The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-06-19


session Is the highest proof of its
need.
ana in favor Of literally support
ing the old Confederate Veterans.
The free school system Of the state
should be built up 50 IS to allow
every white child in South Carolina
To receive a good common school
education. l am absolutely opposed
to compulsory education. and the
white peple's taxes being used TO
educate negroes.
All Of these matters We're called
TO the attention of your General AS
sembly and as the opportunity pre-
Sents Itself. at the various campaign
meetings, Will be taken up and dis
cussed / can scarcely do more than
mention them here, because there
are entirely too many. However,
there will be published and placed in
the hands Of as many Of the people as
possible, my veto MESA ges; message
upon the cotton mill merger; message
upon the hosiery mill, within the
walls Of the Penitentiary; messages
relative to your higher institutions
Of learning, and other papers which
your General Assembly. We cannot
hope to place these in the hands Of
every citizen, but shall endeavor to
place them in the hands Of enough
men in each community that they
may he in a position to fully inform
those who are willing to know and
want the truth. Ny book OF pardons
has already been broadcasted all over
the State, and speaks for itself. 1t
would be absolutely impossible for
me, in one speech, to take up all Of
these various subjects and discuss
them; and, as YOU know, the news
papers will not publish my speeches,
nor will they give me a fair report:
hence. my only opportunity is to dis
cuss such of these matters rs / can
from time to time, and to have the
others put in such form that those
who wish to see them may have the
opportunity To do so; and hoping that
when my friends receive them, after
reading themselves, they will pass
them around mat others may have
the opportunity.
Now, my fellow citizens, | am a
poor man; am not able to purchase
the Governors office, and if / was.
would not do so; for, if | cannot be
elected Governor without having a
paid attorney TO represent me as a
campaign manager, and without hr-
ing men to run around over the state
70 work in my behalf, and to use
l.oney for the purpose of debauching
the voters of my State, l do not want
it and would not have it. | old not
do this to be elected and shall not 10
seeing what position certain ministers
of the Gospel, and certain other cti-
zens of our State, who denounce these
things, will take when they find that
ii is being done. Will they help to
keep it secret, and say anything to
beat Blease, or will they prove to be
the high moralists that they claim for
themselves and refuse TO be parties
to the purchasing Of votes, the paying
of hirelings and the use of whiskey and
improper methods To control our pri-
mary?
have no large corporations behind
me, to contribute to any campaign
fund for me, and no corporation Of
fice-holders or rich political friends TO
contribute to campaign fund. to
give me success, hoping that they may
receive their reward later. Therefore,
whatever votes l receive and whatev-
er work is done for me- must be
done 10y my friends, who are the
friends of good government. and who
are opposed to the buying Of votes and
the control of this states Government
by corporations and ring-rule. Few
newspapers are friendly to me. /
am not able to go around and pay
editors for their support. or Ia hire
in their papers certain spaces in
which my friends or myself are al
lowed to write anything that we
please. even editorial matter. and
have il printed; hence. | ann in the
position that / can only 40 10 the
people. face To face, and talk 10 the m
as man to man and warn them of the
dangers which are ahead Of them. and
do all in my power. i'm IN honorable