The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-12-11
GOVERNOR BLEASE
CREATES A SCENE
Continued from page one)

through the care OF Governor Mann.
Governor Mann assured Governor
Blease that he had no knowledge OF
the character of the letter in ques-
| tion.
Blease acknowledged this.
He then launched himself in his re
| ply to the conference:
1T had been my intention" said he,
ito correct certain newspaper reports
on the remarks alleged to have been
made by me yesterday in connection
with lynch law.
Il will not at this time pay further
attention to the press accounts yes
terday except to deny them
with regard to your resolutions,
l say to you, pass them if you will
would not give that for it," said he,
swapping his fingers. IL am not here
to bow to any man. | would not apol-
ogize to you if you threatened to ex-
pei me. l have only one explanation
to offer My explanation is this:
"If any woman of Virginia, or else
where, thinks that my language before
the conference was offensive to her
when | discussed lynch law yester-
day, l apologize to her. 1t was to pro-
tect the virtue of her white sisters
in South Carolina and not to offend
her ears.
THE women of Virginia represent
the highest and purest traditions of
|
offer them an affroint."
Blease then resumed his seat and
the call of the roll was ordered.
Blease Did Not Care.
When the roll was called on the
motion to lay Governor Manns sub
stitute resolution on the table only
four of the executives voted in favor
of it; the governors from Arkansas,
Connecticut, Idaho and North Caro-
lima. Governor Blease at the conclu-
sion of the roll call arose and said
he did not vote, because he did not
care how the conference voted on the
resolution.
Those voting against tabling the
| iSooiuIioH "eie Iue governors from
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maine,
Maryland, Missouri, Nevada New York
Ohio, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin
and Wyoming.
Upon the adoption of the resolu-
tion the conference adjourned to take
luncheon at the country residence of
Major James II. Dooley, after which
it Will reconvene for its final session
this afternoon at o'clock
Richmond, Va, Dec. 3.-In the
name of the State of South Carolina,
Governor Blease served notice to the
governors conference this afternoon
that lynchers of negro assalants OF
white women in his state would go
unpunished. Governor Blease warmly
defended his use Of the pardoning
power, as well, declaring that in
twenty two months he had pardoned
or paroled approximately 400 persons
and that he hoped the number at
the end of the second term would be
500.
1t was after o'clock when Cover
nor Blease, of South Carolina, arose
The hall at once became quiet. In
a very impassioned speech the South
Carolina executive alluded to his rec
ord of pardoning and granting parole
to prisoners. explaining the frequency
with which he had exercised his pre-
rogative in this respect on several
grounds.
Too Indulgent.
81 am probably the only member of
this conference" began Bcase, who
was opposed for reelection on the
argument that had been too indul-
gent in using my pardoning power
among criminals" The speaker then
went on to say that he experienced a
pride in the fact that he had familiar
ized himself with prison conditions in
his state by personally visiting the
South Carolina penitentiary and seeing
for himself. He said he pardoned
many prisoners as an act of mercy,
and many others as an act Of justice
! When he first visited the South Car
olina penitentiary he had discovered