The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-13
News and Courier. July ..

The News and Courier Is in receipt
OF the following from Governor Cole
l.. Blease:
Columbia. s. G.. July s. 1912.
The Editor Of the News and Cour-
Ter. Charleston. :. C.-Dear Sir:
would say that 1 was surprised at the
attitude Of your paper In regard to my
Charleston speech were II not for the
fact that l have heretofore been so
Indignantly and wilfully misrepre-
sented by II.
I requested the reporters to take
down carefully what ! said and told
them that had part of 1t written out
that part In reference to metropoli-
tan police and injunctions and in re-
gard to the charges OF graft. and that
would be pleased to hand it to them.
They took II down to suit themselves
and made their own report. and the
inference which you draw therefrom
Is as false as any lie could be. Here
is what I said. as I now read from the
original notes:
IRA b. Jones voted to put metro
politan police In Charleston-see page
500. House Journal. 1894"
IRA II. Jones voted to deprive the
people Of Charleston OF the right of
trial by jury and for injunctions-
see page ass. House Journal. 1894"
I'm addition to this. while he was
on the Supreme Court bench. many
injunctions were put on Charleston.
II have gwen you independence
and freedom: Ira b. Jones has given
you metropolitan police and injunc-
<1qnrn IN the bottom of your hearts. a
4 euSetion for me. and show by your
ballots your answer: Do you want
metropolitan police and injunctions.
such as Ira b. Jones gave you. or
do you want freedom of thought and
liberty OF action. such as Blease has
given you? IL you want metropolitan
police and injunctions. will be Gov
ernor OF this state for the balance of
this year and for the next two years
and will give II to you. III you want
IL. you shall have it,
I made no threat towards Charles
ton. but simply said that whatever
she wanted would give her during
September. October. November. De-
ca,ohar and tvvopty-npa dov, In Ion
uary. and for the next two years. The
construction which you have placed
on my ianguage-that II was a threat
against Charleston-ls absolutely
wrong. am willing TO leave the con-
struction OF my words to Lieutenant
Governor Charles n. smith. Railroad
Commissioner John c.. Richards. Sen
ator John IL. Wharton and any 9TH
er honorable gentlemen who are inn
partial and are willing to state the
truth
In this connection. will you please
tell me why YOU did not publish what
1 fead about Jones speech against
Gen. Hampton? You are mighty quick
To strike me. Why do your reporters
not report the truth. and why do you
not publish a.? Here Is what Jones
said when ne seconded Col. Irby's
nomination: When Independentism
was about To- blot out the fair cscut-
cheon OF South Carolina. who was il
that stood by the state and the Dem
ocratic party? Was II Wade HamR
ton? Was II Donaldson? IL was Irby.
Of Laurens." This IL taken from the
files OF your paper. as printed in your
issue OF Thursday morning Decem-
ber IL, 1880. You failed To- give IL
In the report Of the meeting i'm Char
lesion. thereby showing your unfair
ness by endcavoring to shield Jones
and misconstrue my words. II Is a
great pity that the newspapers can
not be fair. but the people do not cX-
pect II. they are ON To- your game
and your Misrepresentation will cost
me no votes. hut on tho contrary will
help me. as II has done ia 'hc past
and will bc reelected Governor by
a handsome majority In spite cf your
falsehoods and your mlsrcprcscnta-
tions.
! quote from Section 723. code of
Laws cf south Carolina. 1912:
Section 723. The Governor shall
have authority. whenever tn his iudg-
ment u shall be necessary to arm the
constabui1ry. and. In any emergency.
to assume the sole control of thc
whole or any part. of the municipal
nnlicn In rlfins md InrnrnnrnAnI