The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-08-16
Favors Blease Over Ira B. Jones.

space in the old Union Times to ex-
press my views along some lines
which are being discussed in South
Carolina this year. 1t is said that
nearly all the nwspapers in South
Carolina are advocating or standing
for Ira B. Jones for next governor,
and that they will publish everything
against Gov. Blease and will not pub
lish anything written by his friends.
This is not altogether true for I see
communications written by the Gov
ernor's friends published in the pa
pers, which stand for Jones.
was talking with a man not many
days ago who lives in another county,
who said that in his county a man
wrote piece and sent it to the coun-
ty paper and the editor would not
publish it. 1 know you have come out
for Jones, which you have a perfect
right to do, and am for G. L. Blease
because l believe him to be the best
man. l am Tillman man first, last
and all the time, and for the princi-
Piles which he has been fighting for
over twenty years. Jones has been
numbered with the reformers all the
time, he may have been coattail
swinger. have been voting for men
who helped him to get where he did
and now for him to side with a fac
tion that fought him, Tillman and the
reform movement with all their brain
and money, is little more than can
comprehend, but some will say he has
not deserted the reformers. Well, to
say the least, he has gotten into bad
company when he is mixing up with
that "rule or ruin" Columbia State
gang, who are doing all they can to
injure the credit of South Carolina,
and at the same time crying that Gov.
Blease and his followers are running
the State, which is not true. If the
Hon. Lowndes Browning statement is
true which appeared in the Union
Times some months ago, and he was
certainly in a position to know what
he was talking about. But to the
contrary our State was rapidly pay
ing her debts, and if we continued,
she would soon be out of debt. "Truth
is mighty, and will prevail" in the
end and no politician or set of politi-
cans can prevent it. 1t is a wonder
to me the progress that South Caro-
lima has made, one-third pulling back
while the two-thirds are going for
ward. Any farmer can tell you how
difficult it is to get along with a full
three-horse load when one of them is
pulling back. And again l cannot
understand why any good thinking
reformer who was true to Tillman
and the principles he advocated can
now mix with the boiling Haskelites.
| say to all Tillmanites, don't let them
pull the wool over your eyes. Now let
US come and reason together. Gov
ernor Blease's opponents says he is
the Governor of only his friends. Now
is that true? He says what he has
to give he will give it to his friends.
Where is the man that would not, but
he says he is the governor of all. A
man said to me that Tillman, while
Governor, gave men jobs who voted
against him. Well, that shows he
was an extraordinary man, but did
that Haskelite State stop fighting
him? The history of the paper tells
the story, and would that same paper
give Blease any credit, had he done
as b. X. Tillman did? answer, "No."
And let me say right here, it is not
Blease or Jones, but shall Haskelism
with his boiling followers, or Tillman
and reform rule in South Carolina. In
conclusion, let me say, YOU can take
all history, sacred or profane, and you
Will find some of the greatest men
that ever lived sorely prosecuted. II
Will name two or three of them.
First, John Bunyan. Reader, have
you ever read "Pilgrim's Progress"?
If you have not, be sure and read it.
Second, Martin Luther; third John
Wesley, and who was their persecu-
tors? Partly men who claimed to be
followers of the meek and lowly Je
sus, and there is now members of the
different denominations who would
hoot at the idea of voting for Cole
l.. Blease, and some of them who are
sincere and honest, but they won't
think and reason for themselves, but,
will follow the biddings of others.
We remember well the active part
taken by preachers in the nineties and
the results followed, and | do hope
that none of the ministers of the
Gospel will take any active part in
politics this year, either for Blease
or Jones. If they do it will cripple
their influence for good They can't
afford it if every member of their