The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-09-11

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, governor, 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 ne
would take the latter for the neEspa-
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 readers, so much
so thE they have not the influence
with TIE people that they ought to
have. There is room for q great
many reforms in this particular and
l sincerely hope that the editors OF
the South Carolina papers will Sc
riously consider how they can regain
the confidence Of the people again.
So great has been the distrust caused
by the dishonesty and partisanship
that hundreds, nay thousands Of my
friends could not be made to believe
that had written the letter to Fer
guson or given out the statement ac-
companying it. / received many,
many kilograms and letters asking
whether it was authetic. This con-
dition OF the public mind has been
brought about by seeing that the
newspapers in their headlines and IN
the body Of the articles themselves
distoTt and color unrighteously the
facts. When the people are taught
they can always be trusted, but when
the people distrust the newspapers
and believe them corrupt and dis
honest and given to all manner OF
lying they lose that respect for them
thar is necessary to preserve free
government.
Would Talk to Friends.
If / ever get able to speak again !
want to go to three counties in South
'arol;na 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 it; you stole it. Who would
ever have believed it possible that
| the men who TWENTY-FIVE years ago
were so frenzied in their Tillmanisnl
and worship of Tillnan as to un-
hitch the horses from his carriage
and hitch themselves in to drag him
in triumph through the street would
come to distrust, hate and abuse him
without cause.
Madame Roland before she was
guillotined exclaimed: 20 liberty
what crimes are committed in thy
name!" Noting the progress which
has been made toward the demorali-
zation among the Democrats in South
Carolina one can shout, "Oh DeNoc-
racy, will the people never learn tc
know their true friends from their
false leaders, never to distinguish be.
tween statesman and demagogue
always listening to hattery and sweet
words without looking below the sur.
face and the true inwardness o!
things and men" To think that the
very men for whom ! have done
most, the poor farmers and factory
people, should turn and rem dine this
way! I gave them Clemson college
nd Winthrop. AT least I had more
TO do with 1t than AM other one man
l gave them the primary, for wrote
the Democratic State constitution
with my own hand in conjunction
with my brother, G.. w. Tillman, anc
made the rules governing the pri
nary and safeguarded in every pos
sible way their rights, so that now
every citizen has voice in the gov
ernment and can protect himself i
he has sense enough.
All pleasure and satisfaction in N!
reelection to the Senate is gone be
cause Of the desertion Of these ole
friends and followers Of mine. 1
makes me doubt seriously whether
have not erred previously in givin:
| the power of self-government K
these people and teaching them thei;
rights. They show such a woeful lacl
O: gratitude. / feel that when I an
dead and in the grave that they will
realize and understand the crimina
folly of their action and the enormit.
OF the betrayal Of their best friend
/ l know if could have spoken K
them this summer this tragedy coult
not have occurred. When these olt
friends have had time to cool off ant
think it all over they will curse them
selves for such base ingratitude, ant
for their idiocy in being misleG by !:
demagogue. To think that they hat
been such fools as not to understand
and grant the old mans last plea t
die in harness" serving them ant
serving the State and nation. Oh, i
is pitiful!
The Object of every true patrio
should be to pour oil upon the trou
bled waters and bring return o
harmony and good will among ou
people. Let US have peace" Ant
il that cannot be given US, let US SCI
what a return to decency and SAINT,
will accomplish.
If you clear yourself of the foul &C
cusations made against you in thu
governors Office and will pursue /:
wholly different policy hereafter
there is some future for YOU in thu
State yet. II you do not, your name
will go down in history as the yer!
worst native South Carolinian whc
was ever governor. Moses not eX
cepted. repeat you are :eminertly
qualified 10 be governor as far a:
brains CO. and if you reform anG
make good in the two years you have
yet to serve in that Office the people
may forgive you. But you must bt
governor OF the whole people and nc
OF your friends alone and they vii
take care of your future destiny, al
ways sunposing that you clear your
sci OF the Infamous charges that have
been brought against you. Fer un
less YOU do, that you can never hops
to aspire to higher promotion. for the
people OF South Carolina will neve!
send to Washington a man not above
suspicion. Your destiny is largely ir
your hands. governor. For the hon,
or CT the State l hope YOU can anG