Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-09-20
,e state was shown to be about a


per cent.
The ub-committee of the state
executive committee has as its chair
man a man whose political activities
In South Carolina during the past
several years have been particularly
bitter, and whose personal and po-
litical hostility to me is too well
known to need comment He has on
his side majority of his sub b-commit-
tee, Notwithstanding the practice in
contests Of this kind Is that when a
candidate on the face Of the returns
has nomination, that candidate is
entitled to a majority of the investi-
eating committee on fraud charges,
and the contestant Is entitled only to
a minority, or, at least, only to an
equal share of the committee. This
sub committee has delayed its first
meeting, for one reason or another.
until next Tuesday, which Is four
weeks after the first primary, and only
six weeks before the general election.
In the meantime, in violation Of the
results have been declared nor any
second primary ordered in those races
for state officers in which there Is not
even the shadow Of a contest. The
chairman of the subcommittee, In re-
fusing to meet in Columbia on last
Monday, at the urgent request Of three
members Of his committee, said there
were as yet no charges of tangible
nature to be investigated.
have said nothing up to this time
because I believed that there would
But further silence on my part, In face
of the imminent peril in which the
Democratic party Of our state has been
placed by the executive committee,
and the subcommittee thereof, might
be misconstrued as acquiescence on
my part. The people are becoming
restive. There looms before them the
black cloud Of negro participation In
our politics and Of negro balance OF
power, breaking down the barriers
which we threw up in 1876, and which
all true white men have since placed
above all personal consideration. l
now call upon the state Democratic
executive committee for action and
that its diliatory tactics In partisan
cause cease.
AS the representative Of a large ma
jority of the white voters OF South
Carolina, / call upon the committee
to speedily assemble and settle this
question according to law and accord
ing to practice, according to truth and
according to honesty. It may be the
purpo.Je, or II not the purpose, 1t may
be the, desire Of the majority Of the
committee, to attempt to besmirch and
to taint my title as the candidate OF
the Democratic party Of South Caroli-
ma, but / call upon the committee to
remember that II such be Its purpose,
! 1t must be carried out against the ex-
pressed wishes of over 10000 OF the
| white voters Of state which has ever
held to the tenets of a free ballot and
49, xrrht
man pitted against white man.
believe in the primary as the means
of giving the masses Of our people
right to speak in their own govern
ment ! regard as enemies Of the white
government Of our state, those who
would attempt arbitrarily to defeat II.
I want 1t upheld. But can the actions
of the SUBJ committee Of the state exc
cutive committee be tolerated by the
free white voters of our state? Are they
not bringing into jeopardy and into
fearful risk the continuance OF our
primary system? For, above all sys-
TENS Of election and above all candi-
dates under those systems, should be
placed truth and integrity and homes
ty, and fair and square dealing between
man and man, and when an arbitrary
course of action Is injected into a sys-
tenn which Is contrary to these princt-
pies: and injected by those who are the
custodians Of that system, the system
itself is in peril of its life. and the
only remedy which can save 1t Is re-
turn to the standards of justice.
/ call upon the committee to meet
together, in the interest Of the. white
Democracy of South Carolina, obey
the constitution of the party, and DEF
clare the results Of the primary.
In writing this apr cal, feel. that Il
have performed my duty as citizen
of the state and a member OF the Dem.
ocratic party. / rejoice that / have
the courage, the loyalty and devotion
to the Democrats of this state, who
have fought for me to lead them In
whatever direction and course that
they shall advise or wish in the pro-
lection Of their right to vote for the
candidates of their choice, and have
such vote declared in accordance with
the constitution and rules Of the party.
and in accordance with the true result
of the vote, and to resent any wrongs
which may be attempted to be done
them.
Very respectfully,
Cole L Blease.
Columbia, September 10.