The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-09-04

10 me to go conscious that all of he
good people Of the State now appre-
ciate me and realize at least what
manner Of man ! am.
1t is sweet thought to feel that
many of the HaskelliteS voted for me.
and right here l want to say that
"Haskellite" ought not to be an cpl
thet of opprobrium in South Carolina
any longer. Judge Haskell and i made
friends before he died and 1 always
felt that he was a blind fanatic, who
had been led off into the frenzy Of in
l'dependentism by the same emotions
which your election has produced. He
was a kinghtly gentleman and a
brave soldier. Peace to his ashes.
Haskellism and Bleaseism ought to
he buried in the same grave and the
world hear no more Of either.
1t Is time for South Carolinians to
quit wounding each others feelings
and fighting like cats and dogs. No
good can come of it and much harm
has already come Of it, and more will
follow If we do not realize that a
house divided against itself cannot
stand" AS good men voted for Blease
as voted for Jones. They felt it to be
their right as citizens. and many Of
them religiously believed that their
liberties were in danger, for you. Gov
ernor are reported as saying that If
Jones was elected they would never
vote again.
Jefferson said once that as between
government without newspapers and
newspapers without government he
would take the latter. for the newspa-
pers would keep the people informed
and they would have intelligence
enough to give themselves good gov
ernment in some way. Our newspa-
pers in South Carolina have lost sight
of the necessity for fair and square
dealing with their leaders, so much
so that they have not the influence
with the people that they ought to
have. There is room for a great many
reforms in this particular and 1 sim
cerely hope that the editors of the
South Carolina papers will seriously
consider how they can regain the con-
fidence Of the people again. So great
has been the distrust caused by the
dishonesty and partisanship that hun
dreds, nay thousands, Of my friends
could not be made to believe that I
had written the letter to Ferguson or
given out the statement ACCOMPANYING
1t. / received many many kilograms
and letters asking whether it was au-
thentic. This condition OF the public
mind has been brought about by see
ing that the newspapers in their head
lines and in the body Of the articles
themselves. distort and color un-
righteously the facts. When the peo-
pie are taught they can always be
trusted, but when the people distrust
corrupt and dishonest and given to
all manner of lying they lose that re-
spect for them that is necessary to
preserve free government.
If l ever get able to speak again l
want to go to three counties in South
Carolina and talk to my old friends
face to face, Anderson, Laurens and
York. You have stolen the love and
confidence Of those people, did not
lose 1t; you stole it, Who would ever
have believed it possible that the men
who twenty-five years ago were so
frenzied in their Tillmanism and wor-
ship Of Tillman as to unhitch the
horses from his carriage and hitch
themselves in to drag him in triumph
through the streets would come to dis
trust, hate and abuse him without
cause
Madame Roland it was who ex-
claimed: "Oh, Liberty, what crimes
are committed in thy name" Noting
the progress which has been made to-
ward the decentralization among the
Democrats in South Carolina one can
shout, "Oh, Democracy. will the peo-
pie never learn to know their true
friends from their false leaders, new
er to distinguish between a states
man and a demagogue, always listen
ing to fiattery and sweet words with
out looking below the surface and the
true inwardness OF things and men,"
l have done most, the poor farmers
and factory people. should turn and
rend me this way! l gave them
-