The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1912-12-26
BLEASE AT RICHMOND.
How His Speeches Impressed a
Virginia Editor.

The following clipping from the
Roanoke (Virginia) Times is fairly
representative Of the editorial COM
ments of hundreds of newspapers
throughout the country anent the
conduct and utterances of Governor
Blease at the Governors Conference
recently held in Richmond, Va.
Renewed congratulations to the
free, independent and sovereign
Democratic voters of South Carolina
on their choice for Governor!
would they mind keep
ing him at home hereafter, or at
least out of Virginia?
He is slightly-er-so to speak
too highly favored for our taste.
Next time kindly send US, for pref
erence, as more accurately and cred
itably representing the State, one Of
the 3O-odd gentlemen he expelled
from the penitentiary just before
Thanksgiving and by way of giving
the householders and peaceful citi-
zens something for which to be tru-(
ly thankful.
The truth is a more disgraceful
little rowdy than Blease never has
obtruded himself on the association
of a company of gentlemen. Tam
many in its worst days never sent
anywhere anything like him. He ac-
complished two unprecedented feats.
He, the Governor of a State. by
speech, drove the women from his
audience; and he is the first Govern
or in the history of the country to
bring on himself the formal repudi-
alton and rebuke of the assembled
Governors of 25, or more, of the Sis
ter States. So he holds the record.
The first Governor of State expell-
ed from his college by vote of the
student body for deliberately steal
ing another mans essay; the first
Governor to whom we'll bred women
refused to listen; the first Governor
formally and officially denounced by
his fellow Governors.
Yet the incidents at Richmond
probably will increase the popularity
of Rlease at home. He will brag
there and strut and tell how he chas-
ed the high-toned society women of
the country out of a hall; and of
how he defied and insulted the dead
old Governors of other States; and
of how he told everybody to go to
he'll and proclaimed himself to the
newspaper men as a cold blooded
fighting man" (whereatthe reporters
most justifably laughed and of how
he boasted of his love or lynching
and his use of his pardoning power
to turn loose criminals and shouted
to hell with the constitution
1t is safe to say that his constitu-
ency will applaud him warmly; while
the substantial people of the State
will look on, grieved and helpless;
while the South Carolinians scatter
ed through the country will be
ashamed; while other people will
wonder that such things can be;
while poor old Senator Tillman will
mourn as we'll as he can. over the new
standards he established in South
Carolina, of which Blease is logical
and inevitable product.
We have some Blease spirit and
style here in Virginia just now
prominently but unconsciously ex-
pressed in the pulpit and among wo-
/ men and $4,000 alleged but unana-
lyzed petitions. To hell with the
constitution! To hell with the
courts! To hell with the law!' 1t is
Blease exactly. Some of US have no
cause to quarrel with him or to re-
proach South Carolina. One corre-
spondent of the Roanoke Times al
ready has expressed his signing for
Governor of Virginia like the
Governors of South Carolina and
Tennessee.
Fortunately, the weight of the
Virginia sentiment and power, like
the weight of Virginia tradition, is
for the law and orderly and sure
performance of it. Therefore Gov
Mann and the other Governors will
have the cordial support Of the