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

''cHH' - H. weston, ana Otncf
leading attorneys for railroad cor
porations and other corporate inter
cSts. II. -. Calhoun. \. T.. Padget.
Il. +. Smith. j. w. Ragsdalc. bank
presidents and large owners oi other
corporate interests. Also. one w.
+. Stevenson, paid attorney for cor
porations and railroads, attorney and
assistant in prosecuting Dispensary
cases for which he has received
handsome salaries and other cor
poration officers and attorneys too
numer"uS To mention here; look at
how many corporation officers, di-
rectors. stockholders and attorneys
We're in attendance as delegates. and
answer if corporations controlled
that convention. Look at Your dele
cation To Baltimore; see how many Of
them are officers, directors, stock
holders and attorneys of large cor
poratlons. Where did the farmers
mill operatives, clerks, laboring men.
the real backbone of this State,
get representation? Then who
controlled the conventions? Answer
The corpor ,tions. Against who +?
Answer: Cole l.. Blease. Why?
Answer; Because they have not
been able and cannot control Blease
and dictate his policies as Governor.
The officers and the attorneys IF your
corporations absolutely dominated
and controlled your State Conven-
ton.
Now. gentlemen, ask you. as
men, do YOU want a corporation ring
rule or do you want man in the
Governors Office who cannot be con-
trolled by corporations ard who will
stand by the interests of the people
Of the State?
! call your attention to these con-
Nentions because ii shows you that
they were dominated by certain men
and in the interest of certain men;
and. who are these corporations to-
day supporting for Governor, brought
out by the newspapers. and being
supported by the newspapers and by
those corporation heads and those
corporation lawyers submit Ia
you, as q question Of great impor-
tance. and ask you to answer it in
your cool and deliberate moments. by
whom is man going TO be con-
trolled-by the corporations and
newspapers which put him in Office,
or by the people. who those corpora =
tions are fighting and endeavoring 20
control and to usurp the authority
which belongs to the people? Then,
! ask YOU the question again.-will
YOU vote for a corporations -newspa- =
r-ringrule- candidate. or will you
cast your ballot for a man who Is un-
der no obligation whatever to them.
but is standing and fighting for the
AhtcitSl VI INC pcoIle OF lne state,
and who has So fought as Representa-
tive. as Senator and as Governor?
No man can truthtully say that he
was deceived. i was open and plain
in my campaign for this office, and
stated from every rostrum Of this
state what my platform Of principles
were. and have not done one thing
which / said | would not do, and have
left undone not thing which | said
j would do, and have lived up to that
platform Of principles which was
laid down in that campaign; have
stood by those who stood by me;
and. as stated in my opening speech
at Sumter. my motto is,-"Stck to
the man who sticks to Blease-
whether it be in private life. in pub
lie life or elsewhere" That doctrine
has been lived up to both in office
and out Of office. and | propose to
continue TO do So as long as there
Is life in my body and have no
apologies to make to any man or
set Of men. or any excuse to offer
for anything which has been done as
Governor. and | am not coming to
you today, with my hat in my hand,
Offering excuses or making apologies
or begging you for your votes
IN hn
carolina. and wanted to be Cover
nor badly, and have been and am
toVcrnor, and in that have accom-
pliShcd the highest ambition of nv
lifc. If reelected. will have no
more honor than already bestowed.
because II is as much Of an honor to
he Governor Of the state one term
dS Il iS To he many terms Thero-