The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-07-26
FRIDAY, JULY .25, 1912.
WHY WE DO NOT
SUPPORT BLEASE

We do not base our opposition to
Governor Blease upon newspaper re-
ports, but upon personal knowledge.
His own words and acts place him
beyond the pale, so far as the writer
is concerned. Even the newspapers
refuse to publish some of his saw
lngs because of the gross blasphemy
and the indecent language. 1t is hard
to believe ones senses. The Govern
or's inaugural address was in itself
enough to cause every Christian man
IN the State to part company with
him. His Bamberg speech was about
as bad. Indeed, if one will think So
berly upon the matter, it is hard to
see how the moral forces in the State
can in anywise lend him support. He
has broken down the trial by Jury
and the courts of the State. He has
pardoned or paroled nearly three
hundred prisoners from the State
penitentiary. 1t is one of two things.
Either there has been woeful mis-
carriage of justice in our courts or
the Governor is sadly at fault. Has
one out of every two convictions in
our courts been a miscarriage of
justice? Are half the convictions by
jury wrong convictions? Can one
man, even though he be the Chief
Executive of the State, know better
how to meet just verdict than did
the jurors who act in judgment upon
al.
a lot of mighty poor jurymen or the
Governor is at fault. There is no es-
cape from this conclusion. Then, too
he has repeatedly said he will stand
by his friends and that his enemies
need not apply. Is friendship for the
Governor to decide these matters?
Does he have no shame in thus de-
ciaIng that it is a mater of personal
friendship and not one of right and
wrong? These and many other
things could be said in condemna-
ton of his course, but we refrain. We
fall out with no man who holds opin-
ions different from our own. But we
do not believe Governor Blease to be
a good mar, therefore we oppose him.
But we must go into personal
matters. Just after The Times build
ing was burned the Governor came
to Union and made speech. Under
the spur of his denunciations hench-
man of the Governor called out.
Send for Rice" meaning the editor
OF the Times. Another loyal suppor-
ter of the Governor answered: "By
G-Rice got his dose" All this took
place right before the governors face
and while he was appealing to the
passions and prejudice of the people.
He did not open his mouth to rebuke
his over Jealous hcnchmen; indeed, it
was virtually an invitation to the
iawess to give "dose" to ANYBODY
and the giver of the "dose", being a
friend of the Governor, would find
pardon.
Again: A young man, Joel Smith,
caught with the money upon his per-
son, money which he had gotten by
breaking in and robbing the Rice
Drug Company's store at night, con-
fessed his guilt and was indicted and
let out on a $500 bond. Several
terms of court have passed since the
occurrence and yet the matter, al
though presented by the grand jury
of Union county in a true bill, has
not yet been brought before the
couts. When inquiry was made by
the prosecutors in the case, Solicitor
Otis said he had letter from Gov
ernor Blease asking as personal ia
vor that the case be postponed. Twice
this has happened and the case has
not yet been tried. The Governor