The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-08-02

Imeaning the people of South Caro-
llna( believe that you elected a rail
road commissioner the other day.' I
said: Yes, 1 know | worked very
hard to elect McDufie Hampton He
said: We'll, who did you think YOU
were working for?' or something to
that effect. And, l told him, of
course, for McDuffie Hampton He
said; We'll, that's exactly where you
are badly mistaken He said: why,
you were working for the Southern
railway, and you didn't know it, but
| know it, for l have every reason to
know it. | said, We'll, how is that p
he said: why, I practically paid the
Hampton out of money furnished to
me by the Southern railway and gave
them vouchers signed by McDuffie
Hampton for the amount
HE said, moreover: Il was char~ed
also with the duty of wet-nursing
him through the whole campaign He
said: You know he's a terrible drink
er. In fact, he said, hes a drunkard
81 want the people of South Caro-
lima to consider this last statement
with the greatest discrimination of
Judgment. What does it mean? The
railroad commission is established for
the purpose of standing between the
people and the eXtortions of the rail-
roads They are practically judicial
omcet and upon their decrees rest
lnfinitei more Of the interest of the
Of the supreme court Ill 81 tion;shas
swseP 8; en- ths wbsl "a o s,a I
ssssst s,1a Sec,Ses y 9, e. Sssia 3 4 Ii
time, and. it can dscl i y. 81 Ecr sf6r -
S8 iisf ths psoplai 'i3 s. ' 81 y n
using Charlie Jones as meFaphone
through which he could reach the
ears of the supreme court. He has
never produced any proof of this, and
1t amounts to an impeachment of our
whole judiciary. If he is a good wit
ness, credible witness upon that
point, about which, after all, he does
own knowledge, then hundred times
more or so is he good witness in
respect to matter of corruption in
which he was the stakeholder.
Posing as Peoples Friend.
"Recollect, he had been elected gov
ernor after campaign in which he
had posed as the peoples friend, the
anti-corporation man, and at the very
time when he was making his hypo-
critical speeches against the corpora
tions, he was doling out money in
driblets to common drunkard for
the Southern railway; so that it
might get at least one man on the
commission board.
perhaps he could tell whether or
not he is doing the same thing in this
campaign; so that they might get an
other.
"'And now as to Blease's character
istic interview:
81 am very glad that he has spoken
at such length and that he has again
lost his head, because he invariably
tells lies when he does so-and lies
that are easily detected. I will take
them up seriatim.
ale says speaking of me: Il knew
that he opposed me in the first pri-
mary two years ago, and have never
believed that he supported me or
| even voted for me in the second pri-
mary
"This. of course, he knows is a lie.
and fortunately for me the proof of
it is in writing. Not only did l sup
port him before and in the first
primary, but ] wrote the strongest
kind of editorials, which were sent
to him and copied in some of the few
state papers that were supporting
him; if I mistake not, in the New
berry Herald and News, for one.
Thanked by Blease.
81 am at Glenn Springs and have
not access to my letter files, but re-
member distinctly receiving a very
appreciative letter from him, thank
ing me most cordially for this sup
port-that is, in the second primary,
Moreover, everybody in Charleston
knows, as they knew at the time, that
it was practically through me in the
first primary that he got the votes
that he did get.
81 had been entreated to support
Mcleod and in supporting Blease I
went hostile to the overwhelming
sentiment of Charleston and all it's
political leaders, including his friend,
Captain Martin. who supported Nc
Leod as he well knows.
81 was severely blamed by the peo>
pie of Charleston for this, and it op-
Grated seriously against me in my
| subsequent campaign for mayor. But
| SO clearly did Blease himself under
stand the situation, and it was
through him, acting in direct COM
munication by telephone with Blease
at my office, that all arrangements
and conditions for the second primary
were made. And ] am satisfied that
| when | go to Charleston I will be