Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-09-06

NO. ~.
Graydon, chairman of the Abbeville
county executive committee, In which
illegal voting was charged. Chairman
Evans said that Mr.. Graydon should
proceed with the investigation into
the charges as provided under the
resolution passed at the last meeting OF
the committee.
Chairman Evans stated to the COM
mittee that he had received many let
ters and kilograms from individuals
Throughout the state asking for q rigid
probe of the alleged election frauds.
He said that these communications
had been received merely as informa-
ton and were at the disposal Of the
committee to read II they saw ft.
The next matter brought up was
with reference to Union county. 1t
was stated In the report that the rep
resentatives Of Judge Jones In that
county. after an examination Of the
club rolls and polling lists, had asked
that their protest be dismissed. The
communication was sent In by Mac
beth Young, the chairman of the ex-
ecutive committee. He reviewed the
charges as brought by the representa-
tives Of Judge Jones and stated that
they had been withdrawn after a thor
ough investigation. II was stated in
the. report that there was no fraud in
Union county.
. A report was read to the committee
charging illegal voting at the Mt. Cro-
CHAN box in Chesterfield county. The
communication was signed by L. 8.
Graves.
The report on the Aiken county sit
uation was read. The report contain
had not been any fraud In that coun-
ty. The contests brought forth by
Horace n. Cassells before the Aiken
county executive committee was re-
viewed In the report. These charges
were reviewed In the press yesterday.
The report was received as informa-
tion. Mr.. Cassells charged fraud at a
number Of boxes In Aiken county, and
his argument was heard by the COM
mittee on Tuesday. The Aiken county
club rolls and polling lists and other
data will very likely be brought be-
fore the executive committee for an
examination.
For Committee Of Seven.
At this point In the meeting Rich
ard I. Manning, member Of the state
executive committee from Sumter
county, took the floor and introduced
his resolution providing for q COM
| mittee Of seven to make thorough
probe of the alleged election frauds.
and IL necessary to postpone the sec
ond primary until the matter was d.
nally cleared up. Mr. Manning said
that an unusual situation had been
brought about and that II was the
duty Of the executive committee to
probe every charge and to be prepar-
ed to write q clean nomination. He
said that the state executive commit
tee was responsible for the situation
for ''the primary elections are con-
Quoted under conditions that are un-
usual to say the least" He thought
that the conditions around the pri-
mary elections was loose to almost
criminal degree. He said that II was
not question Of Jones or Blease, but
that Of fair expression Of the voters
of the state. He thought II was the
duty of the executive committee to see
that all charges Of fraud were proved
| or disproved. He did not believe that
the committee should ignore the
charges of fraud. He told Of the pro-
tests from the Individual Democrats,
from the communities. from the coun-
ties, and even from the candidates
Mr.. Manning said that there was so
much at stake and that II was not
question Of men, but q question OF the
rule Of the white people OF the state.
He thought 1t q question OF whether
| the voters Of the state were to con-
tinue under the present primary plan
or whether conditions would demand
q radical change IN the system. He
said that the voters Of the state ex-
pected q second primary next Tues
day, but that time would be required
| to make an Investigation Of all OF the
charges and that II necessary the sec
ond primary might be put on until
all charges had been cleared up. He
pointed out that the executive COM
mittee did not have the money to fur
ther such investigation and that the
money might be subscribed by the
people Of the state who favor q pure
primary. He introduced his resolu-
ton calling for the committee of sew
en-. He pointed out that the work
could be done with greater accuracy
and In q shorter space OF time by q
smaller committee and that for the
whole committee to remain In Colum-
/ bia would entail too much OF an ex-
! pense account. He thought that the
committee Of seven should be given
1 the powers Of the whole committee.
Mr. Manning made It clear that II
was not from q partisan standpoint
that he introduced this resolution, put
that his action was taken to purify the
| primary and guarantee q fsir and hon.
est election. He thought that the stig-
ma Of fraud should be removed or
proved.
Mr.. eIsasss Reply.
Eugene Blease, q brother Of the
Il ,haa -
mittee from Newberry county. made
reply to Mr.. Manning. Mr.. Blease OPP
posed the resolution and charged thar
| not one specific instance OF fraud had
been proved to the committee. MT.
Blease said that his brother did not
desire q tainted nomination. MT.
Blease intimated that there might be
fraud on the part Of the Jones sup
porters. He said that he had never
heard Of a proceeding like that OF the
state Democratic executive committee.
He asked that a committee OF nve De
appointed by the chairman to tabulate
the returns from the various counties.
He declared that II every official con-
test was sustained that the governor
might have q majority. Mr.. Manning
informed Mr.. Blease that he Thought
Il IL inadyisable to go into the tabuia-
ton of the returns until the charges
of fraud had been investigated. Mr.
Blease said that he did not believe that
the committee had the power to put
off the second primary. He declared
that the protest by the attorneys for
Judge Jones was not sworn to and
that he did not understand the reason
for the delay in tabulating the returns
and declaring the results.
Asks for Evidence.
where is your evidence? Where
is your information. Why the delayF
shouted the speaker. He asked why
the chairman Of the Anderson county
committee has left the state during
an important situation. He asked the
members Of the committee to examine
the petitions and see who is dissat-
isfied with the returns. Mr.. Blease
said that all Of the irregularities
charged were unsupported by evi-
dence. He thought that the execu-
tive committee owed a duty to the
people of South Carolina who voted
honestly. He suggested in his fight on
the resolution that committee be ap-
pointed to report back during the day
on the charges Of fraud. He Thought
that 1t was entirely possible to do all
of the work In one day.
In reply Mr.. Manning stated tnat
It was impossible to tabulate all OF the