The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-12-12

NASAfMOND, As ollecEli. --
Resolved, That it is the senti-
ment OF the Conference OF Cover
nOrs i'm session at Richmond. Va.
December q, 1912, that tile whole
power of the several States should
be used whenever necessary TO
protect persons accused of crime
OF every kind against the violence
of mObs, and TO provide for speedy.
orderly and impartial trials by
courts OF competent, jurisdiction,
10 the end that the/laWS for the
protection of life and property be
duly enforced and respected by
the people.
OFFICIAL VOTE.
In favor of the above resoIu-
tiOnS: O'Neal. OF Alabama: GIL
christ, OF Florida; Brown, of Geor-
gia; Plaisted, of Maine: GoIdsbor-
Ough, of Maryland; Hadley, of
Missouri; Oddie, of Nevada; Dix,
of New York; Teher, OF PennsyI-
yania; .Spry. of Utah; Mann, of
Virginia; McGovcrn. of WiscOn-
sin; Carey, of Wyoming, and YES
sey, of South DakOta-14.
Against the above resolutions:
DOnaghey. OF Arkansas; Baldwin,
of Connecticut; HawIey, of Idaho,
and kitchin, of North CarOIina-f.
At the close of a stormy session,
which, on account of personal re-
marks and defiant utterances sew
eral times threatened to assume a
most serious aspect, the Confer
ence Of Governors Friday afternoon
passed resolutions, offered by
Governor Mann, OF Virginia, ad-
ministering a rebuke TO Governor
Cole l.. Blease, OF South Carolina,
for his utterances regarding lynch
law.
Governor Blease openly defied
the conference and dared il TO
expel him. With all the vocal
tricks OF OratOry, OF which he is
an undoubted master, ne cIlaI-
lenged the conference to do its
worst, hurling scOrn at its mem
bers with all the bitterness and
Scathing sarcasm at his command.
He declared that it made no
difference TO him what the con-
ference did. He had already been
elected Governor of South Caro-
lima and would be elected to the
United States Senate I'm 1914, he
asserted.
when you are forgotten by
even your own people and OBJ
scure I'm the shades OF private life
Blease, of South Carolina, will be
AAAAONh AAOAN OilC CnO ia
country TO the other" be shouted,
land the plaudits of the nation
will be ringing I'm his ears"
Nainly Temporary Chairman
NeSSey, Governor of South Da-
kOta, and Governor w. w. Kitch-
in, OF North Carolina, attempted
Co divert the issue, but the con-
ference, apparently indignant that
such remarks should have been
n l.
swept on and on, by an over
whelming vote adopted the reso-
Iutions.
THE BEGINNING.
The storm broke when Cover
nor Emmet O'Neal, of Alabama,
arose and offered resolutions put
ting the conference on record
against lynch law and mob rule.
He declared that the remarks of
a certain member OF the confer
ence had gone forth to the world,
and that, inasInuch as the remarks
were made during the conduct of
regular session OF fHC confer
ence and were of such nature
as TO be defiant OF law and order
and repugnant TO law abiding cit
iZenS, the conference SHOULD.
without delay, repudiate them as
contrary TO the views OF the con-
ference"
He declared that he represented
a State which had a large negro
population, but it had courts. he
said, which could punish crimi-
mails. He denied that it could ever
be necessary to license lynch law.
and looking fuii at Governor
Blease, asserted that he did not
believe any law-abiding State
would countenance il.
Governor O'NeaTs resolution
was seconded by governor Gill
christ, OF Florida. He vehement
ly stated that the conference
could not afford to allow Gov
ernor BleaSe's remarks to go un-
noted" and was for the imme-
diate passage of the resolutions.
Amid calls from Chairman Ves-
sey to be In order. Governor
Kitchen, OF North Carolina, took
the floor. He argued with great
earncStneSS for the defeat of the
resolutions. He said that they
aimed directly at a member of the
. conference, and tended to throt-
tie free speech and the expression
of individual views.
1T WAS STORMY.
Governor Mann, 1.-THE host" Of
fered substitute to Governor
O'NeaI at once accepted it. and
called for a vote. (The resolu-
tion Is printed at the head of this
artiCIe.)
Seconded by Governor Hadley.
of Missouri, Governor Baldwin, of
Connecticut, moved that the sub
Stitute be laid on the table.
Shouts of "NO?' "No!v came
from every part of the hall.
Pass the resolutions! Pass
'em! Pass 'em! What do L
care?" shouted Governor BIeasc,
purple in the face and choking
with anger.
Kisses came from the gallery.
$50 i am hissed. am I?'' said
the South Carolina executive.
Kisses are the applause of geese"
Chairman Vessey raped for
order.
THE vote on the motion to lay
the resolutions on the table will
be takep.' he announced, Sand
the secretary will please call the
rOlI.''
1t was Immediately seen that
the conference, had, no intention
Of tabIing the resolutions. ScVe-
raj Governors took occasion to
explain their votes. declaring that
they stood for, aud would always
stand for, reputation of mob
rule.
Governor BIease did not vote
W!scn the State OF South Carolina