The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-08-08
THINK OF THESE THINGS.
Kind of Government We'd Have if
Bleaseism Should Prevail.

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discuss this question, not from the
standpoint of Blease's enemies; not
in the light of revelations of graft
that is being collected by his chief
lieutenants; not on information re-
corded by the dictagraph; not
through the use of secrets revealed
by Blease's friends and associates
while drunk. We will discuss it up
on the basis laid down by Blease
himself, using as text the platform
which he has adopted, as follows:
That he will stand by his friends,
though they 90 to the penitentiary;
that he will sign no commission and
show no favor to any who votes
against him; that he will use all the
power of his Office to reward his sup
porters and punish his opponents.
Suppose this whole government
were run upon that principle?
Suppose that should be the plat
form of the judges who conduct our
courts?
Such Judge would place the low
est possible sentence upon political
friend, and the heaviest upon those
who opposed him. He would always
rule in favor of the lawyer who voted
for him and against the lawyer who
voted against him. He would instruct
the juries to find no verdict against
his friend, and the heaviest possible
verdict against his enemy. And if
jury should have independence
enough to disregard his instructions,
he would dismiss them and order
new jury, till he got one made up Of
his friends. If they did not do his
bidding, he would call them liars"
towards" and "guttersnipes.
A solicitor on the Blease platform
would mol pros all cases against any,
body who helped to elect him, and
prosecute to the fullest extent, le-
gally or illegally, those who happen
ed to vote for somebody else.
A sheriff who did business on the
Blease plan would not arrest a man
who voted for him, and if deputy
should by mistake put one of his
friends in Jail he would turn him out
that night. If he should happen to
catch a man who voted for somebody
else, he would put him in chains in
the felon's dungeon.
A county treasurer, operating his
Office on the 'Blease platform, would
make no effort to collect taxes from
his friends. If it did not suit them
to pay he would never turn over the
executions to the sheriff.
An auditor, doing business as
Blease dies, would assess the proper
ty of all his political opponents as
high as he could, and put that of his
friends down next to nothing.
Acounty supervisor, working on the
Blease plan, would build splendid
roads in the neighborhood of those
who voted for him, and would never
touch a road near a man who voted
against him. He would openly threat
en- that if any precinct should vote
against him he would give them no
more road work, but would spend all
the county's money in the townships
that gave him majorities. He would
allow no opponent of his to draw
cent of money from the county for
any purpose, but would give every
thing to his political friends. He
would even have men drawing sala-
ries from the county on pretence OF
being detectives, but who would be
working in the interest of his re-elec-
ton.
A superintendent of education
working a la Blease, would appoint
no trustees unless he knew they voted
for him. No other qualifications
would be considered. No teacher
could get school who did not, or
whose family did not, vote for him.
And the school district which did not
give him a majority would receive no
favor at his hands.
A magistrate, on the Blease plat
form, would dismiss every case
brought against anybody, or an en-
ploye or friend of anybody who voted
for him. And he would send up to
court, or sentence to the limit OF the
law, all who happened to have voted
for or signed somebody else's petit
ton.
And so with every other officer, in
the county, State and nation, If this
government were run on the Blease
plan.
Every officer would be using his
Office to build up a powerful machine