The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-03

cial officers and upon their DEGREES
| est infinitely more of the Interests Of
the people than any occasional deci-
sion OF the supreme court in litlga-
'"n between the railroads and indi
vidual suitors. When the railroad
commission decides it decides perhaps
the extent Of millions of dollars at
one time and it can decide either for
or against the people.
GOV. Blease has insinuated that
his cousin. Ben Abney. has been using
Charlie Jones as a megaphone
through which he could reach the
ars of the supreme court. He has
lever produced any proof of this, and
amounts to an impeachment of our
whole judiciary if he is a good wit
ness. creditable witness upon that
point, about which after all he does
not profess to know anything of his
own knowledge then 100 times more
or so is he good witness in respect
to matter OF corruption in which he
WAS the StakenOlQer.
"Recollect he had been elected gov
ernor after a campaign in which he
had posed as the peoples friend, the
anti-corporation man and at the very
time when he was making his hyp-
ocritical speeches against the corpor-
ations he was dolling out money in
driblets to a common drunkard for
the Southern railway so that it might
get at least one man on the railroad
commission.
| Perhaps he could tell whether ~
not he Is doing the same thing in this
campaign SO that they might get an
other.
And now as to Blease's charac-
teristic interview. 4 am very glad that
he has spoken at such length and that
he has again lost his head because
he invariably tells lies when he does
so and lies that are easily detected.
will take them up seriatim.'
| He says. in speaking of me: L
knew that he opposed me in the first
primary two years ago and 1 have
never believed that he supported me
or even voted for me in the second
primary
| This of course he knows is a lie.
and fortunate for me the proof of
II Is In writing. Not only did sup
port him before and in the first pri-
mary. but wrote the strongest kind
Of editorials which were sent to him
and copied In some Of the few State
papers that were supporting him: if
mistake not. in the Newberry Her
aid and News, for one.
| II am at Glenn Springs and hay,
no1 access to my letter files, but / re-
member distinctly receiving a very ap-
preciative letter from him thankine
me most cordially for this support
that il. ~ The second primary. More
over everybody I'm Charleston knows
as they knew at The time. that il was
practically through me in the inst
primary that he got the votes that
he did get.
| II had been entreated to support
Mcleod and in supporting Blease
went hostile to the overwhelming
sentiment Of Charleston and Ill ITS
political leaders, including his friend.
Capt. Martin, who supported Mcleod
as he we'll knows.
II was severly blamed by the peo-
pie Of Charleston for this and it op-
Grated seriously against me in my sub
sequent campaign for mayor, but so
clearly did Blease himself understand
the situation that Immediately after
the first primary he sent man TO
Charleston and it was through him
acting in direct communication with
him by telephone with Blease at my
Office that all arrangements and con-
ditions for the second primary were
| made. And | am satisfied that when
go To Charleston / will be able to dig
up the original stenographic notes of
| my stenographer. taken down over
the long distance telephone i'm respect
To what Blease would do for Charles
ton if we elected him and which at
once made the basis for the campaign
against Featherstone. In fact. when
get back to Charleston | will make
this lie of his perfectly clear.
II have told before about my APP
pointment upon his staff. | went into
II in detail under oath I'm my testimony
before the investigating committee
Here is what / then said
'ilc said: John. | want To express
To YOU the gratitude / feel for what