
make good If he got Tillman's in
dorsement.
Sticks in Right Way.
DelleVe in sticking by my friends,
Governor, but ! want to stick by
them In the right way and not in the
wrong way as you have done. Again
llllman said many harsh and bitter
things on the stump because he was
tantaliZed and howled at worse than
YOU have ever been, but he always
lrled to tell the truth, and never un-
der the greatest provocation did he
threaten TO make anybody Sweat
biood or indulge in indecent speech,
plackguardlsm or Vulgarity on the
stump. 1t is not the business of q
Governor nor ought it to be hermit
ted to him to threaten his constitu-
ents. The law is for the protection
or every man and not for a Cover
nors friends only.
The one thing which gave Tillman
lhe most concern was dealing with
petitions for pardon-the life, death
ana liberty OF the poor wretches for
"hom the petitions were filed. Blease
is charged with selling Dardons
through his lawyer friends and shar-
ing the money Governor, you know
whether there is any shadow of rea-
son or foundation for this. do
not, but for your own fame and good
name as well as for the good name
OF the State you ought to clear this
charge up. You cannot afford to
treat it with silent contempt, for 1t
Will not down that way. Tillman
was accused of grating in the dis
pensary. but no proofs were ever
addnced or could have ever been pro-
duced. His most effective defense
was that those who charged him
with ctpo 1int hor
they had the same opportunities as
he had.
Blease Is charged with having yot-
ed for a fee rather than as the leg
islative representative OF the people.
| nave not examined the records and
cannot say whether or not this IS
true Others can determine for them
selves anf convict or acquit you ac-
cording to the evidence. When thc
question was asked by the infuriatod
Jlllmanites who felt that they had
been betrayed by their old leader.
What induced him to do this ?" some
or them in their rage shouted "JIe
has been bought" Who i'm Soulh
carolina knows what the price of n
iliiman Is? In Washington, where
ne mas worked for the last eighteen
years Tor the State and nation. he
nao opportunities almost innumcra-
nie 10 get money for official action.
When he was in charge of the rail
road rate bill, where there were
hundreds OF millions and even bill
mons or dollars worth Of property in
VOWED and slight change In the
law, which Tillman could have aided
10 obtain, meant untold money for
the railroad interests, no one ever
D1ntp1 1i1 Inl
he was approachable as a bribe-taker,
IT has remained for somo crazy
south Carolinian, drunk with Blease-
Ism. 10 hurl this Sllsnicinn ut on aid