The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-08-27
7illnaan Attacks BLease;
Gou. BLease Makes Reply

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spirit. and there is so much smoke
about his corruption that am bound
TO believe there must be some fire.
For instance; why did he not cut Ben
Stothart's head off when Stothart re-
fused to swear under oath, that he
had not been bribed, under the pre-
text that he would 'Incriminate. him
self?' Why has it been his habit to
refer most of those who Wanted to get
pardons to some friend like Sam Mich
oils? Why did he not do the pardoning
business himself on his own judg-
ment, rather than turn it over to a
shifty lawyer to charge a fee, unless
he was getting some of the money?
Why is it that he is so intimate with
Ben Abney, the leading counsel for the
Southern Railway as to take him into
his own house, when he knows Ben
Abney is the greatest lobbyist we have
ever had in South Carolina, a mani
pulator of legislatures and railroad
commissioners.
eff had been running for governor
like Jones is, what do you suppose l
would have said to Blease when he
charged me with having Son Charlie
megaphone up to Pa on the supreme
bench? 1 would have retorted: Gov
ernor Blease, Ben Abney does not
have to use megaphone or telephone
to reach you and tell you what the
Southern Railroad wants. He can talk
to you three times a day across the ia
BILE, and if he does not finish by sup
per he can ge to bed with you, and
talk over and get everything fixed.
Every intelligent man in the State
knows Ben Abney's pernicious activity
in Columbia. Through the lawyers in
the legislature, in the employ of the
railroad, he has prevented any relief
to many people about the mileage
book situation and all other railroad
matters.
Because Gonzales and all the
other State papers are supporting
Jones is no reason why Jones is unfit
to be governor, or that he will be con-
trolled by them, if he is elected. My
friends who have been so outraged be-
cause 1 said Jones was Eeminently
qualified to be governor" and have
demanded that 1 should say the same
for Blease, had better take heed lest
in their passion and prejudice and
madness, they get a worse governor
than Jones can possibly make.
81 undertake to guarantee that
Jones, if elected governor, will be gov
ernor of all the people and not of his
friends" alone. Because all the news
papers, which have howled at me, and
some of them are still bowling, are
now bowling against Blease and for
Jones is no manner of proof that
Blease is the best man of the two or
will make the better governor.
Says Blease had Chance.
"Blease has had his chance. Has he
made good? On your honor do you
think he has made good as governor?
No man can be a good governor unless
he realizes that it is high office and
that he ought to do nothing to bring
it under suspicion. The honor of the
State is like the honor of woman and
ought to be dear to every Carolinian.
al have tried my best to stay out
of this fight, but my friends are trying
in every way possible, it seems to me,
to drag me into it, having no thought
of the consequences to me, but intent
only On electing Blease or Jones. 1
could not say Blease was as we'll
qualified as Jones without lying, ex-
cept as 1 have explained in this letter.
eff I could speak to every South
Carolinian in the State who is Till
mantle, between now and the primary
this is what I would say: I am the
same man that 1 have always been,
and have not changed one particle.
still believe the poor people and the
farmers ought to have as many rights
and privileges as anybody else in the
country, but they only play into the
hands of their enimies and fight
against their own interests when they
vote for an unworthy. I did not win
their confidence and love by lying to
them, and I do not purpose to retain
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