The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-09-18
ThVUR THE PROBE
BROTHER OF GOVERNOR BLEASE
VOTED For The
MANNING RESOLUTION

Providing for the Fullest and Free
est Investigation Of the Charges Of
Fraud and Irregularities in the
Late Primary for the Nomination
OF Governor and Other Officers.
The following card to the Colum-
bia Record from Mr.. Eugene S.
Blease who represented his brother.
the Governor, on the State Democrat
ic Committee, shows very plainly that
he is in favor Of probing the charge
Of fraud in the late primary to the
very bottom:
Editor of the Daily Record:
Pressure of bushes has prevented
the earlier writing of this letter. Al
though a little late, perhaps, feel 1t
is proper for me to take this method
of setting myself right before your
readers for fear that some OF them
may have believed the wrong posi-
ton in which you have sought re-
peatedly to place me.
l. ernprtongietaoin shrdlu cmwfyp
In reporting the meetings OF the
State Democratic executive commit
tee held since the day OF the first
primary election, you have persistent
II referred to me as being opposed to
an investigation Of the recent pri-
mary election. On two occasions IN
your headlines, you have referred to
my opposition to the Investigating
resolution. In your issue OF last
Thursday, in your editorial, headed
"The Proper Action you used these
words: Instead Of opposing the In
yestigation, Mr.. Eugene Blease
should have demanded it.
At first, I thought your headline
writers had misrepresenteo me unln.
tentionally, for I understand tna'
headlines are usually written hur'
riedly, but the fact that your eoltor'
ial continues to misrepresent my po'
sition makes me inclined to tn1nS
that the misrepresentation I have re
ceiyed at the hands Of your paper Is
not altogether unintentional.
I have ever opposed the investlga
ton Of the primary election. A tne
meeting of the executive committee
neld on the Friday following the day
of the primary, I distinctly stated t1
the committee that did not Oppose
an Investigation, and voted for the
resolution looking to the investiga
ton. At the meeting On last wed
nesday, I did not oppose Mr. Man
uing's resolution. took the position
before the committee that it was MOI
proper to order an investigation unit
the committee knew what the of1c1a
returns from the various counue:
showed, and that it was proper flrs'
To appoint a committee to tabulate
those returns and report the results
to the full committee. When my sub
stifute failed, and the consideration
of Mr.. Manning's resolution wa:
called up, then moved that at leas
three members of the committee o
seven be supporters of Governol
Blease, and at least three member:
thereof be supporters OF Judge Jones
I stated before the committee m!
reasons for making this motion. 81
Ear as I know, no newspaper ma!
published the reasons as given b!
me. Briefly stated, my reasons were
because fairness and business de
manded that both sides be represent
ed on the committee, and felt tha
if both sides were represented, i
would help to bring about good feel
ing on the part of the people general
" throughout the State. A numDe'
of Judge Jones' supporters on thu
committee agreed with me in m!
view, and voted for my amendment
The majority Of the committee, how
ever, did not favor it.
I do not hesitate to say that I was
opposed to the Investigation being or
dered until the returns were taou'
lated, and I thought that Judge
Jones should make specific charges
Z of fraud before any full investigation
should be ordered. was also oppos'
ed to a partisan committee, repre-
senting the minority Of the voters II
the election, making an examinatlor
and Investigation, without the ma
iority Of the voters having represen'
tation on the committee. My oppo'
sition has been as to the manner o.
the Investigation and the time or tne
beginning Of the same, but never ha:
been to a full, fair and honest lnyes'
tigation.
While calling your attention te
the matters above set forth, wish
also to correct the statement in your
paper reporting the meeting OF tne
executive committee on Friday Au
gust 80. Writing of the investlga
ton demanded by Secretary Christie
Benet, your reporter stated that
went for Governor Blease, but tnal
he was "absent from his Office"
did not go to the governors ONCE 1ol
Governor Blease and do not see now
your reporter could have made sucf
q mistake as that.
What I have written has beer
with the desire to keep the record
straight and not with any purpose o'
engaging in any newspaper contro
versy 7 deplore newspaper contro
versies and have always avoided
them. Especially now am I desirou:
fkeeping out of one, for realize the
unfairness which has been dealt ou
to NV brother, Governor Blease %!
most of the newspapers of this State
and fear that the mere fact that
happen to be his brother is the rea
son why some newspapers occasion
ally misrepresent me. I am, slr'
Eugene S. Blease.
Too Much Of Hug.
A. Fort Worth Texas, Miss Laura