Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-09-20
.BLEASE WON'T TAKE PART
/. IN A SECOND PRIMARY?
viii Garry His Claims to Gen.
eraI Election, So Friends
Declare
Especial Dispatch to The Journsl0

as the nominee OF the Democratic prt-
mary. to contest in the general election
/ against Ira II. Jones or some other in
/ dependent candidate for governor, we
have from various men of more or less
lrrominence in politics, the following
state ticket suggested to US for the
I Bieasites o. regular Democrats to put
CIT:
| ..Eor- governor. Cole l. Blease, of New
/ berry; for lieutenant governor, Thomas
Z :. Brantiey, of Orangeburg; secretary of
state J. v Wallace, OF Charleston;
comptroller general. James II. Craig, Of
/ Anderson; state treasurer, Newton l.
/ Bennett. Of Spartauburg; adjutant gen
cral, Oscar w. Babb, OF Laurens; COM
missioner OF agriculture. James Norton.
/ OF Mullins; attorney general, Thomas II.
/ Peoples, OF BlcclviIie; railroad commits
sIone-, John G. Richards. of Kershaw;
] superintendent of education, j. L.
Swearingen, OF Edgeheld."
This Is the bold statement in a letter
dealing with the general political situa-
ton in South Carolina, written by one Of
the Inner circle OF the Blease camp,
and believed to be agreeable to the gov
ernor himself. IL appeal must be made
TO the general election to decide the
state officers for tho next two years.
WILL IGNORE REPORT.
The naming Of a ticket headed by Cole
=. Blease makes il certain that no mat
ter what the action of the state com
mittee, provided they find Blease not the
nominee or order a second election, that
tho governor will refuse TO recognize the
action OF the committee and will so into
the general election claiming 10 be tho
regular nominee OF the Democratic party.
In fact. 10 IS believed on all sides that
the governor would refuse to 80 into
second primary IL ordered now and
that he will claim that the state COM
mittee has usurped power in ordering
another primary. That they have no
legal right to do so.
Another significant part OF this letter,
which is recognized here as at least
"semi-official," is this: Another thing
which viii add strength TO the regular
ticket Is the matter of election COM
missioners and managers. The governor
appoints the commissioners, both state
and national, and he being the regularly
recognized nominee of the Democratic
party, he will of course see to it that
none but regular, straightout Democrats
are appointed to ill those positions, and
they in turn win select none but true
blue. and regular Democrats for election
the state will retain control of the cleo
ton machinery, and it may be that in
case there are independent candidates in
the field the regular Democrats will stin
be able TO hold the black peril down to
the usual minimum, thus giving these
misguided people Tin case they go to
that length an opportunity to return to
the fold, after inevitable defeat has
shown them the folly OF such a course,
as did the old-time 'Haskellites."
ATTACKS COMMITTEE.
The letter. which is taken as a state
ment of the BIease side of the present
wrangie in South Carolina and outlines
the course which that faction may fol-
low, attacks the state executive COM
mittee as a partisan body, overriding the
will OF the people, taking unto them
selves powers which they haven't, and
proscratinating as much as possible. Par
ticular attention is paid to John Gary
Evans, state chairman, and w. F. Stew
enson, chairman of the subcommittee,
probing into the alleged frauds. Refer
ence is made to the dilatory tactics Of
the committee and bitterly attacks the
action they have taken.
The semi-official statement declares
that the committee has no power to order
another primary now and intimates that
an ordering of another primary would
be illegal and that If the election for
governor is thrown out on account OF
fraud. ii will invalidate the nominations
for general assembly and all county Off
GERS and throw them into the genera.
election.
Disavowment is made for responsibility
of the war talk which has been in
duIged in by some of the Bleasites in
these words: 1--WE are in no wise respon-
sible for the wild fulminations' that fol-
lowed the procrastinating course of the
partisan committee and the unjust, I'M
reasonable and outrageous untruthful
attitude OF a major portion of the press,
pulpit and various organizations of the
state are solely responsible for it. They
kindled the fires OF resentment and
famed the flames Of hatred by con-
tinually referring to Governor Blease's
political adherents as anarchists, hood
lums, lower element, ignorant, vicious
and prejudiced and now they wonder at
the dangerous aspect of the storm! He
that soweth the wind shall reap the
whirlwind' Is a quotation that should
have been needed in the convention last
May" and then goes on to hold out the
olive branch TO the opposing faction II
they will come into the fold. and pre-
sent a solid front to the common enemy"
COMMITTEE THREATENED.
The state committee IS given a yelled
threat IN this matter: Another point
TO be considered in this settlement of
family affairs as It were, is this: The
constitution OF South Carolina imposes
upon the governor the duty OF appoint
| ing the county treasurers, auditors, mas
/ tiers in equity, judges Of probate, and
magistrates Release him from the pri-
mary obligation to respect the nomina-
ton, and he can, and We think would, ap-
point TO those offices whom he pleases.
| That would afford an Ideal opportunity
20 put into more extensive operation the
I famous declaration: I stand by my
| friends That Senator Tillman, in the
eyes OF the Bleasites. has made amends.
in q large degree. for what they con-
/ siGered his 'desertion' by advocating the
I election OF Jones in the first primary,
! by his letter to John Gary Evans, de-
handing instant action on the part of
! the executive committee and favoring the
declaring OF Blease the nominee, is evil
denced by this statement: 1T should not
be forgotten that Senator Tillman also
received the nomination. on the face Of
the returns. and should, and undoubtedly
win be. considered the actual nominee
/ by the regular Democracy and supported
accordingly IN the next general assem-
bly, when they go into the matter of
election for q United States senator"
| Senator TiIlman seems to be solid once
more with the Blease faction.
faCIIINInE nnIMTS1 10 RuT