The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-07-17

Gu " nllI w TIC SudIlcSlOu aNehS anu
Courier, tla reference to his speech
at the Cha rleston campaign meeting,
In which the governor made his threat
as to placing metropolitan police In
that city II the voters there support
ed Ira B. Jones, the governor wrote
a letter to the News and Courier de-
nying that he had made such threats.
The News and Courier came back by
declaring that 1t had the threat Of the
governor as written out by himself.
The correspondence OF the governor
and the replies Of the Charleston
paper follow:
The News and Courier in receipt
OF the following from Governor Cole
L. Blease:
Columbia, s. c.. July 8. 1912.
The Editor of The News and Cou-
rier. Charleston. s. C,.-Dear Sir: 1
would say that was surprised at the
attitude OF your paper in regard to my
Charleston speech were II not for the
fact that have heretofore been so
Indignantly and wilfully misrepra-
sented by it.
requested the reporters to take
down carefully what / said and told
them that I had part of 1t written out
that part in reference to metropoli-
tan police and injunctions, and in re-
gard to the charges OF graft, and that
! | would no nlnaSn1 fn nd Aar
They took it down to suit themselves
and made their own report, and the
inference which you draw therefrom
1t is as false as any lie could be- Here
is what | said. as now read from
the original notes:
Ira b. Jones voted to put metropol-
itan police on Charleston-see page
500, House Journal, 1894"
Ira B. Jones voted to deprive the
people of Charleston of the right of
trial by jury and for injunctions--see
page 455, House Journal, 1894"
In addition to this, while he was on
the Supreme Court Bench. many in
functions We're put on Charleston
Il have given you independence and
freedom; Ira B. Jones has given you
metropolitan police and injunctions.
Now. | ask you to answer down in
| the bottom of your hearts, question
for me, and show by your ballots your
answer: Do you want metropolitan
police and injunctions, such as Ira
B. Jones gave you, or do you want
freedom OF thought and liberty of ac-
tion, such as Blease has given you? If
you want metropolitan police and in
functions, / will be governor Of this
State for the balance OF this year and
for the next two years and will give
1t to YOU. If you want ii, you shall
| have it,"
made no threat towards Charles
ton, but simply said that whatever
she wanted would give her during
September, October. November, De-
cember and twenty-one days in Janu-
airy, and for the next two years. The
construction which you have placed on
my language-that il was threat
| against Charleston-is absolutely
wrong. | am willing to leave the con-
/ struction of my words to Lieutenant
/ Governor Charles A. Smith, Railroad
( Commissioner John G. Richards, Sen
ator John III. Wharton and any other
honorable gentlemen who are Impair
tial and are willing to state the truth
In this connection, will you please
tell me why you did not publish what
read about Joness speech against
Gen Hampton? You are mighty quick
TO strike me. Why do your reporters
not report the truth, and why do you
not publish it? Here is what Jones
said when ne seconded Col. Irby's
nomination: when Independentism
was about to blot out the fair escut.
cheon Of South Carolina, who was II
that stood by the State and the Dem.
ocratic party? Was 1t Wade Hamp.
ton. Was it Donaldson? 1t was Irby
OF Laurens." This is taken from TIE
hles OF your paper, as printed in your
issue of Thursday morning, Decem-
Der IL, 1890. You failed to give it in
the report of the meeting In Char.
lesion, thereby showing your unfair.
ness, by endeavoring to shield Jones
and misconstrue my words. 1t is &
great pity that the newspapers can.
not be fair, but the people do not ex.
pect it, they are on to your game ant
your misrepresentation will cost me
no votes, but on the contrary vii
help me, as 1t has done In the past