The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-07-26

write story about Governor Blease.
Here is what this reporter turned in:
.Columbia-South Carolina is un-
dergoing now the most tempestuous
political campaigns in her history
since Ben Tillman grew old and quit
the fight of oratory| and anathema
and guns.
Cole Blease, governor for a year
and ten months, charged now with
selling pardons, accepting bribes from
the liquor interests and sending his
convicted clients scot free from pris-
on, is out upon the stump to save
his political life and possibly his per-
sonal liberty. The other prominent
candidate, former Chief Justice Ira B.
Jones, of the South Carolina supreme
court, has taken the stump against
him, sometimes in joint debate, de-
claring that he is running for Office
not because he wants to be governor,
but to rid South Carolina of Blease-
ism and demagogy, to stamp out the
pardon graft and the blind tiger graft
that he charges have found their way
to Blease's own pocket. He declares
that Blease is prostituting the pow
ers of sovereign states chief execu-
tive in any way he can devise to fill
his till with campaign funds and to
finance his personal dissipations.
During a debate at Florence, the
former chief justice advanced upon
the governor with clenched fist and
the lie direct, and was only prevented
from striking him in public by the
interference of friends.
At Barnwell, still later, shooting
affray followed hectic meeting and
one man lies wounded as result of
the things that the governor said
about Justice Jones.
Blease still is upon the stump in a
campaign custom that prevails in
South Carolina and will keep both the
chief candidates in debate until five
days before the primary. "He's a
cowardly liar" is the nightly denun-
citation Governor Blease hurls against
Judge Jones, and from the same stage
Jones nightly shouts back, "Down
with the demagogue and the pardon
CRATER"
Friends of both men declare that
personal encounter of most serious
nature is inevitable before the pri-
mary determines whether Blease or
Jones is to win.
Meantime, while the barnstorm
around the state, South Carolinians
are finding out thoroughly for the
first time what Bleasism and anti
Bleasism means.
Blease is a combination type of
"small town sport" and court house
politician. He wears the long frock
coat and the wide slouch hat of the
near-statesman. He wears the high
and, habitually giving his bristling
mustache few extra upward twists,
he easily suggests the composite pic
ture of the country dude and pirate
on parade.
He'll Take Drink With Anybody.
He takes drink with anybody who
comes along and makes no objection;
anywhere, upon visits to the small
towns of his constituencies, he will
strike an attitude in front Of the vii
lage hotel and entertain semi-circle
of idles with loquacious answers to
all the questions that may be asked
him, barring none,, replete with pro-
fame and abusive references to peo-
pie who have criticised or opposed
him.
His paramount political principle,
according to his own version, is to
"stand by his friends" He has made
that principle of "sticking by my
fiends at any cost" the cry of his
political campaigns. All men who
aren't his friends he has frequently
declared to be his enemies for whom
ne will do nothing.
Blease is a native of Newberry, S.
c. He came of good parentage, and,
though he was bit bombastic in the
schools there and used to bully some
of the smaller boys, nobody ever
thought anything serious about it and
nothing serious cropped out in his
youths career until he was just about
to graduate from the South Carolina
University.
He had been prominent student in
the university, a ready debater in
private tilts as well as in the debat-
ing society. One night they held a
great college meeting, at which Cole
Blease delivered an oration which the