Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-06-21
BLEASE At SUMTER.
Governor Defends His Administrative
Record.
CORPORATE CAPITAL vs.. The PEOPLE.

torial campaign at Sumter last Tues-
day and furnished to the newspapers
in typewriter form:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen
Fellow Citizens Of South Carolina:
In obedience to the laws Of the
Democratic party of South Carolina,
appear before you today as a candi-
date for reelection to the position OF
governor.
Four years ago, when I announced as
a candidate for the office Of governor
the newspapers raised great howl
against me and said many very harsh
things. They criticised me very Sc
verely for opposing the then chief ex-
ecutive, using as their argument that
it had always been customary In this
state to give a governor two terms;
that II was q precedent which the peo-
pie had set and from which, for many,
many years, they had not deviated'
and that it was very wrong In me,
very undemocratic, very impudent and
in every other manner and form
against principles and policies that the
governor should be opposed for his
second term. Great changes have
been wrought; those same newspapers
since have held the chief executive Of
flee, have done everything within their
power to hamper me in my admins
tration and to injure the state govern
ment by striking me in the most ma
licious manner; and, for some months
past, they have been clamoring Tor
candidates to oppose me In my second
race. If It was right, four years ago,
that the governor should have a Sec
ond term, and if it was precedent then
that no change should be made, why Is
1t today that those same newspapers
should fight me so bitterly upon the
second term idea, and fight me so bit
terly in behalf Of those who are oppos-
ing me for my second term? Does 1t
not show conclusively, to all fair
minded men, that it is not fight OF
Justice or principle with them, but
that 1t is a fight of prejudice and spite
and the corporations have not been
able to control me or dictate my poll
cies as governor?
Precedent Not Involved.
1 am not asking for reelection be-
cause 1t is a precedent to give man
a second term. This argument is used
h. nf showing
you the great change which has been
brought about and how they clamored
for another mans second term, on ac-
count of this precedent, and abused
me for opposing him. Now, in so short
q time, they are praising another man
and fighting his cause against me FOR
nv second term. Is 1t principle that
they are fighting for, or Is 1t to con-
troll and dictate the policies of the
government? The position is up to
YOU, fellow citizens, whether you shall
have a governor, unhampered, working
in the interest Of the people of the
state, which is in accordance with the
Democratic principles, and which l
have followed, or whether you are to
have a governor who is brought out
by the newspapers and backed by the
corporations and moneyed interests,
and who will be dictated to by them.
Look at your recent state convention;
your county clubs with fixed-up states
forced down your throats, without
,,o,, IN nominate from
the floors of the clubs the list of del
egates; those delegations went to their
various county conventions, and again
a slate was fixed and certain delega-
tions were crammed down the throats
of the people without their having
voice or a right to say who should
control or who should represent them.
What was the result? Who absolute
" dominated and controlled your state
convention? Lewis w. Parker, the
head of the big mill merger, which ]
have been fighting for the relief Of the
people and to save them from the
hands of this octopus. Sitting by his
side was his leading counsel and paid
attorney, H. ]. Haynsworth. Leroy
Springs, said to be worth three and
half million dollars, head of large cor
porations and owner of large corpor-
ate interests. There was John Gary
Evans, the chief counsel and paid at
torney of the Western Union Tele-
graph company for this state, and of
other corporations. Richard /. Man.
ming, president Of a bank and large
eph w. Barnwell, ]. Edward McDon-
aid, NJ. L. Bonham, R S. Whaley, ]. L.
Glenn, F. H. Weston and other leading
attorneys for railroad corporations
Calhoun, A. E. Padgett, r. F. Smith, ].
w. Ragsdale, bank presidents and
large owners of other corporate inter-
ests. Also, one w. F. Stevenson, paid
attorney for corporations and railroads,
attorney and assistant in prosecuting
dispensary cases, for which he has re-
ceived handsome salaries, and other
corporation officers and attorneys too
numerous to mention here; look at
your own county delegation and see
how many corporation officers, direc-
tors. stockholders and attorneys were
in attendance as delegates. and
answer If corporations CONTROL ID that
convention. Look at your delegation
to Baltimore; see how many Of them
are officers, directors, stockholders and
attorneys Of large corporations. Where
did the farmers, mill operatives, clerks,
laboring men-the real backbone Of
this state-get representation? Then.
who controlled the conventions? An
swer: The corporations. Against who?
Answer: Cole L. Blease. Why? An
swer: Because they have not been
able and can not control Blease and
dictate his policies as governor. The
officers and the attorneys of your cor
porations absolutely dominated and
controlled your state convention.
Now, gentlemen, l ask you, as men,
do you want a corporation ring-rule,
or do you want a man in the govern
or's office who can not be controlled by